Ilev.l  Bolton 

Scaisdale  Westchester  co 
NY 


tibrary  of 'the  <t  heological  Seminary 

PRINCETON    •   NEW  JERSEY 

,y>\  (ft, 

PRESENTED  BY 

Clarence   L.    Lecrone 


; 

V,   I 


*   '& 


NOTES, 


\y*. 


CRITICAL,  EXPLANATORY,  AND  PRACTICAL, 


ON    THE    BOOK    OF 


THE  PROPHET  ISAIAH 


ALBERT    BARNES. 


NEW       IMPROVED       EDITION 


VOL.  I. 


NEW-YORK  : 
LEAVIT'l    &    ALLEN.   37  9    BROADWAY. 

1858. 


Entered,  according  *o  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1847, 

By  Alblrt  Barnes, 

in  the  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  of  the   Eastern  District  of 
Pcmeylvhnia. 


PREFACE   TO   THE   FIRST   EDITION. 


It  is  with  unaffected  diffidence  that  this  work  is  offered  to  the 
patronage  of  the  Christian  public.  It  has  been  prepared  amidst  the 
toils  and  responsibilities  of  a  most  laborious  pastoral  charge,  and  at 
such  intervals  as  could  be  secured  without  seeming  to  infringe  on 
the  direct  and  immediate  duties  demanded  in  my  station.  Those 
hours  have  been,  with  scarcely  an  exception,  the  early  morning 
hours;  and  whatever  may  be  the  manner  in  which  this  book  may 
be  received  by  the  public,  whether  it  shall  or  shall  not  contribute 
in  any  degree  to  advance  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  the  love 
of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  its  preparation,  by  requiring  me  to  com. 
mence  each  day  with  the  direct  contemplation  of  an  interesting  por- 
tion of  inspired  truth,  has  for  four  years  constituted  one  of  the  most 
delightful  parts  of  my  work.  It  is  the  production  of  many  a  labo- 
rious, but  many  a  pleasant  hour ;  and  while  I  desire  to  render  thanks 
to  the  Giver  of  life  and  health,  that  he  has  granted  me  strength  to 
engage  in  these  studies,  I  shall  ever  look  back  with  gratitude  to  the 
deeply  interesting  moments  in  which  I  have  been  endeavouring  to 
illustrate  the  "  Visions  of  Isaiah." 

When  I  commenced  the  work,  I  designed  nothing  farther  than  an 
enlargement  of  Lowth  on  Isaiah.  It  occurred  to  me  that  it  might  be 
useful  to  retain  his  Notes  as  a  basis,  with  some  additional  illustra- 
tions. But  this  plan  was  soon  abandoned ;  and  no  other  use  has 
been  made  of  Lowth  than  that  which  is  common  with  other  writers. 
Valuable  as  are  his  Notes,  and  beautiful  as  is  his  version,  yet  it  waa 
soon  perceived,  or  thought  to  be  perceived,  that  greater  usefulness 
might  be  secured  by  enlarging  the  plan,  and  making  a  work  entirely 
new.  Very  valuable  helps  have  been  furnished,  since  the  time  of 
Lowth,  for  the  illustration  of  the  Hebrew  prophets;  and  it  was 
deemed  desirable  to  avail  myself  of  them  all,  so  far  as  it  was  in  my 
power.  Most  of  those  helps  will  be  found  enumerated  in  the  list  of 
works  on  Isaiah,  at  the  close  of  the  Introduction,  §  8. 

Some  of  the  reasons  which  led  to  the  wish  to  illustrate  Isaiah, 
are  the  following :  (1.)  He  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  sublime 
of  the  sacred  writers.    (2.)  In  some  respects  his  writings  are  among 


IV  PREFACE    TO    THE    FIRST    EDITION. 

the  most  difficult  portions  of  the  Old  Testament.  (3.)  His  prophe. 
cies  are  so  closely  connected  with  interesting  historical  events,  and 
furnish  so  much  opportunity  of  illustration  from  archaeology,  oriental 
customs,  and  the  investigations  of  modern  travellers,  that  it  is  highly 
desirable  that  all  the  light  should  be  thrown  upon  them  which  is  possi- 
ble from  these  sources.  (4.)  The  fulfillment  of  prophecy  is  perhaps 
more  clear,  minute,  and  striking  in  Isaiah  than  in  any  other  of  the  pro- 
phets ;  and  a  commentary,  therefore,  on  his  writings,  compared  with 
the  present  state  of  the  countries  to  which  his  prophecies  refer,  as 
reported  by  modern  travellers,  and  especially  with  the  record  of  the 
life,  and  doctrines,  and  death  of  Christ,  will  constitute  itself  a  de- 
monstration of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and  may 
be  made  one  of  the  best  antidotes  against  infidelity.  It  is  impossible, 
it  is  believed,  with  an  honest  mind,  to  compare  the  predictions  of 
Isaiah  respecting  Babylon,  Moab,  Tyre,  and  Idumea,  with  the  Tra- 
vels of  Volney,  Burckhardt,  Seetzen,  Sir  R.  K.  Porter,  Maundrell, 
Laborde,  and  Stephens,  without  the  fullest  conviction  that  he  who 
uttered  these  predictions,  two  thousand  and  five  hundred  years  since, 
was  divinely  inspired.  It  is  impossible  to  believe  that  this  could 
have  been  the  result  of  political  sagacity  ;  it  is  equally  impossible 
to  believe  that  it  could  have  been  produced  by  chance  or  conjecture. 
And,  in  like  manner,  it  is  impossible  to  compare  his  full,  minute, 
and  glowing  descriptions  of  the  Messiah,  with  the  life  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  to  collate  minutely  and  critically,  for  example,  the 
prophecies  in  the  ixth,  the  xith,  the  xxxvth,  the  liid,  the  liiid  chapters, 
with  what  actually  occurred  in  the  life,  the  sufferings,  and  the  death 
of  the  Redeemer,  without  the  fullest  conviction  that  he  was  permit 
ted  to  see,  in  distinct  vision,  events  which  were  to  take  place  in  fu- 
ture times.  No  man  can  be  a  close  student  of  Isaiah,  and  remain 
an  infidel ;  no  man  can  study  his  writings  with  prayer,  who  will 
not  find  his  faith  confirmed,  his  heart  warmed,  his  mind  elevated 
and  purified,  and  his  affections  more  firmly  fixed  on  the  beauty  of 
the  everlasting  truth  of  God. 

But  the  main  reason  which  led  to  the  selection  of  Isaiah  as  a 
subject  of  exposition  was,  his  strongly  evangelical  character,  and 
the  fact,  that  he,  more  than  any  other  prophet,  has  unfolded  the  fu- 
ture glories,  and  predicted  the  triumphs  of  the  Church  on  earth.  Fie 
has  been  usually  styled  "the  fifth  Evangelist;"  and  it  is  certain  that 
there  was  vouchsafed  to  him  a  clearer  view  of  the  universal  spread 
of  the  gospel,  and  of  the  blessedness  of  the  reign  of  the  Messiah, 
than  was  granted  to  any  other  of  the  ancient  prophets.  It  was  this 
characteristic  mainly  which  has  prompted  to  this  attempt  to  make 
his  sentiments  more  widely  knoAvn,  and  more  clearly  understood. 
In  an  age  distinguished,  more  than  any  other  since  that  of  the  apostles, 
for  efforts  for  the  conversion  of  the  whole  world  to  God,  nothing  will 


PREFACE    TO    THE    FIRST    EDITION.  ^ 

ao  entirely  fall  in  with  the  leading  characteristics  and  efforts  of  the 
times  as  an  attempt  to  establish  some  just  views  of  the  right  inter- 
pretation  of  the  prophecies  on  this  subject.  Men  will  put  forth  great 
and  noble  exertions  when  the  object  is  clearly  defined,  and  when 
they  have  some  distinct  view  of  what  it  is  possible  to  attain.  A  right 
apprehension  of  what  is  to  be  on  earth,  will  do  much  to  form  the  plans 
and  shape  the  efforts  of  those  who  seek  the  world's  conversion.  It 
will  do  much  to  suppress  unauthorized  hopes,  to  repress  wild  and 
visionary  schemes,  and  to  secure  well-founded  and  judicious  efforts 
to  accomplish  the  object.  A  correct  understanding  of  the  prophecies, 
therefore,  is  necessary  to  direct  those  who  are  forming  plans  for  the 
conversion  of  the  world,  and  to  uphold  the  hands  and  to  encourage 
the  hearts  of  those  who  are  engaged  in  practically  executing  the 
work. 

There  is  one  advantage  on  this  subject,  in  contemplating  the  entire 
prophecies  in  a  book,  above  what  would  arise  from  selecting  the  por- 
tions which  relate  to  the  final  triumph  of  the  gospel,  and  forming  a 
commentary  on  them  exclusively.  As  the  predictions  now  stand  in 
the  prophets,  they  are  intermingled  with  predictions  respec mg  other 
events  which  have  been  strikingly  and  clearly  fulfilled.  The  mind 
is  carried  forward  therefore  amidst  demonstrations  ;  the  certain  con- 
viction of  the  mind  that  the  predictions  respecting  Babylon,  Tyre, 
Moab,  and  Idumea  have  been  fulfilled,  is  carried  to  the  contemplation 
of  the  predictions  respecting  things  yet  to  come.  The  mind  ranges 
amidst  proofs  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  book  which  is  examined ; 
and  these  proofs  strengthen  the  faith  in  regard  to  the  events  which 
are  yet  to  come.  He  performs  some  service  for  his  generation,  who 
contributes  in  any  degree  to  unfold  the  meaning  of  the  ancient  pre- 
dictions, and  to  show  to  the  Christian  Church  what  the  world  yet 
will  be  ;  and  he  who  contributes  in  any  manner  so  to  blend  the  ar- 
guments for  the  past  fulfillment  of  prophecy  with  the  predictions  of 
what  is  yet  to  be  on  earth,  does  not  live  entirely  in  vain.  It  is  doubt- 
less with  this  view  that  the  predictions  respecting  the  Messiah,  and 
the  final  universal  triumph  of  the  gospel,  are  scattered  along,  and  in- 
termingled with  predictions  that  relate  to  events  that  would  be  of  more 
immediate  fulfillment.  The  student  of  the  prophecies  thus  walks 
amidst  the  monuments  of  their  truth  which  time  has  set  up  along  his 
way  ; — not  much  unlike  the  traveller  who  is  seeking  a  distant  land 
amidst  much  that  is  obscure  and  uncertain  ;  who  encounters  rapid 
streams  and  lofty  crags  and  hills ;  whose  paths  leads  through  dense 
and  entangled  forests ;  but  who  yet  finds  every  now  and  then  monu- 
ments erected  which  show  him  that  the  road  has  been  travelled,  and 
which  prove  that  the  same  path  which  others  have  trod  will  lead 
him  to  the  place  which  he  desires  to  reach.  He  who  has  attentively 
jxamined  Isaiah,  and  compared  the  predictions  respecting  events 


VI  PREFACE    TO    THE    FIRST    EDITION. 

which  are  now  passed,  with  their  fulfillment,  is  not  likely  to  be  a 
man  whose  faith  will  be  shaken  in  regard  to  the  reality  of  the  in. 
spiration  of  the  Book  of  God,  or  to  the  final  prevalence  of  religion  all 
over  the  world.  As  an  illustration  of  the  influence  of  Isaiah  in  form- 
ing  the  opinions  of  Christians  in  regard  to  the  character  of  the  better 
days  which  are  to  bless  the  world,  we  may  advert  to  the  fact  that 
the  views  of  most  Christians  respecting  the  Millennium  are  probably 
derived  from  this  prophet;  and  that  even  after  the  revelations  of  the 
New  Testament,  if  we  wish  to  obtain  full  and  clear  conceptions  f 
what  the  world  is  yet  to  be  under  the  reign  of  the  Prince  of  Peace, 
we  instinctively  turn  to  the  glowing  visions  of  the  Son  of  Amoz.  It 
has  been  one  of  the  constant  and  earnest  prayers  of  the  author  of 
these  Notes,  that  his  labours  may  contribute  to  the  confirmation  of 
the  faith  of  Christians  in  respect  to  the  final  triumph  of  Christianity  ; 
and  to  the  augmentation  of  their  zeal  in  spreading  the  gospel  around 
the  world. 

In  the  fulfillment  of  this  design,  as  well  as  to  exhibit  the  true 
meaning  of  the  prophet,  I  have  availed  myself  of  all  the  helps  with- 
in my  reach,  to  show  that  the  prophecies  pertaining  to  events  already 
passed  have  been  minutely  and  strikingly  fulfilled.  In  these  por- 
tions of  the  book,  my  first  aim  has  been  to  settle,  as  well  as  I  could, 
the  exact  sense  of  the  prophet  by  philological  investigation,  and  then 
to  adduce  the  testimony  of"  modern  travellers  in  regard  to  the  present 
condition  of  the  countries  so  described.  Modern  travellers  have  con- 
tributed much  to  the  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  the  prophetic  state- 
ments ;  and  if  these  Notes  have  any  value  above  what  is  found  in 
the  common  expositions  of  Isaiah,  it  is  probably  in  this  respect.  In 
illustration  of  this,  reference  may  be  made  to  the  prophecies  respect- 
ing Babylon,  Moab,  Damascus,  Tyre,  and  Idumea,  in  the  xiiith,  xivth, 
XVth,  with,  xviith,  xxxiiid,  and  xxxivth  chapters. 

In  the  preparation  of  these  Notes  I  have  availed  myself  of  all  the 
aids  within  my  reach.  The  books  from  which  I  have  derived  most 
assistance  are  Walton's  Polyglott  ;  the  Critici  Sacri ;  Pool's 
Synopsis  ;  Calmet's  Dictionary ;  Vitringa  ;  Rosenmiiller  ;  Calvin  ; 
Gesenius  ;  Jerome  ;  Bochart's  Hierozoicon  ;  Taylor's  Heb.  Con.  ; 
Lowth's  and  Noyes'  Versions  ;  Keith  on  the  Prophecies ;  Newton 
on  the  Prophecies  ;  Hengstenberg's  Christology ;  and  the  writings 
of  oriental  travellers  to  which  I  have  had  access.  I  have  also  de- 
rived considerable  aid  from  the  Biblical  Repository,  and  from  Prof 
Bush's  Scripture  Illustrations. 

This  work  is  committed  now  to  the  Christian  public  with  the 
fervent  prayer  that  it  may  do  good.  The  public — for  whose  favour- 
able  regards  thus  far  in  life  I  have  had  abundant  reason  to  be  grate. 
ful — will  receive  kindly  what  is  kindly  meant.  It  is  not  right  to 
deprecate  criticism,  for  every  man  who  makes  a  book  subjects  him- 


PREFACE    TO    THE    FIRST    EDITION.  VII 

self,  of  his  own  choice,  to  the  free  remarks  of  all  who  may  choose  to 
notice  his  productions.  His  works,  henceforward,  whatever  they 
may  be,  belong  not  to  himself  alone,  but  to  the  public  at  large  ;  and 
no  author  has  a  right  to  complain  if  his  style,  his  opinions,  his  argu- 
ments, his  illustrations,  are  freely  examined.  For  such  examination 
he  should  be  grateful,  come  from  what  quarter  it  may — if  it  help  him 
to  amend  his  style,  to  correct  his  errors,  to  suggest  better  illustrations, 
to  remove  obscurity,  to  advance  sounder  arguments,  and  in  any  way 
to  make  his  works  more  worthy  of  the  patronage  of  the  public.  He 
has  a  right  to  demand  only  that  criticisms  should  be  in  the  spirit  of 
Christian  love — that  they  should  not  be  made  for  the  sake  of  criticism, 
and  that  they  should  not  be  carping  or  petulant.  He  has  a  right  to 
ask  that  those  who  examine  his  positions  should  presume  that  he  has 
bestowed  labour  and  thought  on  them,  and  that  labour  and  thought 
should  be  reciprocated  in  judging  of  them  before  they  are  condemned. 
He  has  a  right  to  expect  that  assertion  in  regard  to  his  opinions 
should  not  be  deemed  sufficient  to  supply  the  place  of  argument ; 
and  that  the  uttering  of  an  opinion  ex  cathedra  should  not  be  allowed 
to  take  the  place  of  a  candid  and  prayerful  investigation  of  the  mean- 
ing of  words,  and  phrases,  and  figures  of  speech;  of  a  careful  in- 
quiry into  whatever  in  archaeology,  philology,  geography,  or  travels, 
may  throw  light  on  the  meaning  of  God's  word.  Argument  should 
meet  argument ;  thought  conflict  with  thought ;  and  truth  should  be 
elicited  by  manly,  liberal,  and  candid  discussion.  The  only  object 
should  be  truth ;  and  every  author  should  be  thankful  to  any  man 
who  will  suggest  to  him  what  he  had  forgotten ;  communicate  what 
to  him  was  unknown;  correct  or  refute  what  was  erroneous;  and 
thus  make  him  more  useful  to  his  fellow-men. 

It  is  not  improper,  however,  as  a  matter  of  mere  justice  to  my- 
self, to  suggest  one  other  thing  to  those  who  may  be  disposed  to 
examine  this  work.  A  man  burdened  with  the  cares  and  toils  of 
a  pastoral  office,  has  not  the  advantages  of  preparing  a  work  for  the 
public  which  they  have  who  are  favoured  with  the  entire  command 
of  their  time,  or  whose  professional  duties  require  them  to  pursue  a 
course  of  study  that,  shall  be  in  accordance  with  what  they  may 
choose  to  submit  to  the  press.  The  pastors  of  the  churches,  for 
whose  use  more  especially  this  work  is  intended,  will  know  how  to 
appreciate  this  remark  ;  and  they  who  know  the  toils  of  that  office 
will  not  judge  unkindly  or  severely  of  what  is  designed  as  a  means 
of  enlarging  the  sphere  of  usefulness  in  which  a  man  is  placed ;  or 
of  contributing  in  any,  the  humblest  degree,  to  illustrate  the  truth 
of  the  Bible,  to  confirm  the  churches  in  its  inspiration,  to  unfold  its 
beauties,  and  to  aid  in  the  exposition  of  truth.     Lord  Bacon    has 

Said,  "  I  HOLD  EVERY  MAN  TO  BE  A  DEBTOR  TO  HIS  PROFESSION  ;"  and 

they  who  appreciate  the  force  of  this  remark  will  look  with  kindness 


VUl  PREFACE    TO    THE    FIRST    EDITION. 

on  every  effort  to  enlarge  the  sphere  of  the  usefulness  of  those  who 
are  by  their  office  expositors  of  the  word  God. 

With  these  remarks,  this  work  is  committed  to  the  world.  The 
desires  of  my  heart  will  be  gratified  if  it  is  the  means,  in  any  degree, 
of  confirming  the  faith  of  man  in  the  inspiration  of  the  divine  oracles, 
and  of  hastening  the  triumphs  of  that  day  when  "  the  wilderness  and 
the  solitary  place  shall  be  glad,  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice  and  blos- 
som as  the  rose,"  and  when  "the  ransomed  of  Jehovah  shall  return 
and  come  to  Zion  with  songs,  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads." 
Isa.  xxxv.  1,  10. 

ALBERT  BARNES. 
Philadelphia,  Nov.  14,  1838. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 


Since  the  publication  of  the  first  edition  of  this  work,  I  have  twice 
carefully  revised  it.  In  doing  this,  while  the  main  features  of  the 
exposition  have  been  retained,  I  have  endeavoured  to  render  it  more 
worthy  of  the  patronage  of  the  Christian  public.  I  have  availed  my- 
self  of  all  the  criticisms  made  on  it  which  I  have  seen,  and  have  adop- 
ted all  the  suggestions  which  appeared  to  me  to  be  well  founded.  My 
principal  aim  has  been  to  condense  the  work  as  much  as  possible, 
by  removing  redundant  words,  and  by  excluding  whatever  did  not 
contribute  to  the  elucidation  of  the  Prophet.  The  work  was  origin- 
ally published  in  three  large  octavo  volumes.  By  using  a  different 
type  ;  by  the  omission  of  the  "  New  Translation  "  inserted  in  the 
former  edition,  and  by  the  abridgments  which  have  been  made,  I  am 
now  able  to  present  it  in  a  much  narrower  compass,  and  at  a  price 
which  will  make  it  much  more  easy  to  procure  it.  It  may  perhaps 
be  of  interest  to  some  to  know  that  in  revising  it,  I  have  stricken 
out  matter,  besides  the  "  New  Translation,"  to  the  amount  of 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  octavo  pages,  and  have  introduced 
new  matter  to  the  amount  of  about  fifty  pages.  In  a  few  places 
additions  of  considerable  extent  have  been  made.  For  the  new 
matter  I  am  under  special  obligations  to  the  Biblical  Researches 
of  Dr.  Robinson,  and  Mr.  Smith,  and  to  the  work  of  Wilkinson  on 
the  Manners  and  Customs  of  the  Ancient  Egyptians.  By  the  aid 
of  the  '  Researches'  I  have  been  enabled  to  correct  several  places  re- 
lating to  the  geography  of  Palestine,  and  to  throw  important  light  on 
several  passages  of  the  Prophet.  I  have,  in  fact,  incorporated  in  the 
Notes  all  that  I  have  found  in  that  invaluable  work  which  seemed 
to  me  to  illustrate  in  any  way  the  writings  of  Isaiah,  and  as  nothing 
better  can  be  hoped  for  on  the  Holy  Land,  this  part  of  the  work  may 
be  considered  to  be  complete. — The  favourable  manner  in  which  the 
first  Edition  was  received  made  it  obligatory  on  me  to  do  all  that  I 
could  to  make  it  more  worthy  of  patronage,  and  again  I  commit 
it  to  the  world,  with  the  hope  that  it  may  contribute  in  some  de- 
gree  to  the  illustration  of  this  sublime  and  beautiful  portion  of 
the  inspired  volume. 

ALBERT  BARNES. 

Washington  Square,  Philadelphia,  June  23,  1845. 
1* 


INTRODUCTION. 


§  1.     Division  of  the  Books  or  the  Old  Testament. 

The  Jews  early  divided  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament  into  thr&e 
parts— the  Law,  the  Prophets,  and  the  HagiograpJia,  or  holy  writings. 
The  Law  comprised  the  five  books  of  Moses ;  and  the  priority  waa 
given  to  this  division  because  it  was  the  first  composed,  as  well  as  on 
account  of  its  containing  their  civil  and  ecclesiastical  constitution,  and 
their  oldest  historical  records.  The  Prophets  comprised  the  second 
and  the  largest  division  of  the  sacred  writings  of  the  Jews.  Thia 
portion  comprehended  the  books  of  Joshua,  Judges,  1  and  2  Samuel, 
1  and  2  Kings,  which  were  called  the  former  prophets  ;  and  Isaiah 
Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  and  the  books  from  Hosea  to  Malachi,  which  were 
called  the  latter  prophets.  Daniel  has  been  excluded  from  this  por- 
tion by  the  later  Jews,  and  assigned  to  the  third  division,  because 
they  regard  him  not  as  a  prophet,  but  as  an  historical  writer.  For- 
merly his  work  was  doubtless  included  in  the  second  division.  The 
third  portion,  the  Hagiographa,  comprises  the  Psalms,  Proverbs,  Job, 
Song  of  Solomon,  Ruth.  Lamentations,  Ecclesiastes,  Esther,  Daniel, 
Ezra  and  Nehemiah,  and  ihe  two  books  of  Chronicles.  This  division 
of  the  Old  Testament  is  as  old  a.s  the  time  of  our  Saviour,  for  he 
refers  to  it  in  Luke  xxiv.  44.  The  Jews  attribute  the  arrangement 
and  division  of  the  canonical  books  to  Ezra.  They  say  that  he  was 
assisted  in  this  by  one  hundred  and  twenty  men  who  constituted  "  a 
great  Synagogue;"  that  Daniel,  and  his  three  friends.  Shadrach, 
Meshach,  and  Abednego,  were  of  this  number;  and  that  Haggai  and 
Zechariah,  together  with  Simon  the  Just,  also  were  connected  with  it. 
But  this  statement  is  known  to  be  erroneous.  From  the  time  of  Daniel 
to  the  time  of  Simon  the  Just,  not  less  than  two  hundred  and  fifty 
years  intervened  (Alexander  on  the  Canon,  pp.  26,  27) ;  and  of  course 
all  these  persons  could  not  have  been  present.  It  is  not,  however, 
improbable  that  Ezra  may  have  been  assisted  by  learned  and  pioua 
men  who  aided  him  in  the  work.  What  Ezra  did  is  indeed  unknown. 
Tt  is  the  general  opinion  that  he  collected  and  arranged  the  booka 
which  now  compose  the  Old  Testament;  that  perhaps  he  wrote  some 
of  the  historical  books,  or  compiled  them  from  fragments  of  history 
and  documents  that  might  have  been  in  the  public  archives  (comp. 
the  Analysis  of  Isa.  ch.  xxxvi.);  and  that  he  gave  a  finish  and  ar- 
rangement to  the.  whole.  As  Ezra  was  an  inspired  man.  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  sacred  books,  and  the  portions  which  he  may  have  added, 
have  thus  the  sanction  of  Divine  authority.  There  is  no  evidence, 
however,  that  Ezra  completed  the  canon  of  the  Old  Testament.     Ma- 


XI]  INTRODUCTION. 

lichi  lived  after  him,  and  in  the  first  book  of  Chronicles  (ch.  iii.)  thv 
genealogy  of  the  sons  of  Zerubbabel  is  carded  down  to  the  lime  o\ 
Alexander  the  Great— about  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  subse- 
quent to  the  time  of  Ezra.  The  probability  is,  therefore,  that  Ezra 
commenced  the  arrangement  of  the  books,  and  that  the  canon  of  the 
Oid  Testament  was  completed  by  some  other  hand. 

The  "prophets"  were  divided  into  the  former  and  the  {alter. 
Among  the  latter.  Isaiaii  has  uniformly  held  the  first  place  and  ratjk. 
Tin's  has  been  assigned  him  not  because  he  prophesied  before  all  the 
others.  He  indeed  preceded  Ezekiel  and  Jeremiah,  but  Jonah.  Amos 
and  Hosea  were  his  contemporaries.  The  precedence  has  beer,  given 
to  his  prophecies  over  theirs,  probably  for  two  reasons  ;  first,  on  account 
of  their  length,  dignity,  and  comparative  value ;  and  secordly,  be- 
cause formerly  the  minor  prophets  were  bound  in  ont  v  ume,  or 
written  on  one  roll  of  parchment,  and  it  was  convenient  to  j  ace  them 
together,  and  they  all  had  a  place,  therefore,  after  Isaiah.  At  all  times 
his  prophecies  have  been  regarded  as  the  most  important  of  any  in 
the  Old  Testament.;  and  by  common  consent  they  have  been  deemed 
worthy  of  the  principal  place  among  the  Jewish  writings. 

§  2.  Life  of  Isaiah,  and  the  Characteristics  of  his  Writings 

Of  the  time  in  which  Isaiah  lived,  little  more  is  known  than  he  has 
himself  told  us.  In  the  superscription  to  his  book  (ch.  i.  1).  we  are 
told  that  he  was  the  son  of  Amoz,  and  that  he  discharged  the  pro- 
phetic office  under  the  reign  of  the  kings  Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahaz  and 
Hezekiah.  In  regard  to  those  times,  and  the  character  of  the  period 
in  which  they  reigned,  see  Introduction  §  3.  It  is  evident  also  from 
the  prophecies  themselves,  that  he  delivered  them  during  the  reijjn 
of  these  kings.  In  ch.  vi.  1.  it  is  expressly  said  that  he  had  a  vision 
of  Jehovah  in  the  yea;-  in  which  Uzziah  died.  Of  course  he  must 
have  commenced  his  prophetic  labours  at  least  as  early  as  during  the 
last  year  of  that  king.  If  that  chapter  or  vision  was  not  designed  as 
an  inauguration  of  the  prophet,  or  an  induction  into  the  prophetic 
office  (see  Notes  on  the  chapter),  and  if  his  prophecies  were  collected 
and  arranged  as  they  were  delivered,  then  it  will  follow  that  the  pre- 
vious chapters  (i. — v.)  may  have  been  delivered  in  the  reign  of  Uzziah. 
and  perhaps  some  time  before  his  death.  There  is  no  express  men- 
tion made  of  his  uttering  any  prophecies  in  the  time  of  Jotham. 
Hengstenberg  and  others  suppose  that  the  prophecies  in  ch.  ii. — v. 
were  delivered  during  his  reign.  But  of  this  there  is  no  conclusive 
evidence.  He  might  not,  have  recorded  any  thing  during  his  reign; 
though  he  may,  as  a  public  preacher,  have  been  engaged  in  the  pro- 
phetic office  in  another  mode.  His  writings  themselves  contain  evi- 
dence that  he  was  engaged  in  the  prophetic  office  in  the  reign  of  Ahaz. 
See  ch.  vii.  seq.  That  lie  was  engaged  in  the  prophetic  office  during  the. 
reign  of  Hezekiah  we  learn  from  chs.  xxxvi. — xxxix.  We  have  an  ex- 
plicit statement  that  he  was  occupied  in  his  prophetic  work  until  the  fif- 
teenth year  of  Hezekiah.  at  the  commencement  of  which  the  ambassa- 
dors from  Babylon  came  up  to  Jerusalem  to  congratulate  him  on  his  re- 


INTRODUCTION.  X1J 

covery  from  his  illness.-  Ch.  xxxix.  Uzziah  died,  accoiding  to  Cahnet, 
754  years  before  Christ.  Isaiah  must  therefore  have  occupied  the 
prophetic  office  at  least  from  754  years  before  Christ  to  707  years 
before  Christ,  or  lbrty-seven  years ;  that  is,  under  Uzziah  one  year, 
under  Jotham  sixteen  years,  under  Ahaz  sixteen  years,  and  under 
Hezekiah  fourteen  years.  It  is  not  known  at  what  age  he  entered  on 
the  prophetic  office.  It  is  probable  that  he  lived  much  longer  than  to 
the  fifteenth  year  of  Hezekiah.  In  2  Chron.  xxxii.  32,  it  is  said  that 
'•the  rest  of  the  acts  of  Hezekiah"  were  "written  in  the  vision  of 
Isaiah;"  and  this  statement  obviously  implies  that,  he  survived  him, 
and  wrote  the  acts  of  his  reign  up  to  his  death.  As  Hezekiah  lived 
fourteen  or  fifteen  years  after  this  (Isa.  xxxviii.  5,  Comp.  2  Kings 
xviii.  2).  this  would  make  the  period  of  his  public  ministry  to  extend 
to  at  least  sixty-one  or  sixty-two  years.  If  he  survived  Hezekiah,  he 
probably  lived  some  time  during  the  reign  of  Manasseh.  This  suppo- 
sition is  confirmed,  not  indeed  by  any  direct  historical  record  in  the  Old 
Testament,  but  by  all  the.  traditional  accounts  which  have  been  hand- 
ed down  to  us.  The  testimony  of  the  Jews,  and  of  the  early  fathers, 
is  uniform  that  he  was  put  to  death  by  Manasseh  by  being  sawn 
asunder.  The  main  alleged  offence  was,  that  he  had  said  that  he 
had  seen  Jehovah,  and  that  for  this  he  ought  to  die,  in  accordance 
with  the  law  of  Moses  (Ex.  xxxiii.  20),  "  No  man  shall  see  me  and  live." 
If  he  lived  to  the  time  of  Manasseh.  and  especially  if  he  prophesied 
under  him,  it  is  probable  the  true  reason  why  he  was  put  to  death 
was.  that  he  was  offensive  to  the  monarch  and  his  court. 

The  circumstances  which  render  the  supposition  probable  that  he 
lived  under  Manasseh,  and  that  he  was  put  to  death  by  him  by  being 
sawn  asunder,  are  the  following.  (1.)  The  fact  which  has  been  stated 
above  that  he  lived  to  complete  the  record  of  the  reign  of  Hezekiah, 
and  of  course  survived  him.  (2.)  The  testimony  of  the  Jewish  writers 
There  is,  indeed,  much  that  is  fabulous  in  their  writings,  and  even  in 
connexion  with  the  truths  which  they  record,  there  is  much  that  is 
puerile  and  false ;  but  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  the  main  facts  which 
they  relate.  Josephus,  indeed,  does  not  expressly  state  that  he  was 
slain  by  Manasseh,  but  he  gives  an  account  of  the  reign  of  Manasseh 
which  renders  it  probable  that  if  Isaiah  were  then  alive  he  would 
have  been  pat  to  death.  Thus  he  says  (Ant.  B.  x.  ch.  iii.  §  1)  that 
"  he  barbarously  slew  all  the  righteous  men  that  were  among  the 
Hebrews;  nor  would  he  spare  the  prophets,  for  he  every  day  slew 
some  of  them,  till  Jerusalem  was  overflown  with  blood."  In  the  Tal- 
mud the  following  record  occurs : — "  Manasseh  put  Isaiah  to  death. 
The  Rabbi  said,  he  condemned  him,  and  put  him  to  death ;  for  he 
said  to  him,  Moses,  thy  Lord  said,  no  man  shall  see  me  and  live  (Ex. 
xxxiii.  20).  but  thou  hast  said,  I  saw  the  Lord  upon  a  throne  high  and 
lifted  up  (Isa.  vi.  1).  Moses,  thy  Lord  said,  who  will  make  the  Lord 
so  near  that  we  can  call  to  him  ;  but  thou  hast  said,  seek  the  Lord 
while  he  may  be  found,  call  upon  him  while  he  is  near  (Iv.  6).  Mosee, 
thy  Lord  said,  the  number  of  thy  days  will  I  fulfill  (Ex.  xxii.  26) ;  but 
thou  hast  said.  I  will  add  to  thy  days  fifteen  years  (xxxviii.  5),"  etc. 
See  Gesenius  Einlei.  p.  12.     The  testimony  of  the  Jews  on  this  sub 


XIV  INTR0DUCT1UK. 

ject  is  uniform.  Michaelis  (Preface  to  Isaiah)  has  referred  to  the 
following  places  in  proof  on  this  point.  Tract.  Talmud.  Jabhamolh, 
rbl.  49;  Sanhedrin,  fol.  103;  Jalkut,  part  ii.  fol.  38;  Schalschelelh 
Ilakkab.  fol.  19.  Raschi  and  Abarbanel  in  their  commentaries  give 
the  same  statement.  (3.)  The  testimony  of  the  early  Christian  wri- 
ters is  the  same.  Justin  Martyr,  in  his  dialogue  with  Trypho  the  Jew 
(p.  349),  speaking  of  Isaiah,  says,  6>-  nolovi  £i>Aw  tnolaatt,  "  whom  ye 
sawed  asunder  with  a  wooden  saw." — Tertullian  (de  patieritia,  c.  14) 
says,  His  patientiae  viribus  secatur  Esaias. — Lactantius  (lib.  iv.  c.  2) 
says,  Esais,  quern  ipsi  Judaei  serra  consectum  crudelissime  necave- 
runt. — Augustine  (de  Civit.  Dei,  lib.  18,  c.  24)  says,  "  the  prophet  Isaiah 
is  reputed  to  have  been  slain  by  the  impious  King  Manasseh."  Je- 
rome (on  Isa.  lvii.  1)  says,  that  the  prophet  prophesied  in  that  passage 
of  his  own  death,  for  "  it  is  an  undisputed  tradition  among  us,  that  he 
was  sawn  asunder  by  Manasseh,  with  a  wooden  saw."  These  pas- 
sages and  others  from  the  Jewish  writers,  and  from  the  fathers,  are 
to  be  found  in  Michaelis'  Preface  to  Isaiah ;  in  Gesenius'  Introduc- 
tion ;  and  in  Carpzov.  Crit.  Sacr.  In  a  matter  of  simple  fact,  there 
seems  to  be  no  reason  to  call  this  testimony  in  question.  It  is  to 
be  remembered  that  Jerome  was  well  acquainted  with  Hebrew,  that 
he  dwelt  in  Palestine,  and  no  doubt  has  given  the  prevalent  opinion 
about  the  death  of  Isaiah.  (4.)  The  character  of  Manasseh  was 
such  as  to  make  it  probable  that  if  Isaiah  lived  at  all  during  his 
reign,  he  would  seek  his  death.  In  2  Kings  xxi.  16,  it  is  said  of  him 
that  he  "shed  innocent  blood  very  much,  till  he  had  filled  Jerusalem 
from  one  end  to  another."  This  account  is  in  entire  accordance  with 
that  of  Joseph  us,  quoted  above.  In  the  early  part  of  his  reign,  it  is 
recorded  that  he  did  evil,  and  especially  that  he  reared  the  high  places 
and  the  altars  of  idolatry  which  Hezekiah  had  destroyed,  and  en- 
deavoured to  restore  again  the  abominations  which  had  existed  in  the 
time  of  Ahab.  2  Kings  xxi.  2,  3.  It  is  scarcely  credible  that  such  a 
man  as  Isaiah  would  see  all  this  done  without  some  eft'ort  to  prevent 
it ;  and  it  is  certain  that  such  an  effort  would  excite  the  indignation 
of  Manasseh.  If,  however,  he  cut  off  the  righteous  men  of  Jerusalem, 
as  Josephus  testifies,  and  as  the  author  of  the  books  of  Kings  would 
iead  us  to  believe,  there  is  every  probability  that  Isaiah  would  also 
fall  a  sacrifice  to  his  indignation.  It  is  not  necessary  in  order  to  this 
to  suppose  that  Isaiah  appeared  much  in  public ;  or  that,  being  then 
an  old  man,  he  should  take  a  prominent  part  in  the  transactions  of  that 
period.  That  we  have  no  recorded  prophecy  of  that  time,  as  we  have 
of  the  times  of  Uzziah,  Ahaz,  and  Hezekiah,  leaves  it  probable  that 
Isaiah  had  withdrawn  from  the  more  public  functions  of  the  prophetic 
office,  and  probably  (see  §  iv.  of  this  Introduction)  had  given  himself 
to  the  calm  and  holy  contemplation  of  future  and  better  times  under 
the  Messiah.  But  still  his  sentiments  would  be  known  to  the  monarch  ; 
and  his  influence  while  he  lived  among  the  people  may  have  been 
materially  in  the  way  of  the  designs  of  Manasseh.  Manasseh,  there- 
fore, may  have  regarded  it  as  necessary  to  remove  him,  and  in  the 
slaughter  of  the  good  men  and  prophets  of  his  time,  there  is  every 
probability  that  Isaiah  would  be  made  a  victim.     (5.)  It  aflbrds  some 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

confirmation  of  this  statement  that  Paul  (Heb.  xi.  37)  affirms  of  some 
of  the  ancient  saints,  that  they  were  "  sawn  asunder."  There  is  no* 
in  the  Old  Testament  any  express  mention  of  any  one's  being  put  to 
death  in  this  manner;  but  it  has  been  common  with  all  expositors, 
from  the  earliest  periods,  to  suppose  that  Paul  had  reference  to  Isaiah. 
The  universal  tradition  on  this  subject  among  the  Hebrews  makes 
this  morally  certain.  It  is  certain  that  Paul  could  not  have  made  such 
an  enumeration  unless  there  was  a  well-established  tradition  of  some 
one  or  more  who  had  suffered  in  this  manner;  and  all  tradition  con- 
curs in  assigning  it  to  Isaiah.  (6.)  The  character  of  the  second  part 
of  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  (chs.  xl. — Ixvi.)  accords  with  this  supposi- 
tion. They  are  mainly  employed  in  depicting  the  glories  of  a  future 
age  ;  the  blessedness  of  the  times  of  the  Messiah.  They  besieak  the 
feelings  of  a  holy  man  who  was  heart-broken  with  the  existing  state 
of  things  ;  and  who  had  retired  from  active  life,  and  sought  consola- 
tion in  the  contemplation  of  future  blessings.  No  small  part  of  those 
prophecies  is  employed  in  lamenting  an  existing  state  of  idolatry  (^ee 
particularly  chs.  xl.  xli.  Ivi.  lvii.  hcv.),  and  the  prevalence  of  general 
irrdigion.  Such  a  description  does  not  accord  with  the  reign  of  Heze- 
kiah ;  and  it  is  evidently  the  language  of  a  man  who  was  disheartened 
with  prevailing  abominations,  and  who.  seeing  little  hope  of  immediate 
reform,  cast  his  mind  forward  into  future  times,  and  sought  repose  in 
the  contemplation  of  happier  days.  How  long  he  lived  under  Manas- 
sell  is  unknown  ;  and  hence  it  is  not  possible  to  ascertain  his  age  when 
he  was  put  to  death.  We  may  reasonably  suppose  that  he  entered 
on  his  prophetic  office  as  early  as  the  age  of  twenty.  From  Jer.  i.  6, 
we  learn  that  an  earlier  call  than  this  to  the  prophetic  office  sometimes 
occurred.  On  this  supposition  he  would  have  been  eighty-two  years 
of  age  at  the  death  of  Hezekiah.  There  is  no  improbability,  there- 
fore, in  the  supposition  that  he  might  have  lived  ten  or  even  fifteen 
years  or  more,  under  the  long  reign  of  Manasseh.  The  priest  Jehoiada 
attained  the  great  age  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  years.  2  Chron. 
xxiv.  15.  Isaiah  lived  evidently  a  retired  and  a  temperate  life.  It  is 
the  uniform  tradition  of  the  oriental  Christians  that  he  lived  to  the 
age  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  years.  See  Hengstenberg's  Christol. 
vol.  i.  p.  278. 

Where  he  lived  is  not  certainly  known ;  nor  are  many  of  the  cir- 
cumstances of  his  life  known.  His  permanent  residence,  in  the  earlier 
part  of  his  prophetic  life,  seems  to  have  been  at  Jerusalem.  During 
the  reign  of  the  ungodly  Ahaz,  he  came  forth  boldly  as  the  reprover 
of  sin,  and  evidently  spent  a  considerable  part  of  his  time  near  the 
court.  Ch.  vii.  seq.  His  counsels  and  warnings  were  then  derided  and 
disregarded.  Hezekiah  was  a  pious  prince,  and  admitted  him  as  a 
counsellor,  and  was  inclined  to  follow  his  advice.  In  his  reign  he  was 
treated  with  respect,  and  he  had  an  important  part  in  directing  the  pub- 
lic counsels  during  the  agitating  occurrences  of  that  reign.  If  he 
lived  in  the  time  of  Manasseh,  he  probably  retired  from  publ.'c  life; 
his  counsel  was  unsought,  and  if  offered,  was  disregarded.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  he  did  not  entirety  withdraw  from  his  office  as  a  reprove* 
(chs.  Ivi. — lviii.),  but  his  main  employment  seems  to  have  been  to  conr 


XVI  INTR  IDUCTION. 

template  tlie  pure  and  splendid  visions  which  relate  to  the  happier 
times  of  the  world,  and  which  constitute  the  close  of  his  prophecies, 
chs.  xl. — lxvi. 

Of  the  family  of  Isaiah  little  is  known.  The  Jewish  writers  con- 
stantly affirm  that  he  was  of  noble  extraction,  and  was  closely  con- 
nected with  the  royal  family.  The  name  of  his  father  was  Amoz,  or 
Amotz — ytOK ;  not  the  prophet  Amos,  as  some  have  supposed,  for  At* 
name  in  Hebrew  is  Dirx,  Amos.  Amoz,  or  Amotz,  the  father  of 
Isaiah,  the  Jews  affirm  to  have  been  the  brother  of  Amaziah  the  son 
of  Joash,  king  of  Judah.  2  Kings  xiv.  1.  Thus  D.  Kimchi  on  Isa.  i.  1, 
writes,  "  We  are  ignorant  of  his  family,  from  what  tribe  he  was,  ex- 
cept that  our  doctors  have  handed  it  down  by  tradition  that  Amotz 
and  Amaziah  were  brothers."  And  thus  R.  Solomon  says,  "  It  ia 
handed  down  to  us  from  our  ancestors  that  Amotz  and  Amaziah  were 
brothers."  The  same  is  said  also  by  R.  Levi  (in  Megilla,  c.  i.  fol.  10)  ; 
and  by  Abarbanel  Pref.  fol.  1  (quoted  by  Michaelis,  Pref.  to  Isai.).  In 
this  supposition  there  is  nothing  improbable  ;  and  the  fact  that  he  was 
admitted  so  freely  to  the  counsels  of  Hezekiah,  and  that  he  went  so 
boldly  to  Ahaz  (ch.  vii.  1,  seq.),  may  seem  to  give  some  countenance 
to  the  idea  that  he  was  connected  with  the  royal  family.  His  father 
was  evidently  well  known.  See  ch.  i.  1,  and  elsewhere  where  his 
name  is  introduced.  Indeed  it  is  not  improbable  that  most  of  the 
prophets  were  descended  from  families  that  were  highly  respectable, 
as  they  generally  mention  the  name  of  their  father  as  a  name  that  is 
well  known.  Comp.  Ezek.  i.  3.  Jer.  i.  1.  Hos.  i.  1,  Joel  i.  1.  Jonah 
i.  1.  Zeph.  i.  1.  Zech.  i.  1.  In  the  other  prophets  the  name  of  the 
father  is  omitted,  probably  because  he  was  obscure  and  unknown.  It 
is  morally  certain  that  Isaiah  was  not  connected  with  the  Levitical 
order,  since  if  he  had  been,  this  would  have  been  designated  as  in 
Jer.  i.  1.  Ezek.  i.  3.  The  wife  of  Isaiah  is  called  a  prophetess  (ch. 
viii.  3),  and  it  is  supposed  by  some  that  she  had  the  spirit  of  prophecy ; 
but  the  more  probable  opinion  is,  that  the  wives  of  the  prophets  were 
called  prophetesses,  as  the  wives  of  the  priests  were  called  priestesses. 
On  the  question  whether  he  had  more  than  one  wife,  see  Notes  on 
chs.  vii.  viii.  Two  sons  of  Isaiah  are  mentioned,  both  of  whom  had 
names  fitted  to  awaken  religious  attention,  and  who  were  in  some 
sense  the  pledges  of  the  fulfilment  of  divine  predictions.  The  name 
of  the  one  was  "  Shear- Jashub  "  (ch.  vii.  3),  the  meaning  of  which  is, 
the  remainder  shall  return — designed  undoubtedly  to  be  a  sign  or 
pledge  that  the  remnant  of  the  Jews  who  should  be  carried  away  at 
any  time  would  return ;  or  that  the  whole  nation  would  not  be  de- 
stroyed and  become  extinct.  This  was  one  of  the  axioms,  or  fun- 
damental points  in  all  the  writings  of  this  prophet;  and  whatever 
calamity  or  judgment  he  foretold,  it  was  always  terminated  with  the  as- 
surance that  the  nation  should  be  still  ultimately  preserved,  and  greatly 
enlarged,  and  glorified.  This  idea  he  seems  to  have  resolved  to  keep 
as  much  as  possible  before  the  minds  of  his  countrymen,  and  to  this 
end  iie  gave  his  son  a  name  that  should  be  to  them  a  pledge  of  his 
deep  conviction  of  this  truth.  The  name  of  the  other  is  Maher-shalal- 
bash-baz  (ch  viii.  1),  haste  to  the  spoil;  haste  to  the  prey — a  name 


INTRODUCTION.  XVfi 

significant  of  the  (act  that  the  Assyrian  (ch.  vii.)  would  soon  ravage 
and  subdue  the  land,  or  would  extensively  plunder  the  kingdom  of 
Judea.  Tradition  says  that  the  death  of  Isaiah  occurred  in  Jerusa- 
lem near  the  fountain  of  Siloam.  Just  below  this  fountain,  and  oppo- 
site to  the  point  where  Mount  Ophel  terminates,  is  a  large  mulberry- 
tree,  with  a  terrace  of  stones  surrounding  its  trunk,  where  it  is  said 
Isaiah  was  sawn  asunder.  Robinson's  Bib.  Research,  i.  342.  The 
tradition  further  is,  that  his  body  was  buried  here,  whence  it  was 
removed  to  Paneas  near  the  sources  of  the  Jordan,  and  from  thence 
to  Constantinople  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  442. 

Great  respect  was  paid  to  Isaiah  and  his  writings  after  his  death. 
It  is  evident  that  Jeremiah  imitated  him  (comp.  Notes  on  chs.  xv.  xvi.) ; 
and  there  is  abundant  evidence  that  he  was  studied  by  the  other 
prophets.  The  estimate  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  by  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament,  will  be  shown  in  another 
part  of  this  Introduction.  See  §  viii.  Josephus  (Ant.  B.  xi.  ch.  i.  §  2) 
says  that  Cyrus  was  moved  by  the  reading  of  Isaiah  to  the  acknow- 
ledgment of  the  God  of  Israel,  and  to  the  restoration  of  the  Jews,  and 
to  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple.  After  stating  (§  1)  the  decree  which 
Cyrus  made  in  favour  of  the  Jews,  he  adds,  "  This  was  known  to  Cyrus 
by  his  reading  the  book  which  Isaiah  left  behind  him  of  his  pro- 
phecies; for  this  prophet  had  said  that  God  had  spoken  thus  to  him 
in  a  secret  vision,  '  My  will  is  that  Cyrus,  whom  I  have  appointed  to 
be  king  over  many  and  great  nations,  send  back  my  people  to  their 
own  land,  and  build  my  temple.'  This  was  foretold  by  Isaiah  one 
hundred  and  forty  years  before  the  temple  was  demolished.  Accord- 
ingly when  Cyrus  read  this,  and  admired  the  divine  power,  an  earnest 
desire  and  ambition  came  upon  him  to  fulfil  what  was  so  written;  so 
he  called  for  the  most  eminent  Jews  that  were  in  Babylon,  and  said  to 
them,  that  he  gave  them  leave  to  go  back  to  their  own  country,  and  to 
rebuild  their  city  Jerusalem  and  the  temple  of  their  God."  In  this 
passage  of  Josephus  there  is  an  undoubted  reference  to  Isa.  xliv.  28  : 
'•  That  saith  of  Cyrus,  He  is  my  Shepherd,  and  shall  perform  all  my 
pleasure,  even  saying  to  Jerusalem.  Thou  shalt  be  built ;  and  to  the 
temple,  Thy  foundation  shall  be  laid."  Comp.  ch.  xlv.  1  seq.  On  the 
genuineness  of  this  passage  of  Josephus  see  Winston's  Note.  It  is 
justly  remarked  (see  Jahn's  observation,  quoted  by  Hengstenberg, 
Christol.  i.  279)  that  this  statement  of  Josephus  furnishes  the  only 
explanation  of  the  conduct  of  Cyrus  towards  the  Jews.  It  is  only  a 
commentary  on  Ezra  i.  2,  where  Cyrus  says,  "  Jehovah  the  God  of 
heaven  and  earth  hath  given  me  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth ;  and 
he  hath  charged  me  to  build  him  an  house  at  Jerusalem  which  is  in 
Judah."  It  is  incredible  that  Cyrus  should  not  have  seen  the  prophecy 
(Isa.  xliv.  28)  respecting  himself  before  he  made  this  proclamation. 

The  writings  of  the  fathers  are  full  of  the  praise  of  Isaiah.  Jerome 
says  of  him  that  he  is  not  so  much  to  be  esteemed  a  prophet  as  an 
Evangelist.  And  he  adds,  "  he  has  so  clearly  explained  the  whole 
mystery  of  Christ  and  the  church,  that  you  will  regard  him  not  as 
predicting  future  events,  but  as  composing  a  history  of  the  past/'  In 
hie  Epistle  ad  Paulinum  he  says,  ■'  Isaiah  seems  to  me  not  to  hav» 


XVUl  INTRODUCTION. 

composed  a  prophecy,  but  the  gospel."  And  in  his  preface  he  says 
"  that  in  his  discourse  he  is  so  eloquent,  and  is  a  man  of  so  noble  and 
refined  elocution,  without  any  mixture  of  rusticity,  that  it  is  impossible 
to  preserve  or  transfuse  the  beauty  of  hie  style  in  a  translation." 
Comp.  the  Confess,  of  Angus,  ix.  5;  De  Civita.  Dei.  lib.  viii.  c.  29. 
Moses  Amyraldus  said  of  Isaiah  that  he  "  seems  to  thunder  and 
lighten ;  he  seems  to  confound  and  mingle  not  Greece,  -as  was  for- 
nierly  said  of  Pericles;  not  Judea.  and  the  neighbouring  regions,  but 
heaven  and  earth  and  all  the  elements."  See  Michaelis  Pref.  to  Isa. 
p.  8,  9,  10.     Comp.  Joseph.  Ant.  B.  x.  c.  3.     Sirach  ch.  xlviii.  22. 

"  The  style  of  Isaiah,"  says  Hengstenberg,  Christol.  vol.  i.  p.  281, 
'is  in  general  characterized  by  simplicity  and  sublimity;  it  the  use 
of  imagery,  he  holds  an  intermediate  place  between  the  poverty  of 
Jeremiah  and  the  exuberance  of  Ezekiel.  In  other  respects  his  style 
is  suited  to  the  subject,  and  changes  with  it.  In  his  denunciations 
and  threatenings  he  is  earnest  and  vehement ;  in  his  consolations  and 
instructions,  on  the  contrary,  he  is  mild  and  insinuating;  in  the  strictly 
poetic  passages,  full  of  impetuosity  and  fire.  He  so  lives  in  the  events 
he  describes,  that  the  future  becomes  to  him  as  the  past  and  the 
present." 

It  is  now  generally  conceded  that  a  considerable  portion  of  Isaiah, 
like  the  other  prophets,  is  poetry.  For  the  establishment  of  this  opin- 
ion, we  are  indebted  mainly  to  Bishop  Lowth.  u  It  has,"  says  he, 
(Prelim. Diss. to  Isaiah,)  "I  think,  been  universally  understood  that,  the 
prophecies  of  Isaiah  were  written  in  prose.  The  style,  the  thoughts, 
the  images,  the  expressions,  have  been  allowed  to  be  poetical,  and 
that  in  the  highest  degree;  but  that  they  were  written  in  verse,  in 
measure,  in  rhythm,  or  whatever  it  is  that  distinguishes  as  poetry  the 
composition  of  those  books  of  the  Old  Testament  which  are  allowed 
to  be  poetical,  such  as  Job,  the  Psalms,  and  the  Proverbs,  from  the 
historical  books,  as  mere  prose,  this  has  never  been  supposed,  at  least 
has  not  been  at  any  time  the  prevailing  feeling." 

The  main  object  of  Lowth,  in  his  Preliminary  Dissertation,  was  to 
demonstrate  that  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  have  all  the  characteristics 
of  Hebrew  poetry ;  a  position  which  he  has  abundantly  established, 
and  which  is  admitted  now  by  all  to  be  correct.  Accordingly,  in  imi- 
tation of  Lowth  and  of  the  best  critics,  the  "New  Translation"  in  this 
work  is,  for  the  most  part,  exhibited  in  the  usual  poetic  form  of  the 
Hebrew  parallelism.  For  a  more  extended  view  of  the  nature  of  He- 
brew poetry,  the  reader  may  consult  my  Introduction  to  the  Book  of 
Job,  pp.  xxxix. — liv. 

In  all  ages  Isaiah  has  been  regarded  as  the  most  sublime  of  all 
writers.  He  is  simple,  bold,  rapid,  elevated  ;  he  abounds  in  metaphor, 
and  in  rapid  transitions;  his  writings  are  full  of  the  sublimesl  figures 
of  rhetoric,  and  the  most  beautiful  ornaments  of  poetry.  Grotius  com- 
pares him  to  Demosthenes.  "  In  his  writings  we  meet  with  the  purity 
of  the  Hebrew  tongue,  as  in  the  orator  with  the  delicacy  of  the  Attic 
taste.  Both  are  sublime  and  magnificent  in  their  style  ;  vehement  in 
their  emotions ;  copious  in  their  figures  ;  and  very  impetuous  when 
they  describe  things  of  an  enormous  nature,  or  that  are  grievous  and 


INTRODUCTION.  XU 

odious.  Isaiah  was  superior  to  Demosthenes  in  the  honour  of  illus- 
trious birth."  Comm.  on  2  Kings  xix.  2.  It  may  be  added  here, 
that  although  his  writings  are  not  so  ancient  as  those  of  Moses,  or  aa 
those  of  Homer  and  Hesiod,  yet  they  are  more  ancient  than  most  of 
the  admired  classic  productions  of  Greece,  and  are  far  more  ancient 
than  any  of  the  Latin  classics.  As  an  ancient  icriter  he  demands 
respect.  And  laying  out  of  view  altogether  the  idea  of  his  inspira- 
tion, and  his  religious  character,  he  has  a  claim  as  a  poet,  an  orator, 
a  writer  of  eminent  beauty  and  unrivalled  sublimity,  to  the  attention 
of  those  who  are  seeking  eminence  in  literature.  No  reason  can  be 
given  why  in  a  course  of  mental  training,  Isaiah,  and  the  language  in 
which  he  wrote,  should  be  neglected,- while  Hesiod  and  Homer,  with 
the  language  in  which  they  wrote,  should  be  the  objects  of  admiration 
and  of  diligent  culture.  In  no  book,  perhaps,  can  the  mere  man  of 
taste  be  more  gratified  than  in  the  study  of  Isaiah ;  by  no  writings 
would  the  mind  be  more  elevated  in  view  of  the  beautiful  and  the 
sublime,  or  the  heart  be  more  refined  by  the  contemplation  of  the 
pure.  Few,  very  few  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  classic  writers  can  be 
put  into  the  hands  of  the  young  without  endangering  the  purity  of 
their  morals;  but  Isaiah  may  be  studied  in  all  the  periods  of  youth, 
and  manhood,  and  age,  only  to  increase  the  virtue  of  the  heart  and 
the  purity  of  the  imagination,  at  the  same  time  that  he  enriches  and 
expands  the  understanding.  And  while  no  one  who  has  just  views  of 
the  inestimable  value  of  the  Greek  and  La,+in  classics  in  most  of  the 
respects  contemplated  in  education,  would  wish  to  see  them  banished 
from  the  schools,  or  displaced  from  seminaries  of  learning,  yet  the 
lover  of  ancient  writings;  of  purity  of  thought  and  diction  ;  of  sweet 
and  captivating  poetry;  of  the  beautiful  and  sublime  in  writing;  of 
perhaps  the  oldest  language  of  the  world,  and  of  the  pure  sentiments 
of  revelation,  may  hope  that  the  time  will  come  when  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage shall  be  deemed  worthy  of  culture  in  American  schools  and 
colleges  as  well  as  the  Latin  and  Greek  ;  and  that  as  a  part  of  the 
training  of  American  youth,  Isaiah  may  be  allowed  to  take  a  place  at 
least  as  honourable  as  Virgil  or  Horner — as  Cicero  or  Demosthenes. 
It  is  indeed  a  melancholy  reflection  which  we  are  compelled  to  make 
on  the  seminaries  of  learning  in  our  land — a  Christian  land — that  the 
writings  of  the  Hebrew  prophets  and  poets  have  been  compelled  to 
give  place  to  the  poetry  and  the  mythology  of  the  Greeks ;  and  that 
the  books  containing  the  only  system  of  pure  religion  are  required  to 
defer  to  those  which  were  written  under  the  auspices  of  idolatry,  and 
which  often  express  sentiments,  and  inculcate  feelings,  which  cannot 
be  made  to  contribute  to  the  purity  of  the  heart,  or  be  reconciled  with 
the  truth  as  revealed  from  heaven.  As  specimens  of  taste ;  as  models 
of  richness  of  thought,  and  beauty  of  diction ;  as  well  as  for  their  being 
the  vehicles  in  which  the  knowledge  of  the  only  true  religion  is  con- 
veyed to  man.  these  writings  have  a  claim  on  the  attention  of  the 
young.  Were  the  writings  of  Isaiah  mere  human  compositions;  had 
they  come  down  to  us  as  the  writings  of  Demosthenes  and  Homer 
have  done ;  and  had  they  not  been  connected  with  religion,  we  may 
be  permitted  to  express  the  belief  that  the  Jewish  classics,  with  the 


XX  INTRODUCTION. 

classics  of  Greece  and  Rome,  would  have  been  allowed  an  honourable 
place  in  all  the  seminaries  of  learning,  and  in  all  the  public  and  private 
libraries  of  the  land. 

§  3.  The  Times  of  Isaiah. 

Isaiah,  as  we  have  seen,  lived  for  the  greater  part  of  a  century,  and 
possibly  even  more  than  a  century.  It  is  probable  also  that  for  a  period 
of  more  than  seventy  years  he  exercised  the  prophetic  office.  During 
that  long  period,  important  changes  must  have  occurred  ;  and  a  know- 
ledge of  some  of  the  leading  events  of  his  time  is  necessary  to  under- 
stand his  prophecies.  Indeed  u  simple  knowledge  of  historical  facts 
will  often  make  portions  of  his  prophecies  clear  which  would  be  other- 
wise entirely  unintelligible. 

The  kingdom  of  Israel,  which  during  the  reigns  of  David  arid  Solo- 
mon had  been  so  mighty  and  so  magnificent,  was  divided  into  two 
separate  kingdoms  990  years  before  Christ,  or  two  hundred  and  forty 
years  before  Isaiah  entered  on  his  prophetic  office.  The  glory  of  these 
kingdoms  had  departed;  and  they  had  been  greatly  weakened  by  con- 
tentions with  each  other,  and  by  conflicts  with  surrounding  nations. 
In  a  particular  manner,  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  or  Samaria,  or  Ephraim, 
or  the  ten  tribes,  as  it  was  indiscriminately  called,  had  been  governed 
by  a  succession  of  wicked  princes  ;  had  become  deeply  imbued  with 
idolatry,  and  had  so  far  provoked  God  as  to  make  itnecessary  to  remove 
them  to  a  foreign  land.  It  was  during  the  time  in  which  Isaiah  dis- 
charged the  duties  of  the  prophetic  office  that  that  kingdom  was  utterly 
overturned,  and  the  inhabitants  transplanted  to  a  distant  country.  In 
the  year  736  before  Christ,  or  not  far  from  twenty  years  after  Isaiah  en- 
tered on  his  work,  Tiglath-Pileser  king  of  Assyria  slew  Rezin  king  of 
Damascus,  the  ally  of  Pekah  the  king  of  Samaria  ;  and  he  entered  the 
land  of  Israel,  and  took  many  cities  and  captives,  chiefly  in  Gilead  and 
Galilee,  and  carried  many  of  the  inhabitants  to  Assyria.  2  Kings  xvi. 
5 — 9.  Amos  i.  5.  2  Kings  xv.  29.  1  Chron.  v.  26.  This  was  the  first  cap- 
tivity of  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  Shalmaneser  succeeded  Tiglath-Pileser 
as- king  of  Assyria  B.C.  724.  In  the  year  721  B.  Che  besieged  Samaria. 
and  after  a*siege  of  three  years  he  took  it.  He  carried  beyond  the 
Euphrates  the  inhabitants  which  Tiglath-Pileser  had  not  removed, 
and  placed  them  in  cities  there.  2  Kings  xvii.  3 — 18.  Hos.  xiii.  16.  1 
Chron.  v.  26.  This  was  the  end  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  after  it  had 
subsisted  two  hundred  and  fifty-four  years.  Isaiah  exercised  the  pro- 
phetic office  during  about  thirty  of  the  last  years  of  the  kingdom  of  Is- 
rael. But  his  residence  was  principally  at  Jerusalem;  and  not  many 
of  his  predictions  have  reference  to  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  Most  of  his 
prophecies  which  have  reference  to  the  Jews  relate  to  the  kingdom  oi 
Judah,  and  to  Jerusalem. 

The  kingdom  of  Judah,  whose  capital  was  Jerusalem,  had  greatly 
declined  from  the  splendour  and  magnificence  which  had  existed  under 
David  and  Solomon.  It  had  been  greatly  Weakened  by  the  revolt  of 
the  ten  tribes,  and  by  the  wars  in  which  it  had  be<  n  en<  a  red  with  the 
kingdom  of  Samaria,  as  well  as  with  surrounding  nations.     Thougn 


INTRODUCTION. 


as  kings  were  superior  in  virtue  and  piety  to  the  kings  of  Israel,  yet 
many  of  them  had  been  unworthy  to  be  the  descendants  of  David,  and 
their  conduct  had  exposed  ihem  greatly  to  the  divine  displeasure. 
When  Isaiah  entered  on  his  prophetic  office  the  throne  was  oocu- 

Sied  by  Uzziah ;  or  as  he  is  elsewhere  called  Azariah.  He  succeeded 
is  father  Amaziah,  and  was  sixteen  years  old  when  he  came  to  the 
throne,  and  reigned  fifty-two  years.  He  began  his  reign  in  the  year 
809  B.  C.  and  of  course  Ids  reign  extended  to  the  year  757  B.  C.  His 
general  character  was  that  of  integrity  and  piety.  He  was  a  worship- 
per of  the  true  God.  yet  he  did  not  remove  the  groves  and  high  places 
which  had  been  established  in  the  land  for  idolatrous  worship.  He 
greatly  strengthened  Jerusalem  ;  was  successful  in  his  wars  with  the 
Philistines,  with  the  Arabians,  and  the  Ammonites  and  extended  his 
kingdom  somewhat  into  surrounding  regions.  Near  the  close  of  his 
life  he  was  guilty  of  an  act  of  rashness  and  folly  in  claiming  as  a  mon- 
arch the  right  of  going  into  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  and  of  burning  in- 
cense on  the  altar.  For  this  sin  he  became  a  leper  and  remained  so 
till  his  death.  2  Kings  xv.  2  Chron.  xxvi.  He  was  of  course  regarded 
as  unclean,  and  was  obliged  to  dwell  by  himself  in  a  separate  house. 
2  Chron.  xxvi.  21.  During  this  period,"the  affairs  of  the  government 
were  administered  by  his  son  Jotham.  2  Chron.  xxvi.  21.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  Isaiah  exercised  the  prophetic  office  but  for  a  short  time,  per- 
haps for  a  single  year,  during  the  reign  of  Uzziah.  None  of  his  pro- 
phecies can  be  certainly  proved  to  relate  to  his  reign  except  that 
contained  in  the  sixth  chapter.  It  is  more  natural,  however,  to  suppose 
that  those  in  the  previous  five  chapters  were  delivered  in  his  reign. 

Uzziah,  or  Azariah.  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Jotham.  He  ascended 
the  throne  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  and  reigned  sixteen  years  in  Jeru- 
salem. The  general  character  of  Jotham  was  like  that  of  his  father. 
He  was  upright ;  and  he  was  not  guilty  of  idolatry.  Yet  the  high 
places  were  not  removed;  the  groves  still  remained;  and  the  state 
of  the  people  was  corrupt.  2  Kings  xv.  32 — 36.  2  Chron.  xxvii.  1 — 9 
He  carried  forward  the  plan  which  his  father  had  commenced  of  fortify 
ing  the  city  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  3),  and  of  enlarging  and  beautifying  hib 
kingdom.  In  a  particular  manner,  he  is  said  to  have  built  a  high  gate  to 
the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  to  have  fortified  Ophel.  2  Chron.  xxvi.  3. 
Ophel  was  a  mountain  or  bluff,  which  was  situated  between  Mount 
Zion  and  Mount  Moriah.  From  the  base  of  vthis  mountain  or  blurl 
flowed  the  waters  of  Siloam.  This  bluff  was  capable  of  being  strongly 
fortified,  and  of  contributing  much  to  the  defence  of  the  city,  and  ac- 
cordingly it  became  one  of  the  strongest  places  in  Jerusalem.  Jotham 
also  built  cities,  and  castles,  and  towns  in  the  mountains  and  forests  oi 
Judea  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  4),  and  it  is  evident  that  his  great  aim  was  to 
beautify  and  strengthen  his  kingdom.  The  principal  wars  in  which  he 
was  engaged  were  with  the  Ammonites,  whom  he  subdued,  and  laid 
under  tribute.     2  Chron.  xxvi.  5. 

It  was  during  the  reign  of  Jotham  that  very  important  events  oc- 
curred in  the  vast  empire  of  the  East.  The  ancient  empire  of  the  As- 
syrians which  had  governed  Asia  for  more  than  thirteen  hundred  year* 
was  dissolved  on  the  death  of  Sardanapalus  in  the  year  747  beforft 


XXU  INTRODUCTION. 

Christ.  Sardanapalus  was  distinguished  for  sloth  and  laxury.  He 
sunk  into  the  lowest  depths  of  depravity  ;  clothed  himself  as  a  woman  ; 
spun  amidst  the  companies  of  his  concubines ;  painted  his  face  aim 
decked  himself  as  a  harlot.  So  debased  was  he,  that  his  reign  became 
intolerable.  He  became  odious  to  his  subjects  and  particularly  to  Ar- 
baces  the  Mede,  and  to  Belesis  the  Babylonian.  Belesis  was  a  captain, 
a  priest,  and  an  astrologer  ;  and  by  the  rules  of  his  art,  he  took  upon 
him  tt  assure  Arbaces  that  he  should  dethrone  Sardanapalus,  and  be- 
come lord  of  all  his  dominions.  Arbaces  hearkened  to  him,  and  prom- 
ised him  the  chief  place  over  Babylon  if  his  prediction  proved  true. 
Arbaces  and  Belesis  promoted  a  revolt,  and  the  defection  spread  among 
the  Medes,  Babylonians,  Persians,  and  Arabians,  who  had  been  subject 
to  the  Assyrian  empire.  They  mustered  an  army  of  not  less  than  tour 
hundred  thousand  men,  but  were  at  first  defeated  by  Sardanapalus.  and 
driven  to  the  mountains  ;  but  they  again  rallied  and  were  again  defeated 
with  great  slaughter,  and  put  to  flight  towards  the  hills.  Belesis,  how- 
ever, persisted  in  the  opinion  that  the  gods  would  give  them  the  victory, 
and  a  third  battle  was  fought  in  which  they  were  again  defeated.  Be- 
lesis again  encouraged  his  followers  ;  and  it  was  determined  to  endea- 
vour to  secure  the  aid  of  the  Bactrians.  Sardanapalus  supposing  victory 
ivas  secure,  and  that  there  could  be  no  more  danger,  had  returned  to 
his  pleasures,  and  given  himself  and  his  army  up  to  riot  and  dissipa- 
tion. Belesis  and  Arbaces,  with  the  aid  of  the  Bactrians,  fell  upon  the 
army  sunk  in  inglorious  ease,  and  entirely  vanquished  it,  and  drew 
Sardanapalus  without  the  walls  of  his  capital.  Here,  closely  besieged, 
he  sent  away  his  three  sons  and  two  daughters  into  Paphlagonia.  In 
Nineveh  he  determined  to  defend  himself  trusting  to  an  ancient  pro- 
phecy, "  that  Nineveh  could  never  be  taken  till  the  river  became  her 
enemy ;"  and  as  he  deemed  this  impossible,  he  regarded  himself  as 
secure.  He  maintained  his  position,  and  resisted  the  attacks  of  his 
enemies  for  two  years,  until  the  river,  swelled  by  great  rains,  rose  and 
overflowed  a  considerable  part  of  it.  Regarding  his  affairs  as  now 
desperate,  he  caused  a  vast  pile  of  wood  to  be  raised  in  a  court  of  his 
palace,  in  which  he  placed  his  gold  and  silver  and  royal  apparel,  and 
within  which  he  enclosed  his  eunuchs  and  concubines,  and  retired 
within  his  palace,  and  caused  the  pile  to  be  set  on  fire,  and  was  con- 
sumed himself  with  the  rest.  Universal  History,  Anc.  Part,  vol.  iii.  pp. 
354—358.     Edit.  Lond.  1779. 

From  this  kingdom,  thus  destroyed,  arose  the  two  kingdoms  of  As- 
syria, as  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures,  and  of  Babylonia.  Arbaces, 
who,  according  to  Prideaux,  is  the  same  as  Tiglath-Pileser  (conip. 
nowever  Universal  History,  vol.  v.  359),  obtained  a  large  part  of  the 
empire.  Belesis  had  Babylon,  Chaldea.  and  Arabia.  Belesis,  accord- 
ing to  Prideaux  (Connex.  book  i.  p.  114),  was  the  same  as  Nabonaa- 
sar,  or  Baladan  (see  Note  on  ch.  xxxix.  1)  ;  and  was  the  king  from 
whom  was  reckoned  the  famous  era  of  Nabonassar  commencing  in  the 
747th  year  before  the  Christian  era.  It  is  not  improbable  that  there 
was  some  degree  of  dependence  of  the  Babylonia.il  portion  of  the  em- 
pire on  the  Assyrian  ;  or  that  the  king  of  Babylon  was  regarded  as  a 
viceroy  to  the  king  of  Assyria,  as  we  know  that  among  the  colonists 


INTRODUCTION.  XX111 

sent  by  Shalmaneser  to  people  Samaria  after  the  ten  tribes  were  car- 
ried away,  were  some  from  Babylon,  which  is  there  mentioned  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  leave  the  impression  that  it  was  a  province  of  Assyria* 
2  Kings  xvii.  24.  The  kingdom  of  Babylon,  however,  ultimately  ac- 
quired the  ascendency,  and  the  Assyrian  was  merged  into  the  Chal- 
dean monarchy.  This  occurred  about  one  hundred  years  after  the 
reign  of  Nabonassar,  or  Baladan,  and  was  effected  by  an  alliance  form- 
ed between  Nabopolassar  and  Cyaxares  the  Median.  See  Rob.  Cal. 
Art.  Babylonia.  Comp.  Note  on  ch.  xxxix.  1.  It  should  be  observed, 
however,  that  the  history  of  the  Assyrian  empire  is  one  of  the  obscurest 
portions  of  the  ancient  histor}.  See  the  article  Assyria  in  Rob.  Cal- 
niet. 

There  is  not  any  decided  evidence  that  Isaiah  delivered  any  pro- 
phecies during  the  reign  of  Jotham.  Most  commentators  have  sup- 
posed that  the  prophecies  in  ch.  ii. — v.  were  deliver d  during  his  reign  ; 
but  there  is  no  internal  proof  to  demonstrate  it.  See  the  Analysis  of 
these  chapters. 

Jotham  was  succeeded  by  Ahaz.  He  was  the  twelfth  king  of 
Judah.  He  came  to  the  throne  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  and  reigned 
in  Jerusalem  sixteen  years,  and  of  course  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-six. 
He  ascended  the  throne,  according  to  Calmet,  738  years  before  the 
Christian  era.  See  2  Kings  xvi.  2.  2  Chron.  xxviii.  5.  The  character 
of  Ahaz  was  the  reverse  of  that  of  his  father  ;  and,  excepting  Manas- 
seh  his  grandson,  there  was  not  probably  a  more  impious  prince  that 
sat  on  the  throne  of  Judah.  Nor  was  there  a  reign  that  was  on  the 
whole  more  disa-strous  than  his.  A  statement  of  his  deeds  of  evil,  and 
a  brief  record  of  the  calamitous  events  of  his  reign,  is  given  in  2  Chron. 
xxviii.  and  in  2  Kings  xvi.  He  imitated  the  kings  of  Israel  and  Sama- 
ria in  all  manner  of  abominations  and  disorders.  He  early  made 
images  of  Baalim.  He  burnt  incense  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom  to  idol 
gads,  and  burnt  his  children  in  the  fire.  He  established  idolatrous 
places  of  worship  in  every  part  of  the  land;  and  caused  the  worship  of 
idols  to  be  celebrated  in  the  groves,  and  on  ah  the  hills  in  Judea.  Ae 
a  consequence  of  this  idolatry,  and  as  a  punishment  for  his  sins  and 
the  sins  of  the  nation,  his  kingdom  was  invaded  by  the  joint  forces  of 
the  kings  of  Syria  and  of  Samaria.  A  large  number  of  captive  Jews 
were  carried  to  Damascus;  and  in  one  day  Pekah  the  king  of  Samaria 
killed  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand,  and  took  captive  two  hundred 
thousand  more  whom  he  purposed  to  carry  captive  to  Samaria.  This 
he  would  have  done  but  for  the  remonstrance  of  the  prophet  Obed,  who 
plead  with  him,  and  represented  the  impropriety  of  his  carrying  his 
brethren  into  bondage;  and  at  his  solicitation,  and  from  the  apprehen- 
sion of  the  wrath  of  God,  the  captives  were  returned  to  Jericho,  and 
set  at  liberty.  2  Chron.  xxviii.  15.  It  was  at  this  juncture,  and 
when  Ahaz  trembled  with  alarm  at  the  prospect  of  the  invasion  of  the 
kings  of  Syria  and  Samaria,  that  he  resolved  to  call  in  the  aid  of  the 
Assyrian,  and  thus  to  repel  the  apprehended  invasion.  Though  he 
had  been  able  to  defeat  the  united  armies  of  Syria  and  Samaria  once 
2  Kings  xvi.  5),  yet  those  armies  again  returned,  and  Ahaz  in  alarm 
elei  mined  to  seek  the  aid  of  Assyria.     For  this  purpose  he  sent  ines* 


XXIV  INTRODUCTION. 

eengers,  with  terms  of  most  humble  submission  and  entreaty,  and  with 
the  most  costly  presents  that  his  kingdom  could  furnish,  to  secure 
the  alliance  and  aid  of  Tiglath-Pileser  the  king  of  Assyria.  2  Kings 
xvi.  7,  8.  It  was  at  this  time,  when  Ahaz  was  so  much  alarmed, 
that  Isaiah  met  him  at  the  conduit  of  the  upper  pool  in  the  highway 
of  the  fuller's  field  (Isa.  vii.  3,  4,),  and  assured  him  that  he  had  no  oc- 
casion to  fear  the  united  armies  of  Syria  and  Samaria;  that  Jerusalem 
was  safe,  and  that  God  would  be  its  protector.  He  assured  him  that 
the  kingdoms  of  Syria  and  Samaria  should  not  be  enlarged  by  the  ac- 
i  ession  and  conquest  of  the  kingdom  of  Judah  (Isa.  vii.  7 — 9);  and 
advised  Ahaz  to  ask  a  sign,  or  demonstration,  from  Jehovah  that  this 
(should  be  fulfilled.  Isa.  vii.  10,  11.  Ahaz  indignantly,  though  with 
the  appearance  of  religious  scruple,  said  that  he  would  not  ask  a  sign, 
vii.  12.  The  secret  reason,  however,  why  he  was  not  solicitous  to  pro- 
cure a  sign  from  Jehovah  was,  that  he  had  formed  an  alliance  with 
tiie  king  of  Assyria,  and  scorned  the  idea  of  recognizing  his  depend- 
ence on  Jehovah. — Isaiah,  therefore,  proceeded  (vii.  13  seq.)  to  as- 
sure him  that  Jehovah  would  himself  give  a  sign,  and  would  furnish 
a  demonstration  to  him  that  the  land  would  be  soon  forsaken  of  both 
the  kings  which  Ahaz  dreaded.  See  Notes  on  ch.  vii.  Isaiah  then 
proceeded  to  state  the  consequences  of  this  alliance  with  the  king  of 
Assyria,  and  to  assure  him  that  the  result  would  be,  that,  under  pre- 
tence of  aiding  him,  he  would  bring  up  his  forces  on  the  land  of  Judah, 
and  spread  devastation  and  ruin,  and  that  Jerusalem  only  would  be 
spared.  Isa.  vii.  17  seq.  and  ch.  viii.  The  prophecy  respecting  the 
speedy  removal  of  the  two  kings  of  Syria  and  Samaria  was  accom- 
plished. See  Notes  on  ch.  vii.  16.  At  about  the  same  time  the  king- 
dom of  Judah  was  threatened  with  an  invasion  from  the  Edomites  and 
Philistines.  2  Chron.  xxviii.  17,  IS.  In  this  emergency  Ahaz  had 
recourse  to  his  old  ally  the  king  of  Assyria.  2  Chron.  xxviii.  20,  21. 
To  secure  his  friendship,  he  made  him  a  present  obtained  from  the 
temple,  from  his  own  house,  and  from  the  princes.  2  Chron.  xxviii.  21. 
The  king  of  Assyria  professedly  accepted  the  offer;  marched  against 
Rezin  the  king  of  Syria,  took.  Damascus,  and  slew  Rezin.  agreeably  to 
the  prediction  of  Isaiah,  ch.  vii.  16.  While  Tiglath-Pileser  was  at 
Damascus,  Ahaz  visited  him,  and  being  much  charmed  with  an  altar 
which  he  saw  there,  he  sent  a  model  of  it  to  Urijah  the  priest  to  have 
one  constructed  like  it  in  Jerusalem.  2  Kings  xvi.  10.  seq.  This  was 
done.  Ahaz  returned  from  Damascus  ;  offered  sacrifice  on  the  new 
altar  which  he  had  had  constructed,  and  gave  himself  up  to  every  spe- 
cies of  idolatry  and  abomination.  2  Kings  xvi.  12  seq.  He  offered 
sacrifice  to  the  gods  of  Damascus,  on  the  pretence  that  they  had  de- 
fended Syria,  and  might  be  rendered  propitious  to  defend  his  own  king- 
dom (2  Chron.  xxviii.  23) ;  he  broke  up  the  vessels  of  the  temple,  shut 
up  the  doors,  and  erected  altars  to  the  heathen  deities  in  every  part  of 
Jerusalem.  2  Chron.  xxviii.  24,  25.  He  thus  finished  his  inglorious 
reign  in  the  thirty-sixth  year  of  his  age,  and  was  buried  in  the  city  of 
Jerusalem,  but  not  in  the  sepulchres  of  the  kings  on  account  of  Ids  gross 
abominations.     2  Chron.  xxviii.  27. 

The  prediction  of  Isaiah  (chs.  vii.  viii.)  that  his  calling  in  4he  aid 


INTRODUCTION.  XX? 

»f  the  king  of  Assyria  would  result  in  disaster  to  his  own  land,  and  to 
all  the  land  except  Jerusalem  (Note.  ch.  viii.  8).  was  not  accomplished 
in  the  time  of  Ahaz,  but  was  literally  fulfilled  in  the  calamities  which 
occurred  by  the  invasion  of  Sennacherib  in  the  times  of  Hezekiah. 
See  Notes  on  ch.  viii.  and  chs.  xxxvi. — xxxix. 

It  is  not  certainly  known  what  prophecies  were  delivered  by  Isaiah 
in  the  time  of  Ahaz.  It  is  certain  that  those  contained  in  chapters  vii. 
viii.  and  ix.  were  uttered  during  his  reign,  and  there  is  every  proba- 
bility that  those  contained  in  chs.  x.  xi.  xii.  were  also.  Perhaps  some 
of  the  subsequent  predictions  also  were  uttered  during  his  reign. 

Ahaz  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Hezekiah.  one  of  the  most  pious 
kings  that  ever  sat  on  the  throne  of  David.  He  was  twenty-five  years 
old  when  he  began  to  reign,  and  he  reigned  twenty-nine  years.  2 
Chron.  xxxix.  1.  His  character  was  the  reverse  of  that  of  his  father; 
and  one  of  the  first  acts  of  his  reign  was  to  remove  the  evils  introduced 
in  the  reign  of  Ahaz,  and  to  restore  again  the  pure  worship  of  God. 
He  began  the  work  of  reform  by  destroying  the  high  places,  cutting 
down  the  groves,  and  overturning  the  altars  of  idolatry.  He  destroyed 
the  brazen  serpent  which  Moses  had  made,  and  which  had  become  an 
object  of  idolatrous  worship.  He  ordered  the  doors  of  the  temple  to 
be  rebuilt,  and  the  temple  itself  was  thoroughly  cleansed  and  repaired 
2  Kings  xviii.  1 — 6.  2  Chron.  xxix.  1 — 17.  He  restored  the  observance 
of  the  Passover,  and  it  was  celebrated  with  great  pomp  and  joy  (2 
Chron.  xxx.  seq.),  and  he  restored  the  regular  worship  in  the  temple 
as  it  was  in  the  time  of  Solomon.  2  Chron.  xxviii.  18.  Successful  in 
his  efforts  to  reform  the  religion  of  his  country,  and  in  his  wars  with 
the  Philistines  (2  Kings  xviii.  8),  he  resolved  to  cast,  off  the  inglorioun 
yoke  of  servitude  to  the  king  of  Assyria.  2  Kings  xviii.  7.  He  refused, 
therefore,  to  pay  the  tribute  which  had  been  promised  to  birr,  and 
which  had  been  paid  by  his  father  Ahaz.  As  might  have  bee  •  ex- 
pected, this  resolution  excited  the  indignation  of  the  king  of  Assyria, 
and  led  to  the  resolution  to  compel  submission.  Sennacherib,  there- 
fore, invaded  the  land  with  a  great  army;  spread  desolation  through 
no  small  part  of  it ;  and  was  rapidly  advancing  towards  Jerusalem. 
Hezekiah  saw  his  error,  and.  alarmed,  he  sought  to  avoid  the  threaten- 
ed blow-  He,  therefore,  put  the  city  in  the  best  possible  posture  of 
defence.  He  fortified  it;  enclosed  it  with  a  second  wall;  erected  tow- 
ers ;  repaired  the  fortification  Milio  in  the  city  of  David  ;  stopped  all  the 
fountains  ;  and  made  darts  and  shields  that  the  city  might  be  defended. 
2  Chron.  xxxii.  1—8.  He  endeavoured  to  prepare  himself  as  well  as 
possible  to  meet  the  mighty  foe  ;  and  he  did  all  that  he  could  to  inspire 
confidence  in  God  among  the  people.  Notes  on  Isaiah  xxii.  9 — 11. 
Yet  as  if  not  quite  confident  that  he  could  be.  able  to  hold  out  during 
a  siege,  and  to  resist  an  army  so  mighty  as  that  of  Sennacherib,  he  sent 
embassadors  to  him,  acknowledged  his  error,  and  sued  for  peace. 
Sennacherib  proposed  that  he  should  send  him  three  hundred  talents 
of  silver,  and  thirty  talents  of  gold,  and  gave  the  implied  assurance  that 
if  this  were  done  his  army  should  be  withdrawn.  2  Kings  xviii.  13.  14. 
Hezekiah  readily  agreed  to  send  what  .vns  demanded;  and  to  accom- 
plish this  he  emptied  the  treasury,  anf'  stripped  the  temple  of  its  orna- 

2 
J 


XXVI  INTRODUCTION. 

ments.  2  Kings?  xviii.  15,  16.  Sennacherib  then  went  down  to  Egypt 
(see  Notes  on  chs.  xxxvi.  xxxvii.),  and  was  repelled  before  Pelusium 
by  the  approach  of  Tirhakah  king  of  Ethiopia,  who  had  come  to  the  aid 
of  the  Egyptian  monarch.  On  his  return.  Sennacherib  sent  messengers 
from  Lachish,  and  a  portion  of  his  army  to  Jerusalem  to  demand  its 
surrender.  Isa,  xxxvi.  2.  To  this  embassy  no  answer  was  returned 
by  the  messengers  of  Hezekiah  (Isa.  xxxvi.  21.  22")  ;  and  the  messen- 
gers of  Sennacherib  returned  again  to  him  to  Libnah.  Note  on  Isa. 
xxxvii.  8.  At  this  period,  Sennacherib  was  alarmed  by  the  rumour  that 
Tirhakah.  whom  he  hud  so  much  reason  to  dread,  was  advancing 
against  him  (Isa.  xxxvii.  9),  and  he  again  sent  messengers  to  Heze- 
kiah to  induce  him  to  surrender,  intending  evidently  to  anticipate  the 
news  that  Tirhakah  was  coming,  and  to  secure  the  conquest  of  Jerusa- 
lem without  being  compelled  to  sit  down  before  it  in  a  regular  siege. 
This  message  like  the  former  was  unsuccessful.  Hezekiah  spread 
the  case  before  Jehovah  (ch.  xxxvii.  15 — 20);  and  received  the  answer 
that  Jerusalem  was  safe.  Sennacherib  advanced  to  attack  the  city  ; 
but  in  a  single  night  185.000  of  his  men  were  destroyed  by  an  angel 
of  the  Lord,  and  he  himself  fled  to  his  capital,  where  he  was  slain  by 
his  two  sons.     Ch.  xxxvii.  36 — 38. 

These  events  were  among  the  most  important  in  Jewish  history. 
Isaiah  lived  during  their  occurrence ;  and  a  large  portion  of  his  pro- 
phecies from  ch.  xiv.  to  ch.  xxxix.  are  occupied  with  allusions  to  and 
statements  of  these  events.  He  gave  himself  to  the  work  of  preparing 
the  nation  for  them;  assuring  them  that  they  would  come,  but  that 
Jerusalem  should  be  sale.  He  seems  to  have  laboured  to  inspire  the 
mind  of  Hezekiah  and  the  minds  of  the  people  with  confidence  in  God, 
that  when  the  danger  should  arrive,  they  might  look  to  him  entirely 
for  defence.  In  this  he  was  eminently  successful;  and  Hezekiah  and 
the  nation  put  unwavering  confidence  in  God.  An  accurate  acquaint- 
ance with  the  causes,  and  the  various  events  connected  with  the  over- 
throw of  Sennacherib,  is  indispensable  to  a  clear  understanding  of 
Isaiah  ;  and  these  causes  and  events  I  have  endeavoured  to  present  in 
Notes  on  the  several  chapters  which  refer  to  that  remarkable  invasion. 
Soon  after  this,  H°zekiah  became  dangerously^  ill ;  and  Isaiah  an- 
nounced to  him  that  he  must  die.  Isa.  xxxviii.  1.  Hezekiah  prayed 
to  God  for  the  preservation  of  his  life,  and  an  assurance  was  given  to 
him  that  he  should  live  fifteen  years  longer.  Isa.  xxxviii.  5.  In 
attestation  of  this,  and  as  a  demonstration  of  it,  the  shadow  on  the  sun- 
dial of  Ahaz  was  made  to  recede  ten  degrees.  See  Notes  on  ch. 
xxxviii.  8. 

Hezekiah,  after  his  signal  success  over  his  foe,  and  the  entire  de- 
liverance of  his  kingdom  from  the  long  dreaded  invasion,  and  hit 
recovery  from  the  dangerous  illness,  became  eminently  prosperous  and 
successful.  He  was  caressed  and  flattered  by  foreign  princes;  pres- 
ents of  great  value  were  given  him,  and  he  encompassed  himself  with 
the  usual  splendour  and  magnificence  of  an  oriental  monarch.  2  Chron. 
xxxii.  23,  27,  28.  As  a  consequence  of  this,  his  heart  was  lifted  up 
with  pride  ;  he  gloried  in  his  wealth,  and  magnificence,  and  even  be- 
came proud  of  the  divine  interposition  in  his  favour.     To  show  what 


INTRODUCTION.  XXVII 

was  in  his  heart,  and  to  humble  him,  he  was  left  to  display  his  treas- 
ures in  an  ostentatious  manner  to  the  embassadors  of  Merodach- 
Baladan  king  of  Babylon  (2  Chron.  xxxii.  25,  31),  and/or  this  received 
the  assurance  that  all  his  treasures  and  his  family  should  be  carried 
in  inglorious  bondage  to  the  land  from  whence  the  embassadors  came. 
2  Kings  xx.  12 — 18.  Notes  on  Isa.  xxxix.  The  remnant  of  the  life 
of  Hezekiah  was  peace.  Isa.  xxxix.  8.  He  died  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
four  years ;  and  was  buried  in  the  most  honoured  of  the  tombs  of  the 
kings  of  Judah  (2  Chron.  xxxii.  33)  ;  and  was  deeply  lamented  by  a 
Weepvng  people  at  his  death. 

The  reign  of  Hezekiah  stretched  through  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  prophetic  ministry  of  Isaiah.  A  large  part  of  his  prophecies  are, 
therefore,  presumed  to  have  been  uttered  during  this  reign.  It  is 
probable  that  to  this  period  we  are  to  attribute  the  entire  series  from 
ch.  xiii.  to  ch.  xxxix.  inclusive.  The  most  important  of  his  prophecies, 
from  ch.  xl.  to  ch.  Ixvi.  I  am  disposed  to  assign  to  a  subsequent  period 
— to  the  reign  of  Manasseh.  The  reasons  for  this  may  be  seen,  in 
part,  in  §  2  of  this  Introduction. 

Hezekiah  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Manasseh.  The  reasons  for 
thinking  that  any  part  of  the  life  of  Isaiah  was  passed  under  the  reign 
of  this  wicked  prince  have  been  stated  above.  He  was  the  fifteenth 
king  of  Judah.  and  was  twelve  years  old  when  he  began  to  reign,  and 
reigned  fifty-five  years.  It  was  during  his  reign,  and  by  him.  as  it  is 
commonly  supposed,  that  Isaiah  was  put  to  death.  He  forsook  the 
path  of  Hezekiah  and  David;  restored  idolatry;  worshipped  the  idols 
of  Canaan  ;  rebuilt  the  high  places  which  Hezekiah  had  destroyed  ; 
set  up  altars  to  Baal,  and  planted  groves  to  false  gods.  He  raised 
altars  to  the  whole  host  of  heaven  even  in  Jerusalem  and  in  the  courts 
of  the  temple  ;  made  his  son  pass  through  the  fire  to  Moloch  ;  was  ad- 
dicted to  magic  and  divination  ;  set  up  the  idol  of  Astarte  in  the  house 
of  God,  and  caused  the  people  to  sin  in  a  more  aggravated  form  than 
had  been  done  by  the  heathen  who  had  formerly  inhabited  the  land  of 
Canaan.  To  all  this  he  added  cruelty  in  the  highest  degree,  and 
"  shed  innocent  blood  very  much,  till  he  had  filled  Jerusalem  from  one. 
end  to  another."  Probably  most  of  the  distinguished  men  of  piety 
were  cut  off  by  him,  and  among  them,  it  is  supposed,  was  Isaiah.  See 
2  Kings  xxi.     2  Chron.  xxxiii. 

So  great  were  his  crimes  that  God  brought  upon  the  land  the  king 
of  Assyria  who  took  Manasseh  from  the  hiding  place  where  he  sought 
a  refuge  amidst  briers  and  thorns,  and  bound  him,  and  carried  him  to 
Babylon  (2  Chron.  xxxii.  11). — another  proof  that  Babylon  was  at  this 
time  a  dependent  province  of  the  Assyrian  monarchy.  In  Babylon, 
Manasseh  repented  of  his  sins  and  humbled  himself,  and  he  was  again 
returned  to  his  land  and  his  throne.  After  his  restoration  he  re 
moved  the  worship  of  idols,  and  re-established  the  worship  of  Jehovah. 
He  built  a  wall  on  the  west  side  of  Gihon,  and  extended  it  around  to 
Mount  Ophel.  and  put  Jerusalem  in  a  posture  of  defence.  He  broke 
down  and  removed  the  altars  which  he  had  erected  in  Jerusalem,  and 
in  the  temple  ;  and  he  removed  all  traces  of  idolatrous  worship  except 
the  high  places,  which  he  sutTered  still  to  remain.     There  is  evidence 


&XV111  INTRODUCTION. 

of  his  reformation ;  and  the  latter  part  of  his  reign  appears  to  have 
passed  in  comparative  happiness  and  virtue. 

It  was  only  during  the  early  part  of  Ids  reign  that  Isaiah  lived,  and 
there  is  in  his  prophecies  no  express  mention  made  of  Manasseh.  If 
he  lived  during  any  part  of  it,  it  is  evident  that  he  withdrew  entirely, 
or  nearly  so,  from  the  pubUc  exercise  of  his  prophetic  functions,  and 
retired  to  a  comparatively  private  life.  There  is  evidently  between  the 
close  of  the  xxxixth  chapter  of  his  prophecy,  and  ihe  period  when  the 
latter  part  of  his  prophecies  commences  (eh.  xl.).  an  interval  of  consider- 
able duration.  It  is  not  a  violation  of  probability  that  Isaiah  after  the 
death  ol  Hezekiah,  being  an  old  man.  withdrew  much  from  public  life  ; 
that  he  saw  and  felt  that  there  was  little  hope  of  producing  reform  (luring 
the  impious  career  of  Manasseh  j  and  that,  in  the  distress  and  anguish 
of  his  soul,  he  gave  himself  up  to  the  contemplation  of  the  happier 
times  which  should  yet  occur  under  the  reign  of  the  Messiah.  It  was 
during  this  period.  1  suppose,  that  he  composed  the  latter  part  of  his 
prophecies,  from  the  xlth  to  the  lxvith  chapter.  The  nation  was  lull  of 
wickedness.  An  impious  prince  was  on  the  throne.  Piety  was  ban- 
ished, and  the  friends  of  Jehovah  were  bleeding  in  Jerusalem. 
The  nation  was  given  up  to  idolatry.  The  kingdom  was  approaching 
the  period  of  its  predicted  fall  and  ruin.  Isaiah  saw  the  tendency  of 
events;  he  saw  how  hopeless  would  be  the  attempt  at  reform.  He 
saw  that  the  captivity  of  Babylon  was  hastening  on,  and  that  the  na- 
tion was  preparing  lor  that  gfoomy  event.  In  this  dark  and  disastrous 
period,  he  seems  to  have  withdrawn  himself  from  the  contemplation 
of  the  joyless  present,  and  to  have  given  his  mind  to  the  contemplation 
of  happier  future  scenes.  An  interval  perhaps  of  some  ten  or  fifteen 
years  may  be  supposed  to  have  elapsed  between  his  last  public  labours 
in  the  time  of  Hezekiah,  and  the  prophecies  which  compose  the  remain- 
der of  the  book.  During  this  interval  he  may  have  withdrawn  from 
public  view,  and  fixed  his  mind  on  the  great  events  of  future  times. 
In  his  visions  he  sees  the  nation  about  to  go  into  captivity.  Yet  he 
sees  also  that  there  would  be  a  return  from  bondage,  ami  he  comforts 
the  hearts  of  the  pious  with  the  assurance  of  such  a  return.  He  an- 
nounces the  name  of  the  monarch  by  whom  that  deliverance  would 
be  accomplished,  and  gives  assurance  that  the  captive  Jews  should 
again  return  to  their  own  land.  But  he  is  not  satisfied  with  the  an- 
nouncement of  this  comparatively  uiumportant  deliverance.  With 
that  he  connects  a  far  greater  and  more  important  deliverance,  that 
from  sin,  under  the  Messiah.  He  fixes  his  eye,  therefore,  on  the  future 
glories  of  the  kingdom  of  God;  sees  the  long  promised  Messiah^  de 
scribes  his  person,  his  work,  his  doctrine,  and  states  in  glowing  Ian 
guage  the  effects  of  his  coming  on  the  happiness  and  destiny  of  man- 
kind. As  he  advances  in  his  prophetic  descriptions,  the  deliverance 
from  Babylon  seems  to  die  away  and  is  forgotten;  or  it  is  lost  in  the 
contemplation  of  the  event  to  which  it  had  a  resemblance — the  coming 
of  the  Messiah — as  the  morning  star  is  lost  in  the  superior  glory  of  the 
rising  sun.  He  throws  himself  forward  in  his  descriptions;  places 
himself  amidst  these  future  scenes,  and  describes  them  as  taking  place 
around  him,  and  as  events  which  he  saw.     He  thinks  ami  feele  and 


INTRODUCTION.  XXIX 

acts  as  if  in  that  period ;  his  mind  is  full  of  the  contemplation ;  and  he 
pours  out,  in  describing  it,  the  most  elevated  language  and  the  sub- 
limest  thoughts.  It  was  in  contemplations  such  as  these,  I  suppose, 
that  he  passed  the  close  of  his  life  ;  and  in  such  visions  of  the  glorious 
future,  that  he  sought  a  refuge  from  the  gloom  and  despondency  which 
must  have  fdled  a  pious  mind  during  the  early  part  of  the  reign  of  the 
impious  and  blood-thirsty  Manasseh. 

Isaiah  was  cotemporary  with  the  prophets  Jonah,  Hosea,  and  Mi- 
cah.  They,  however,  performed  a  less  important  public  part,  and 
were  not  favoured  with  visions  of  the  future  glory  of  the  church,  like 
his.  fn  a  single  chapter,  however,  the  same  language  is  used  by 
Isaiah  and  by  Micah.  See  Isa.  ii.  2—4.  Comp.  Micah  iv.  1—4.  In 
which  prophet  the  language  is  original,  it  is  impossible  now  to  deter- 
mine. 

The  period  of  the  world  in  which  Isaiah  lived  was  in  some  respects  a 
finning-  period.  We  have  seen  that  it  was  during  his  life  that  the  king- 
dom of  Assyria,  which  had  so  long  swayed  a  sceptre  of  entire  do- 
minion over  th°  East,  began  to  wane,  and  that  its  power  was  broken. 
The  kingdom  of  Babylon,  which  ultimately  became  so  vast  and  mighty, 
and  which  destroyed  Assyria  itself,  was  established  during  his  life  on  a 
basis  that  secured  its  future  independence  and  grandeur.  The  king- 
dom of  Macedon,  whose  rise  was  followed  by  so  great  events  under 
the  emperor  Alexander,  was  founded  about  the  time  when  Isaiah  be- 
gan his  prophetic  life  (B.  C.  814),  by  Caranus.  Carthage  had  been 
founded  about  a  half  a  century  betbre  (B.  C.  869);  and  Rome  was 
founded  during  his  life,  B.  C.  753.  Syracuse  was  buil  tby  Archias 
of  Corinth,  during  his  life,  B.  C.  769.  It  is  of  some  importance  in 
recollecting  the  events  of  ancient  history  to  group  them  together,  and 
some  advantage  may  be  derived  to  the  student  from  connecting  these 
events  with  the  name  and  life  of  Isaiah. 

The  following  tables,  copied  mainly  from  Jahu's  Biblical  Archae- 
ology, will  give  a  correct  view  of  the  principal  chronological  events 
in  the  time  of  Isaiah,  and  may  be  of  use  in  the  correct  understanding 
of  his  prophecies. 


XXX 


INTRODUCTION. 


TABLE 

I. 

B.  C. 

JUDAH.               1SBAEL. 

Assyria. 

Meiha.       Babylon.       Othebb. 

~825 

Amaziah.      Jeroboam  II. 

Arbaces,  29 

41  years. 

years. 

814 

Jonah,      the 
prophet 

Macedonia 

811 

Uzziah,  52 

years. 

Amos,      the 
prophet. 

797 

Intcrreg- 

784 

Hosca,     the 
prophet. 

num,79  yrs. 

Interregnum, 

12  years.     1 

773 

Zechaiiah,   6 

months. 
Shallum,     1 

month. 

Phul,  21  ys. 

?72 

Menahem,  10 
years. 

761 

Isaiah. 

Pekahiah,    2 
years. 

759 

Jotham,    16 

Pekah,  20  ys.1 

years, 

Micah. 

753 

Tiglath 
Pileser,19 

years. 

Rome 

747 

JNabonassar 

743 

Ahaz,  16  ys. 

14,  orMero- 

740 

Conquers  Da- 

dach Bala- 

739 

Interregnum, 
9  years. 

mascus,  Gali- 
lee &  Gilead. 

dan. 

734 

Shalmaneser, 

Nadius,  2 

730 

Hosea,  9  yrs. 

14  years. 

years. 
Porus,  5  ys. 

728 

Hezekiah, 

Jugaeus,  5 

722 

29  years. 

overtrhow 
of  Israel. 

years. 

TABLE  II. 

B.  C 

JUDAH. 

Assyria.                   Media. 

Babylon. 

72 

1         Hezekiah. 

72 

) 

Sennacherib,  7  ys 

71 

3 

Dejoces,  53  years. 

71 

4 

Senn.  in  Judea. 

- 

71 

3 

Esar-haddon,    35 

70 

3 

years. 

Arkianus,  5  years. 

70 

4 

ilnterreg.  2  years. 

70 

2 

Belibus.  3  years. 

69 

9  Manasseh,  55  yrs. 

lApronadius,  6  yrs. 

69 

3 

Illigebelus,    1    year. 

69 

2 

IMessomordacus,    4 

1            years. 

introduction.  tthh 

§  4.  Divisions  of  Isaiah. 

Various  modes  of  classifying  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  have  been 
proposed  in  order  to  present  them  in  the  most  lucid  and  clear  manner. 
Gesenius  divides  the  whole  into  four  parts,  exclusive  of  the  historical 
portion  (ch.  xxxvi. — xxxix.)  ; — the  first,  comprising  ch.  i.— xii. ;  the 
eecond,  ch.  xiii. — xxiii. ;  the  third,  ch.  xxiv. — xxxv. ;  and  the  fourth,  ch. 
xl. — lxvi.  Home  proposes  the  following  division  :  Part  I.  ch.  i. — v. ; 
II.  ch.  vii. — xii. ;  III.  ch.  xiii. — xxiv. ;  IV.  ch.  xxiv. — xxxiii. ;  V.  ch. 
xxxvi. — xxxix. ;  VI.  ch.  xl. — lxvi.  See  his  Introduction,  vol.  ii.  157 
seq.     Vitringa  divides  the  book  into  the  following  portions. 

I.  Ppophetic. 

(1.)  Five  prophetic  addresses  directly  to  the  Jews,  including  the 
Ephraimites,  reprehending,  denouncing,  and  accusing  them,  ch. 
i. — xii. 

(2.)  Eight  addresses  or  prophetic  discourses,  in  which  the  destiny 
of  foreign  nations  is  foretold,  particularly  the  destiny  oi  Babylon, 
Philistia,  Moab,  Syria,  Assyria,  Ethiopia,  Egypt,  Arabia  and  Tyre, 
ch.  xiii. — xxiii. 

(3.)  Penal  judgments  against  the  Jews  and  their  foes,  with  ample 
promises  of  the  final  preservation  and  future  prosperity  of  the  Jews, 
ch.  xxiv. — xxxvi. 

(4.)  Four  consolatory  addresses,  respecting  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah,  and  particularly  describing  the  events  which  would  be  in- 
troductory to  it ;  especially  the  liberation  from  the  captivity  at  Baby- 
lon, ch.  xl. — xlix. 

(5.)  A  description  of  the  coming  and  work  of  the  Messiah — his 
person,  his  doctrines,  his  death,  and  the  success  of  the  gospel  and  its 
final  triumph,  oh.  xlix. — lxvi. 

II.  Historic     The  events  recorded  in  ch.  xxxvi. — xxxix. 

The  natural  and  obvious  division  of  Isaiah  is  into  two  parts,  the 
first  of  which  closes  with  the  xxxixth  chapter,  and  the  latter  of  which 
comprises  the  remainder  of  the  book  (xl. — lxvi).  In  this  division  the 
latter  portion  is  regarded  as  substantially  a  continuous  prophecy,  or  an 
unbroken  oracle  or  vision,  relating  to  far  distant  events,  and  having 
little  reference  to  existing  things  at  the  time  when  Isaiah  lived,  except 
the  implied  censures  which  are  passed  on  the  idolatry  of  the  Jews  in 
the  time  of  Manasseh.  The  main  drift  and  scope,  however,  is  to  por- 
tray events  to  come — the  certain  deliverance  of  the  Jews  from  the 
bondage  in  Babylon,  and  the  higher  deliverance  of  the  world  under 
the  .Messiah,  of  which  the  former  was  the  suggester  and  the  emblem. 

The  former  part  (ch."  i. — xxxix.)  comprises  a  collection  of  inde- 
pendent prophecies  and  writings  composed  at  various  periods  during 
the  public  ministry  of  the  prophet,  and  designed  to  produce  an  imme- 
diate effect  on  the  morals,  the  piety,  the  faith,  and  the  welfare  of  the 
nation.  The  general  drift  is.  that  Jerusalem  was  secure;  that  the 
kingdom  of  God  on  earth  could  not  be  destroyed  ;  that  however  much 
his  people  might  be  subjected  to  punishment  for  their  sins,  and  how- 


XXX11  INTRODUCTION. 

ever  long  and  grievous  might  be  their  calamities',  and  however  migh.y 
their  foes,  yet  that  the  kingdom  of  God  could  not  be  overturned,  and 
nis  promises  set  at  nought.  Hence  in  all  the  predictions  of  judgment 
and  calamity;  in  all  the  reproofs  for  crime,  idolatry,  and  sin;  there  is 
usually  found  a  saving  clause, — an  assurance  that  the  people  of  God 
would  finally  triumph,  and  be  secure.  And  hence  so  large  a  portion 
of  this  division  of  the  book  is  occupied  with  a  prophetic  statement  of 
the  entire  and  utter  overthrow  of  the  formidable  states,  nations,  and 
cities  with  which  they  had  been  so  often  engaged  in  war,  and  which 
were  so  decidedly  hostile  to  the  Jews.  The  prophet,  therefore,  goea 
over  in  detail  these  cities  and  nations,  and  depicts  successively  the 
destruction  of  the  Assyrians,  of  Babylon,  Tyre.  Moab,  Damascus. 
Edom,  &c,  until  he  comes  to  the  triumphant  conclusion  in  ch.  xxxv. 
thai,  all  the  enemies  of  the  people  of  God  would  be  destroyed,  and 
his  kingdom  be  established  on  an  imperishable  basis  under  the  Mes- 
siah. Sec  Notes  on  ch.  xxxv.  This  is  the  scope  of  this  part  of  the 
prophecy  ;  and  this  is  the  reason  why  there  is  such  fearful  denuncia- 
tion of  surrounding  nations.  In  the  course  of  the  predictions,  however, 
there  are  frequent  reproofs  of  the  Jews  for  their  sins,  and  solemn 
warnings  and  assurances  of  judgment  agninst  /hem;  but  there  is  the 
uniform  assurance  that  they  should  be  delivered,  as  a  people,  from 
all  bondage  and  calamity,  and  be  restored  to  ultimate  freedom  and 
prosperity. 

This  part  of  the  book  comprises  the  prophecies  which  were  uttered 
during  the  reigns  of  Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahaz.  and  Hezekiah.  See  §  3. 
For  convenience  it  may  be  divided  in  the  following  manner: 

First.  Independent  prophecies,  relating  to  Judah  and  Israel,  ch. 
i. — xii.     These  are  seven  in  number. 

I.  Reproof  of  national  crimes,  ch.  i. 

II.  Judah,  its  sins,  ch.  ii.  iii.  iv. 

III.  Judah,  a  vineyard,  ch.  v. 

IV.  Vision  of  Jehovah,  ch.  vi. 

V.  Ahaz;  impending  calamity ;  prediction  of  the  birth  and  cha- 
racter of  the  Messiah,  ch.  vii.  viii.  ix.  1 — 7. 

VI.  Samaria,  ch.  ix.  S— 21.  x.  1—4. 

VII.  Sennacherib  ;  deliverance  from  him  ;  advent  and  work  of 
the  Messiah,  x.  5 — 34.  xi.  xii. 

Second.  Independent  prophecies,  mainly  relating  to  surrounding 
nations  which  had  been  regarded  as  hostile  to  the  Jews,  or  which 
were  their  natural  enemies,  or  which  for  their  sins  were  to  be  cut  oil 
to  make  way  for  the  introduction  and  permanent  establishment  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  ch.  xiii. — xxiii.  These  prophecies  are  fourteen  iu 
number,  and  relate  to  the  following  kingdoms  and  people. 

VIII.  Babylon,  ch.  xiii.  xiv.  1—27. 

IX.  Philistia,'c1i.  xiv.  28— 32. 

X.  Moab,  ch.  xv.  xvi. 

XI.  Damascus,  ch.  xvii.  1 — 11. 

XII.  Sennacherib,  ch.  xvii.  12 — 24. 

XIII.  Nubia,  or  Ethiopia,  ch.  xviii. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXI  L 

XIV.  Egypt,  ch.  xix. 

XV.  Egypt  and  Assyria,  ch.  xx. 

XVI.  The  destruction  of  Babylon,  cJ         1.  1—10. 

XVII.  Dctmah  or  Idumea,  ch.  xxi.  11     *. 

XVIII.  Arabia,  ch.  xxi.  13—17. 

XIX.  Jerusalem,  when  about  to  be  <esieged  by  Sennacherib,  ch. 
xxii.  1 — 14. 

XX.  The  fall  of  Shebna,  and  the  j  omotion  of  Eliakim,  ch.  xxii. 
15—25. 

XXI.  Tyre.  ch.  xxiii. 

Third.  Independent  prophecies.  lating  mainly  to  the  times  of 
Hezekiah.  and  to  the  prospect  of  the  ^sr/rian  invasion  under  Senna- 
cherib ;  with  a  statement  of  the  ultimate  safety  of  the  people  of  God, 
and  the  overthrow  of  all  their  enemies,  ch.  xxiv. — xxxv.  These 
prophecies  are  eight  in  number,  and  relate  to  the  following  events. 

XXII.  Desolation  of  the  land  of  Jcdea.  its  delivery  and  triumph, 
ch.  xxiv. — xxvii. 

XXIII.  Ephraim  to  be  destroyed,  and  Judah  preserved,  ch.  xxv'ii. 

XXIV.  The  siege  and  deliverance  of  Jerusalem,  ch.  xxix. 

XXV.  An  alliance  with  Egypt  condemned,  ch.  xxx. 

XXVI.  Denunciation  on  account  of  the  contemplated  alliance  with 
Egypt,  ch.  xxxi. 

XXVII.  The  virtuous  and  yet  unsuccessful  reign  of  Hezekiah, 
ch.  xxxii. 

XXVIII.  The  destruction  of  the  Assyrian  army,  ch.  xxxiii. 

XXIX.  The  destruction  of  Edom,  and  of  all  the  enemies  of  God, 
and  the  final  triumph  and  security  of  the  people,  chs.  xxxiv.  xxxv. 

Fourth.  The  historical  portion  (chs.  xxxvi. — xxxix.).  relating  to 
the  destruction  of  Sennacherib,  and  the  sickness  and  recovery  of 
Hezekiah. 

One  great  cause  of  the  difficulty  of  understanding  Isaiah  arises 
from  the  manner  in  which  the  division  into  chapters  has  been  made. 
This  division  is  known  to  be  of  recent  origin,  and  is  of  no  authority 
whatever.  It  was  first  adopted  by  Cardinal  Hugo  in  the  13th  century, 
who  wrote  a  celebrated  (ommentary  on  the  Scriptures.  He  divided 
the  Latin  Vulgate  into  clKipters  nearly  the  same  as  those  which  now 
exist  in  the  English  version.  These  chapters  he  divided  into  smaller 
sections  by  placing  the  letters  A.  B,  C.  &c,  at  equal  distances  from 
each  other  in  the  margin.  The  division  into  verses  is  of  still  later  origin. 
It  was  made  by  Stephens  on  a  journey  from  Lyons  to  Paris  in  1551, 
and  was  first  used  in  his  edition  of  the  New  Testament.  The  Jews 
formerly  divided  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament  into  greater  and 
smaller  sections. 

It  is  obvious  that  these  divisions  are  of  no  authority  ;  and  it  is  as 
obvious  that  they  were  most  injudiciously  made.  A  simple  glance  at 
Isaiah  will  show  that  prophecies  have  been  divided  in  many  instances 
which  should  have  been  retained  in  the  same  chapter  ;  and  that  prophe- 
cies, and  parts  of  prophecies,  have  been  thrown  into  the  same  chapter 
which  should  have  been  kept  distinct.     It  is  not  usually  difficult  to 


XXXIV  INTRODUCTION. 

mark  the  commencement  and  the  close  of  the  prophecies  in  Isaiah  ; 
and  an  indication  of  such  a  natural  division  throws  material  light  oq 
the  prophecy  itself  The  proper  divisions  have  been  indicated  above. 
That  division  has  been  made  also  in  the  translation  in  this  work,  and 
is  shown  by  the  figures  which  occur  at  the  commencement  of  each 
prophetic  portion.  These  divisions  are  also  indicated  by  the  word 
vision  occurring  at  the  commencement  of  each  such  section  ;  though 
neither  that  word,  nor  the  word  prophecy  or  oracle,  expresses  precisely 
the  idea  respecting  the  contents  of  all  these  portions.  As  the  word 
vision,  however,  occurs  in  the  general  title  to  the  whole  book  (ch. 
i.  1),  it  was  thought  best  to  use  that  to  mark  the  beginning  of  each 
section. 

§  5.  The  Historical  Writings  of  Isaiah. 

It  is  evident  that  Isaiah  wrote  more  than  we  have  in  the  book 
which  bears  his  name.  In  2  Chron.  xxvi.  22,  it  is  said.  '•  Now  the  rest 
of  the  acts  of  Uzziah,  first  and  last,  did  Isaiah  the  prophet,  the  son  of 
Amoz.  write."  But  the  only  portion  of  the  book  of  Isaiah  which  can 
with  any  certainty  be  referred  to  the  time  of  Uzziah  is  chapter  vi. 
Ami  even  if.  as  we  may  suppose,  the  five  previous  chapters  are  to  be 
referred  to  his  time,  yet  they  contain  no  historical  statement ;  no  record 
of  public  events  sufficient  to  constitute  a  history  of  "the  acts  of  Uz- 
ziah, first  and  last."  It  is  therefore  morally  certain  that  there  were 
other  writings  of  Isaiah  which  we  have  not  in  this  collection  of  his 
prophecies. 

Again,  in  2  Chron.  xxxii.  32,  it  is  said.  "  Now  the  rest  of  the  acta 
of  Hezekiah,  and  his  goodness,  behold,  they  are  written  in  the  vision 
of  Isaiah  the  prophet,  the  son  of  Amoz."  In  the  book  of  Isaiah  we 
have  a  record  of  some  very  important  events  connected  with  the  life 
of  Hezekiah.  See  chs.  xxxvi. — xxxix.  But  there  is  no  formal  record 
of  the  events  of  the  early  part  of  his  reign,  or  of  his  death.  What 
is  said  relates  to  the  invasion  of  Sennacherib  (chs.  xxxvi.  xxxvii.)  ;  to 
the  sickness  and  recovery  of  Hezekiah  (ch.  xxxviii.)  ;  and  to  the  visit 
of  the  embassadors  from  Babylon,  ch.  xxxix.  But  this  would  scarcely 
deserve  to  be  called  a  record,  or  history  of  his  "  acts."  and  his  '•  good- 
ness "  (marg.  kindnesses) ;  that  is,  his  doing's  or  plans  of  beneficence 
to  promote  the  happiness  and  piety  of  his  people.  It  is  not.  however, 
on  this  passage  so  much  that  reliance  is  to  be  placed  to  prove  that  he 
wrote  other  documents,  as  on  the  passage  quoted  from  2  Kings. 

In  regard  to  these  historical  records  which  are  not  now  found  in  the 
book  of  Isaiah,  there  can  be  but  two  opinions. 

( 1.)  One  is,  that  they  are  lost ;  that  they  formed  a  part  of  the  record 
of  his  times  which  was  then  of  value,  and  which  was  lost  when  more 
full  and  complete  records  were  made  in  the  hooks  of  Kings  and  Chroni- 
cles. Many  such  writings  are  mentioned  which  are  now  lost,  or  which 
are  not  found  under  the  names  of  their  authors.  Thus  we  have  ac- 
counts of  the  writings  of  Gad,  and  Iddo  the  Seer,  and  Nathan,  and  the 
prophecy  of  Ahijah  the  Shilomite,  and  the  book  of  Jehu  (1  Chron 
xxix.  29.  2  Chron".  ix.  29.  xx.  34.  1  Kings  xvi.  1)  j  all  of  which  are  now 


INTRODUCTION.  XXXV 

josi.  unless  they  have  come  down  to  us  under  some  other  name.  Nor 
is  there  any  improbability  that  some  portions  of  the  once  inspired  wri- 
tings are  lost.  They  may  have  been  inspired  to  accomplish  a  certain 
object ;  and  when  that  object  was  gained,  they  may  have  been  lost  or 
destroyed  as  not  'arther  necessary,  or  as  superseded  by  supeiior  clear- 
ness of  revelation.  No  man  can  tell  why  it  should  be  regarded  as 
more  improbable  that  divine  communications  which  are  written  should 
be  lost  when  they  have  accomplished  their  purpose,  than  it  is  that  di- 
vine communications  spoken  should  be  lost.  In  the  mere  act  of  writing 
there  is  no  peculiar  sacredness  that  should  make  it  necessary  to  pre- 
serve it.  And  yet  no  one  can  doubt  (comp.  John  xxi.  25)  that  a  very 
large  portion  of  what  our  blessed  Lord  spoke,  who  always  spoke  in- 
spired truth,  is  now  irrecoverably  lost.  It  never  was  recorded ;  and 
there  can  be  no  impropriety  in  supposing  that  portions  of  truth  that 
have  been  recorded  have  likewise  perished.  The  whole  Bible  will  be 
consumed  in  the  conflagration  of  the  last  day-^-but  truth  will  live.. 
God  has  preserved,  with  remarkable  care,  as  much  truth  as  he  saw 
was  necessary  to  illuminate  and  edify  his  church  to  the  end  of  time. 
There  is,  however,  .no  indispensable  necessity  of  supposing  that  in 
fact  any  part  of  the  sacred  record  has  been  destroyed.     For, 

(2.)  The  records  which  were  made  by  Isaiah,  Iddo,  Nathan,  Ahi- 
jah,  &c.  may  have  been  public  documents  that  were  laid  up  in  the 
archives  of  the  state,  and  that  were  subsequently  incorporated  into 
the  historical  books  which  we  now  have.  It  is  probable  that  the  his- 
tory of  each  reign  was  recorded  by  a  prophet,  a  scribe,  or  a  historio- 
grapher. See  Note,  lea.  xxxvi.  3.  From  the  following  extract  from 
the  travels  of  Mr.  Bruce,  it  is  evident  that  such  an  officer  is  known  in 
modern  times  as  attached  to  a  court.  The  extract  will  also  be  de- 
scriptive of  the  duties  of  such  an  officer,  and  perhaps  may  be  regarded 
as  descriptive  of  some  of  the  functions  discharged  by  the  prophets. 
"  The  king  has  near  his  person  an  officer  who  is  meant  to  be  his  his- 
toriographer. He  is  also  keeper  of  his  seal  ;  and  is  obliged  to  make 
a  journal  of  the  king's  actions,  good  or  bad,  without  comrmnt  of  his 
own  upon  them.  This,  when  the  king  dies,  or  at  least  soon  after,  is 
delivered  to  the  council,  who  read  it  over,  and  erase  every  thing  false 
in  it,  whilst  they  supply  every  material  fact  that  may  have  been  omit- 
ted, whether  purposely  or  not."  Travels,  vol.  ii.  p.  596.  Such  a 
record  is  also  kept  of  all  the  sayings  and  purposes  of  the  Emperor  of 
China  by  an  officer  appointed  for  this  purpose.  It  is  carefully  made, 
and  sealed  up  during  his  life,  and  is  not  opened  until  he  dies.  This  is 
regarded  in  that  empire  as  an  important  public  security  that  the  Em- 
peror will  say  or  do  nothing  that  he  will  be  unwilling  should  be  known 
by  posterity.  See  Edin.  Ency.,  Art.  China.  It  would  seem  probable, 
therefore,  that  this  is  an  oriental  custom  extensively  prevalent.  There 
is  every  reason  to  believe  that  a  part  of  these  royal  biographies,  or 
records  of  important  events  in  each  reign,  were  written  by  prophets. 
See  the  Analysis  of  Isa.  xxxvi.  These  records  would  be  deposited  in 
the  archives  of  state,  and  would  be  regarded  as  authentic  documents, 
and  placed  under  the  custody  of  proper  officers.  When  the  connected 
history   of  the  nation  came  to  be  written  ;  when  the   books  of  the 


XXXVI  INTRC  AUCTION. 

"Kings"  and  the  "Chronicles"  were  composed,  nothing  \Voua1  b 
more  natural  than  to  take  these  documents  or  historical  records,  am 
arrange  and  embody  them  as  a  part  of  the  sacred  history.  They 
may  have  been  incorporated  entire  into  the  narratives  which  we  now 
have  ;  and  the  name  of  the  writer  simply  referred  to  as  the  authority 
for  the  document,  or  to  preserve  the  recollection  of  the  original  author 
of  each  fragment  or  part  of  the  history.  This  I  regard  as  by  far  the 
most  probable  supposition  ;  and  if  this  be  correct,  then  we  have  still 
substantially  the  portions  of  history  which  were  composed  by  Isaiah, 
Gad,  &c,  and  they  have  been,  with  perhaps  some  slight  changes  ne- 
cessary to  constitute  a  continuous  narrative,  or  to  supply  some  omis- 
sions, incorporated  into  the  historical  records  which  we  now  possess. 
These  requisite  changes  may  have  been  made  by  Ezra  when  the 
canon  of  the  Old  Testament  was  completed.  The  reasons  for  this 
opinion,  may  be  seen  more  at  length  in  the  Analysis  of  chapter  xxxvi. 

§  6.  Quotations  of  Isaiah  in  the  New  Testament. 

Isaiah  refers  more  fully  to  the  times  of  the  Messiah  than  any  other 
of  the  prophets.  It  is  natural,  therefore,  to  expect  to  find  his  writings 
often  quoted  or  appealed  to  in  the  New  Testament.  The  frequency 
of  the  reference,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  done,  will  show  the 
estimate  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  Saviour,  and  by  the  apostles. 
It  may  also  contribute  in  some  degree  to  the  explanation  of  some  01 
the  passages  quoted  to  have  them  convenient  for  reference,  or  for  ex- 
amination. The  menning  of  Isaiah  may  be  often  determined  by  the 
inspired  statement  of  the  event  referred  to  in  the  New  Testament : 
and  the  meaning  of  a  New  Testament  writer  likewise  by  a  reference 
to  the  passage  which  he  quotes.  In  regard  to  those  quotations,  also, 
it  may  be  of  use  to  bear  in  remembrance  that  a  portion  is  made 
directiy  and  literally  from  the  Hebrew,  and  agrees  also  with  the  Sep- 
tuagint version,  or  is  in  the  words  of  the  Septuagint;  a  portion  agrees 
with  the  Hebrew  in  sense  but  not  in  words ;  a  portion  is  made  from 
the  Septuagint  translation  even  when  the  Septuagint  diil'ers  from  the 
Hebrew;  and  in  some  cases  there  is  a  bare  allusion  to  a  passage.  It 
may  be  useful  to  furnish  a  classification  of  the  entire  passages  which 
are  quoted  in  the  New  Testament,  under  several  heads,  that  they  may 
be  seen  at  one  view,  and  may  be  compared  at  leisure.  For  this  selec- 
tion and  arrangement,  I  am  mainly  indebted  to  Home.  Intro,  vol. 
ii,  p.  343,  seq. 

I.   Quotations  agreeing  exactly  with  the  Hebrew. 

Isa.  liii.  4.         .         quoted  in  .  Matt.  viii.  17. 

Isa.  liii.  12 Mark  xv.  28,  Luke  xxii.  37. 

Isa.  liii.  1 John  xii.  38,  co  np.  Rom.  x.  16 

Isa  lii.  15 Rom.  xv.  21. 

Isa.  xxii.  13 1  Cor.  xv.  32. 

Isa.  xxv.  8 1  Cor.  xv.  54. 

lea.  xlix.  8 2  Cor.  vi.  2. 

Isa.  liv.  1 Gal.  iv.  27. 

Isa.  viii.  17,  18.  Heb.  ii.  13. 


INTRODUCTION. 


xxxvn 


II.  Quotations  nearly  agreeing  with  the  Hebrew. 


Isa.  vii.  14. 
Isa.  vi.  9,  10. 

Isa.  liv.  13. 

Isa.  lxvii.  1,  2. 

I.^a.  xlix.  6. 

Isa.  lii.  5. 

Isa.  i.  9. 

Isa.  viii.  14. 

Isa.  iii.  7. 

Isa.  Ixv.  1,  2. 

Isa.  xxix.  14. 

lea.  xl.  13. 

Isa.  xxxviii.  11,  12 

Isa.  xl.  6,  7,  8. 

Isa.  liii.  9. 

Isa.  liii.  5. 

Isa.  viii.  12,  13. 


quoted  in    .         .        .        Matt.  i.  23. 

.     Matt.  xiii.  14, 15.  Comp.  Acta 
xxviii.  26.  Mark  iv    12.  Luke  viii.  10 
John  vi.  45. 
Acts  vii.  49,  50. 
Acts  xiii.  47. 
Rom.  ii.  24. 
Rom.  ix.  29. 
Rom.  ix.  33. 
Rom.  x.  15. 
Rom.  x.  20,  21. 
1  Cor.  i.  19. 
1  Cor.  ii.  16. 
1  Cor.  xiv.  21. 
1  Pet.  i.  24,  25. 
1  Pet.  ii.  22. 
1  Pet.  ii.  24. 
1  Pet.  iii.  14,  15. 


Comp.  Rom.  xi.  34. 


III.  Quotations  agreeing  with  the  Hebrew  in  sense,  but  not  in  words 

Matt.  iii.  3 


Isa.  xl.  3,  4,  5. 
Isa.  xiii.  1—4. 
Isa.  lix.  7,  8. 
Isa.  x.  22,  23. 
Isa.  xlv.  23. 
Isa.  xi.  10. 
Isa.  lii.  11,  12. 


Comp.  Mark  i.  3.     Luke  iii.  4—6. 

Matt.xii.  18— 21. 
Rom.  iii.  15 — 17. 
Rom.  ix.  27,  28. 
Rom.  xiv.  11. 
Rom.  xv.  12. 
2  Cor.  vi.  17. 


IV.    Quotations  which  give  the  general  sense,  but  which  abridge,  or 

add  to  it. 


Isa.  vi.  9,  10. 
Isa.  xxix.  10. 


John  xii.  40.  Matt.  xiii.  14,  15.  Mark  iv.  12. 
Luke  viii.  10.  Acts  xxx'viu.  26. 
Rom.  xi.  8. 


V.  Quotations  which  are  taken  from  several  different  places. 


Isa.  xxvi.  16  viii.  14.        .        quoted  in 
Isa.  xxix.  10.  vi.  9.  Ezek.  xii.  2.     . 
Isa.  lxii.  11.  Zech.  ix.  9. 


Rom.  ix.  33. 
Rom.  xi.  8. 
Matt.  xxi.  5. 


VI.  Quotations  differing  from  the  Hebrew,  but  agreeing  with  the  Sep 

tuagint. 


Isa.  xxix.  13. 
Isa.  Iv.  3. 


Matt.  xv.  8,  9. 
Acts  xiii.  34. 


INTRODUCTION. 


VII.  Quotations  in  which  there  is  reason  to  suspect  a  different  reading 
in  the  Hebrew,  or  that  the  words  were  understood  in  a  sense  diff'eteni 
from  that  expressed  in  our  Lexicons. 


Isa.  lx.  1,  2. 
Isa.  liii.  7,  8. 
Isa.  lix.  20,  21. 
Isa.  lxiv.  4. 
Isa.  xlii.  2,  4. 


Luke  iv.  IS,  19. 
Acts  viii.  32,  33. 
Rom.  xi.  26,  27. 
1  Cor.  ii.  9. 
Matt.  xii.  18,  21. 


VIII.  Allusion  to  a  passage  in  Isaiah. 
Isa.  xii.  3.  John  viii.  37,  38. 

IX.   Quotations  made  from  the  Septuagint. 

Many  of  the  passages  above  referred  to  are  made  also  from  the 
Septuagint,  when  that  version  agrees  with  the  Hebrew.  I  refer  here 
to  a  few  passages  which  have  not  been  noted  before.  The  Apostles 
wrote  in  the  Greek  language,  and  for  the  use  of  those  among  whom 
the  Septuagint  was  extensively  used.  Occasionally,  however,  they, 
quoted  directly  from  the  Hebrew,  that  is,  made  a  translation  them 
selves,  or  quoted  according  to  the  general  sense.  All  the  quotations 
that  are  in  accordance  with  the  Septuagint,  or  that  vary  from  it,  may 
b  i  seen  in  Home's  Introd.  vol.  ii.  p.  3S7,  428. 


Isa.  xlix.  6. 
Isa.  Ixv.  1,  2. 
Isa.  lii.  15. 
Isa.  xlix.  8 
Isa.  xxix.  13. 
Isa.  Iv.  3. 
Isa.  liii.  12. 


Acts  xiii.  47. 

Rom.  x.  20,  21. 

Rom.  v.  21. 

2  Cor.  vi.  2. 

Matt.  xv.  8.  9. 

Acts  xiii.  34. 

Mark  xv.  28.  Luke  xxii.  37. 


X.  Quotations  which  differ  from  the  Hebrew,  and  the  Septuagint,  and 
which  were  perhaps  taken  from  some  version  or  paraphrase,  or  which 
were  so  rendered  by  the  sacred  writers  themselves. 


Isa.  ix.  1,  2. 
Isa.  xlii.  1,  4. 


Matt.  iv.  15,  16. 
Matt.  xii.  18,  21. 


So  numerous  are  these  quotations,  and  so  entirely  do  the  writings 
of  Isaiah  harmonize  with  those  of  the  New  Testament,  that  it  may  be 
regarded  almost  as  an  indispensable  part  of  the  work  of  explaining  the 
New  Testament  to  explain  Isaiah.  They  seem  to  be  parts  of  the 
same  work  ;  and  an  exposition  of  the  apostles  and  evangelists  can 
hardly  be  deemed  complete  without  the  accompaniment  of  the  evan- 
gelical prophet. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXXll 

§  7.  The  Character  and  Nature  of  Prophecy. 

I.  The  words  prophet  and  prophecy  are  used  in  the  Bible  in  a 
larger  sense  than  they  are  commonly  with  us.  We  have  attached,  in 
common  usage,  to  the  word  prophet,  the  idea  simply  of  one  who  fore- 
tells future  events,  7ig6q>riTfi<i  from  n\>nyi\iii,  to  speak  before,  to  foretell. 
To  a  correct  understanding  of  the  prophetic  functions,  and  of  the  wri- 
tings of  the  prophets,  however,  it  is  necessary  to  bear  in  remembrance 
that  the  office  of  foretelling  future  events  comprised  but  a  small  portion 
of  their  public  duties.  They  were  the  messengers  of  God  to  his  peo- 
ple and  to  the  world;  they  were  appointed  to  make  known  his  will; 
to  denounce  his  judgments  ;  to  rebuke  the  crimes  of  rulers  and  people  ; 
to  instruct  in  the  doctrines  of  religion ;  and  generally  t»  do  whatever 
was  needful  in  order  effectually  to  promulgate  the  will  of  God.  The 
prophet,  was,  therefore,  a  man  who  was  commissioned  to  teach  and 
rebuke  kings  and  nations,  as  well  as  to  predict  future  events.  With 
the  idea  of  a  prophet  there  is  necessarily  connected  the  idea  that  he 
spoke  not  his  own  thoughts,  but  that  what  he  uttered  was  received 
directly  from  God  in  one  of  the  modes  in  which  that  will  was  made 
known.  He  was  God's  embassador  to  men  ;  and  of  course  was  a  man 
who  was  raised  up  or  designated  by  God  himself.  He  was  not  trained 
for  this  office,  since  a  man  could  not  be  trained  for  inspiration  ;  though 
it  was  a  matter  of  fact  that  several  of  the  prophets  were  taken  from 
the  "  school  of  the  prophets,"  or  from  among  the  "  sons  of  the 
prophets."  1  Kings  xx.  35.  2  Kings  ii.  3,  5,  7,  15.  iv.  1.  38.' v.  22. 
vi.  1.  Yet  the  choice  from  among  them  of  any  one  to  perform  the 
functions  of  the  prophet  under  divine  inspiration,  seems  to  have  been 
incidental,  and  not  in  a  uniform  mode.  A  large  part  of  the  prophets 
had  no  connexion  with  those  schools.  Those  schools  were  doubtless 
usually  under  the  direction  of  some  inspired  man,  and  were  probably 
designed  to  train  those  educated  there  for  the  functions  of  public 
teachers,  or  for  the  stations  of  learning  under  the  theocracy  ;  but  they 
could  not  have  been  regarded  as  intended  to  train  for  that  office  which 
depended  wholly  on  the  direct  inspiration  of  God. 

The  word  rendered  prophet,  Nn23  N&bl,  is  derived  from  X^i  Ndbd, 
not  used  in  Kal,  which  is  probably,  according  to  Gesenius,  the  same 
as  3.'?3  N&bang — the  2>  Ayin  being  softened  into  Aleph  X — and  which 
means  to  bo  up,  to  boil  forth*  as  a  fountain  ;  hence  to  pour  forth  words 
as  they  do  who  speak  with  fervour  of  mind,  or  under  divine  inspiration. 
The  word,  therefore,  properly  means,  to  speak  under  a  peculiar  fer- 
vour, animation,  inspiration  of  mind  produced  by  a  divine  influence  ;  to 
speak,  either  in  foretelling  future  events,  or  denouncing  the  judgments 
of  God  when  the  mind  was  full,  and  when  the  excited  and  agitated 
spirit  of  the  prophet  poured  forth  words  as  water  is  driven  from  the 
fountain. 

But  the  word  also  denotes  all  the  forms  or  modes  in  which  the 
prophet  communicated  the  will  of  God,  or  discharged  the  functions 
of  the  prophetic  office.  Hence  it  is  used  to  denote,  (1)  tho  predicting 
of  future  events  ^see  Taylor's  Heb.  Con.  or  Cruden)  ;  (2)  to  speak  in 


Xl  INTRODUCTION. 

the  name  of  God,  or  as  his  messenger,  and  by  his  authority,  Ex.  v.i 
1.  iv.  16;  (3)  to  chant  or  sing  sacred  praises  to  God  while  under  a 
divine  influence — 1  Sam.  x.  11.  xix.  20,  1.  Chron.  xxv.  2.  3 — because 
this  was  often  done  by  the  inspired  prophets ;  (4)  to  rave,  as  e.  g.  to 
utter  the  frantic  ravings  of  the  prophets  of  Baal,  1  Kings  xviii.  29. 
1  Sain,  xviii.  10.  This  latter  meaning  is  in  accordance  with  the  cus- 
toms among  the  heathen,  where  the  prophet  or  the  prophetess  pro- 
fessed to  be  full  of  the  divine  influence,  and  where  that  influence  was 
manifested  by  writhings  and  contortions  of  the  body,  or  by  a  pretended 
suspension  of  the  powers  of  conscious  agency,  and  the  manifestation 
of  conduct  not  a  little  resembling  the  ravings  of  delirium.  Hence  the 
Greeks  applied  the  word  ^arn?,  mantis  (from  fiai'ropai  to  be  mud,  to 
rave,  to  be  delirious)  to  the  frenzied  manner  of  the  soothsa)'ers.  pro- 
phetic oracles,  &c.  It  is  possible  that  the  true  prophets,  occasionally, 
under  the  power  of  inspiration,  exhibited  similar  agitations  and  spas- 
modic affections  of  the  body  (comp.  Num.  xxiv.  4.  Ezek.  i.  28.  Dan. 
x.  8 — 10.  1  Sam.  xix.  24.  Jer.  xx.  7),  and  that  this  was  imitated  by 
the  false  prophets.  The  two  main  ideas  in  the  word  prophecy  relate, 
(a)  to  the  prediction  of  future  events,  and  (6)  to  declaring  the  will  ui 
God,  denouncing  vengeance,  threatening  punishment,  reproving  the 
wicked,  &c,  under  the  influence  of  inspiration,  or  by  a  divine  impulse. 

II.  In  order  to  obtain  a  clear  idea  of  the  nature  of  prophecy,  it  is  im- 
portant to  have  a  correct  apprehension  of  the  modes  in  which  God  com- 
municated his  will  to  the  prophets,  or  of  the  manner  in  which  they  were 
influenced,  and  affected  by  the  prophetic  afflatus  or  inspiration.  Of 
course,  all  the  light  which  can  be  obtained  on  this  subject  is  to  be  de- 
rived from  the  Scriptures  ;  but  the  subject  is  involved  still  in  much 
obscurity.  Perhaps  the  following  will  include  all  the  modes  in  which 
the  will  of  God  was  made  known  to  the  prophets,  or  in  which  they  re- 
ceived a  knowledge  of  what  they  were  to  communicate  to  others. 

(1.)  A  direct  commission  by  an  audible  voice  from  heaven,  spoken 
in  a  solemn  manner,  and  in  circumstances  in  which  there  could  be  no 
doubt  of  the  call.  Thus  Moses  was  called  by  God  at  the  Bush,  Ex.  iii. 
2 — 6 ;  Isaiah  in  the  temple,  Isa.  vi.  8,  seq. ;  Samuel  by  God,  1  Sam.  iii. 
4,  6.  S,  10  ;  Jeremiah,  Jer.  i.  4  ;  Ezek.  i.  3 ;  and  perhaps  Joel,  i.  1,  Amos, 
i.  1,  Jonah,  Jon.  i.  1,  Micah,  Mic.  i.  1,  &c.  In  these  cases,  there  was  no 
doubt  on  the  mind  of  the  prophet  of  his  call,  as  it  was  usually  in  such 
circumstances,  and  probably  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  leave  the  fullest 
demonstration  that  it  wasfrom  God.  There  is  no  evidence,  however, 
that  the  whole  message  was  usually  communicated  to  the  mind  of  the 
prophet  in  this  manner.  Perhaps  the  first  call  to  the  prophetic  office 
was  made  in  this  mode,  and  the  nature  of  the  message  imparted  in  the 
manner  that  will  be  specified  soon.  All  that  is  essential  to  the  correct 
understanding  of  this  is,  that  there  was  a  clear  designation  to  the  pro- 
phetic office. 

(2.)  The  will  of  God  was  made  known  by  dreams.  Instances  of 
this  kind  are  common  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  as  one.  of  the  earliest 
modes  of  communication  between  God  and  the  soul.  The  idea  seems 
to  be,  that  the  senses  were  locked  up,  and  that  the  soul  was  left  free  to 
hold  communication  with  the  invisible  world,  and  to  receive  the  e>' 


INTRODUCTION.  Xll 

pressions  of  the  will  of  God.  The  belief  that  God  made  known  his 
will  in  this  manner  was  by  no  means  confined  to  the  Jewish  nation. 
God  informed  Abimelech  in  a  dream  (hat  Sarah  was  the  wife  of  Abra- 
ham, Gen.  xx.  3,  6.  Joseph  was  early  favoured  with  prophetic  dreams, 
which  were  so  clear  in  their  signification  as  to  be  easily  interpreteu 
by  his  father  and  brethren,  Gen.  xxxvii.  4,  5,  6.  The  butler  and 
baker  in  Egypt  both  had  dreams  predicting  their  future  destiny,  Gen. 
xl.  5  ;  and  Pharaoh  had  a  dream  of  the  future  condition  of  Egypt 
which  was  interpreted  by  Joseph,  Gen.  xll.  7,  25.  God  spake  to  Jacob 
in  a  dream.  Gen.  xxxi.  11  ;  and  it  was  in  a  dream  that  he  made  his 
promise  to  impart  wisdom  to  Solomon,  1  Kings  iii.  5.  Nebuchadnez- 
zar had  dreams  respecting  his  future  destiny,  and  the  kingdoms  that 
should  arise  after  him,  Dan.  ii.  1,  5  ;  and  the  will  of  God  was  made 
known  to  Daniel  in  a  dream.  Dan.  i.  17,  vii.  1.  God  expressly  de- 
clared that  he  would  make  known  his  will  by  dreams.  Num.  xii.  6  : 
"  If  there  be  a  prophet  among  you,  I  the  Lord  will  make  myself  known 
to  him  in  a  vision,  and  will  speak  unto  him  in  a  dream."  Thus  also  in 
Joel  ii.  2S  :  •'  Your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy,  your  old 
men  shall  dream  dreams,  your  young  men  shall  see  visions."  The 
false  prophets  pretended  also  to  have  dreams  which  conveyed  to  them 
the  will  of  God.  The  ancient  belief  on  this  subject  is  expressed  in  a 
most  sublime  manner  in  the  language  of  Elihu  as  addressed  to  Job  : — 

For  God  speaketh  once, 
Yea,  twice,  when  man  regardeth  it  not ; 
In  a  dream,  in  a  vision  of  the  night, 
When  deep  sleep  falleth  upon  men, 
In  slumberings  upon  the  bed — 
Then  he  openeth  the  ears  of  men, 
And  sealeth  up  for  them  admonition, 
That  he  may  turn  man  from  his  purpose, 

And  remove  pride  from  man.  • 

Ch.  xxxiii.  14 — 17. 

It  is  now  impossible  to  determine  in  what  way  God  thus  commu- 
nicated his  will ;  or  how  it  was  known' that  the  thoughts  in  sleep  were 
communicated  by  God  ;  or  what  criterion  the  prophet  or  other  persoD 
had,  by  which  to  distinguish  these  from  common  dreams.  The  cer- 
tainty that  they  were  from  God  is  demonstrated  by  the  fact  that  the 
event  was  accurately  fulfilled,  as  in  the  case  of  Joseph,  of  Pharaoh,  ot 
Nebuchadnezzar,  of  Daniel.  There  is  no  instance  in  which  the  will 
of  God  seems  to  have  been  communicated  to  Isaiah  in  this  manner ; 
and  it  is  not  needful  to  my  purpose  to  pursue  this  part  of  the  inquiry 
any  further.  The  mode  in  which  the  will  of  God  was  made  known  to 
Isaiah  was  mainly  if  not  entirely  by  visions,  ch.  i.  1 ;  and  that  mode 
will  demand  a  more  full  and  distinct  examination.  It  may  just  be 
remarked  here,  that  no  man  can  demonstrate  that  God  could  not  con- 
vey his  will  to  man  in  the  visions  of  the  night  or  in  dreams ;  or  that 
he  could  not  then  have  access  to  the  soul,  and  give  to  the  mind  itself 
some  certain  indications  by  which  it  might  be  known  that  the  commu- 
nication was  from  him.     It  is  possible  that  the  mode  of  communicating 


Xffl  INTRODUCTION. 

the  will  of  God  by  the  dream  tnJrt — hhalom — did  not  differ  essentiadt 
from  the  mode  of  the  vision — )iW — hhdzon — by  causing  a  vision  of  the 
subject  as  in  a  landscape  to  pass  before  the  mind. 

(3.)  The  prophets  were  brought,  under  such  an  influence  by  the 
divine  Spirit  as  to  overpower  them,  and  while  in  this  state  the  will  of 
God  was  made  known  to  them.  In  what  way  his  will  was  then  com- 
municated we  may  not  be  able  to  determine.  I  speak  only  of  an  over- 
powering influence  which  gave  them  such  views  of  God  and  truth  as 
to  weaken  their  animal  frame,  and  as,  in  some,  instances,  to  produce  a 
state  of  ecstasy,  or  a  trance,  in  which  the  truth  was  made  to  pass,  be- 
fore them  by  some  direct  communication  which  God  had  with  their 
minds.  In  these  cases,  in  some  instances  at  least,  the  communication 
with  the  external  world  was  closed,  and  God  communicated  his  will 
immediately  and  directly.  Reference  to  this  is  not  unfrequently  made 
in  the  Scriptures,  where  there  was  such  a  powerful  divine  influence 
as  to  prostrate  the  frame,  and  take  away  the  strength  of  the  body. 
Thus  in  Ezek.  i.  3,  ''The  hand  of  Jehovah  was  then  upon  me." 
Cornelius  a  Lapide  remarks  on  this  passage,  that  "  the  prophets  took 
their  station  by  the  side  of  a  river,  that  in  the  stillness  and  delightful 
scenery  around  them,  they  might,  through  the  soft  pleasing  murmur 
of  the  waters,  be  refreshed,  enlivened,  and  prepared  for  the  divine  ec- 
stasies." Bib.  Repository,  vol.  ii.  p.  141.  It  is  more  natural,  how- 
ever, to  suppose  that  they  did  not  court  or  solicit  these  influences,  but 
that  they  came  upon  them  by  surprise.  Jer.  xx.  7,  "  Lord,  thou  hast 
persuaded  me,  and  I  have  suffered  myself  to  be  persuaded ;  thou  hast 
been  too  strong  for  me,  and  hast  prevailed."  This  influence  is  refer- 
red to  in  1  Sam.  xix.  20,  "  The  Spirit  of  God  was  upon  the  messen- 
gers [of  Saul]  and  they  also  prophesied."  In  1  Sam.  six.  24.  the 
ppwer  of  the  prophetic  impulse  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  it  led  Saul 
to  strip  off  his  clothes,  probably  his  robes,  and  to  prophesy  in  the  same 
manner  as  Samuel ;  and  in  the  statement  that  "  he  lay  dowr  naked  all 
that  day,  and  all  that  night,"  under  the  prophetic  impulse. 

The  effect  of  this  strong  prophetic  impulse  on  the  body  and  the 
mind  is  indicated  in  the  following  passages.  It  is  said  of  Abraham  in 
Gen.  xv.  12,  when  he  had  a  vision,"  Behold  terror  and  great  darkness 
came  upon  him."  It  was  evinced  in  a  remarkable  manner  in  the  case 
of  Baiaam,  Num.  xxiv.  4,  16.  It  is  said  of  him,  that  he  "  saw  the  vis- 
ion of  the  Almighty,  falling  into  a  trance  (LXX.  "  who  saw  the  vision 
of  God  iv  vnvoi,  in  sleep,'')  but  having  his  eyes  open."  He  was  proba- 
bly overcome,  and  fell  to  the  ground,  and  yet  his  eyes  were  open,  and 
in  that  state  he  uttered  the  predictions  respecting  Israel.  The  same 
effect  is  indicated  in  regard  to  John,  Rev.  i.  17.  "  And  when  I  saw  him, 
I  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead."  So  of  Ezekiel  (ch.  i.  28).  "  And  when  I 
saw  it,  I  fell  upon  my  face,  and  I  heard  a  voice  of  one  that  spoke." 
And  in  a  more  remarkable  manner  in  the  case  of  Daniel  (ch.  x.  8), 
"  Therefore  I  was  left  alone,  and  saw  this  great  vision,  and  there  re 
mained  no  strength  in  me;  for  my  comeliness  was  turned  in  me  into 
corruption,  and  I  retained  no  strength."  And  again  (ch.  viii.  27), 
"  And  1  Daniel  fainted,  and  was  sick  certain  days."     That  there  wag 


INTRODUCTION.  XllL 

a  remarkable  agitation  of  the  body,  or  suspension  of  its  regular  func- 
tions so  as  to  resemble  in  some  degree  the  ravings  of  delirium,  is  ap- 
parent from  2  Kings  ix.  11.  Jer.  xxix.  26.  The  nature  of  the  strong 
prophetic  impulse  is  perhaps  indicated  also  in  the  expression  in  2  Pet. 
i.  21,  "  Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved — (fioo/Aivoi — borne 
along,  urged,  impelled),  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 

That  it  was  supposed  that  the  prophetic  impulse  produced  such  an 
effect  on  the  body  as  is  here  represented,  is  well  known  to  have  been 
the  opinion  of  the  heathens.  The  opinion  which  was  held  by  them  on 
the  subject  is  stated  in  a  beautiful  manner  by  Plato  :  "  While  the  mind 
sheds  its  light  around  us.  pouring  into  our  souls  a  meridian  splendour, 
we  being  in  possession  of  ourselves,  are  not  under  a  supernatural  influ- 
ence. But  after  the  sun  has  gone  down,  as  might  be  expected,  an 
ecstasy,  a  divine  influence,  and  a  frenzy  falls  upon  us.  For  when 
the  divine  light  shines,  the  human  goes  down  ;  but  when  the  former 
goes  down,  the  latter  rises  and  comes  ibrth.  This  is  what  ordinarily 
happens  in  prophecy.  Our  own  mind  retires  on  the  advent  of  the 
divine  Spirit ;  but  after  the  latter  has  departed,  the  former  again  re- 
turns." Quoted  in  Bib.  Repos.  vol.  ii.  p.  163.  In  the  common  idea 
of  the  Pythia,  however,  there  was  the  conception  of  derangement,  or 
raving  madness.     Thus  Luean  : — 

Bacchatur  demens  aliena  per  antrum 

Colla  ferens,  vittasque  Dei,  Phosbaeaque  serta 

Ereclis  diseussa  coinis,  per  inania  templi 

Ancipiti  cervice  rotat,  spargitque  vaganti 

Obstantes  tripodas,  magnoque  exaestuat  igne 

Iratum  te,  Phcebe,  ferens.  Pharsalia,  V. 

"  She  madly  raves  through  the  cavern,  impelled  by  another's  mind 
with  the  fillet  of  the  god,  and  the  garland  of  Phoebus,  shaken  from 
her  erected  hair :  she  whirls  around  through  the  void  space  of  the 
temple,  turning  her  face  in  every  direction ;  she  scatters  the  tripods 
which  come  in  her  way.  and  is  agitated  with  violent  commotion,  be- 
cause she  is  under  thy  angry  influence,  O  Apollo." 

Virgil  has  given  a  similar  description  of  a  demoniacal  possession  of 
this  kind : — 

Ait :  Deus,  ecce,  Deus !  cui  talia  fanti 

Ante  fores,  subiii)  non  vultus,  non  color  unus, 
Nee  comptae  mansere  comae;  sed  pectus  anhelum, 
Et  rabie  fera  corda  tument:  majorque  videri 
Nee  mortale  sonans;  afflata  est  nuniine  quando 
lam  propiiore  Dei.  JEneid.  vi.  46,  seq. 

I  feel  the  god,  the  rushing  god !  she  cries — 
While  thus  she  spoke  enlarged  her  features  grew ; 
Her  colour  changed,  her  locks  dishevelled  flew. 
The  heavenly  tumult  reigns  in  every  part, 
Pants  in  her  breast  and  swells  her  rising  heart* 
Still  spreading  to  the  sight  the  priestess  glowed, 
And  heaved  impatient  of  the  incumbent  gou. 
Then  to  her  inmost  soul,  by  Phoebus  fired, 
In  more  than  human  sounds  she  spoke  inspired.  Pitt. 

See  also  Mntid  vi.  77,  seq. 


Xliy  INTRODUCTION. 

Frcm  all  such  mad  and  unintelligible  ravings  the  true  prophets 
were  distinguished.  The  effect  of  inspiration  on  the  physical  condi- 
tion of  their  bodies  and  minds  may  be  expressed  in  the  following  par- 
ticulars, (a.)  It  prostrated  their  strength  ;  it  threw  them  on  the  ground, 
as  we  have  seen  in  the  case  of  Saul,  and  of  John,  and  was -attended 
occasionally  with  sickness  as  in  the  case  of  Daniel.  There  seems  to 
have  been  such  a  view  of  God,  and  of  the  events  which  were  to  come 
to  pass,  as  to  take  away  for  a  time  their  physical  strength.  Nor  in 
there  any  thing  improbable  or  absurd  in  this.  In  the  language  ot 
Prof.  Stuart  (Bib.  Repos.  ii.  p.  221),  we  may  ask,  ';  Why  should  not 
this  be  so?  How  could  it  be  otherwise  than  that  the  amazing  disclo- 
sures sometimes  made  to  them  should  affect  the  whole  corporeal  sys- 
tem ?  Often  does  this  happen  when  one  and  another  scene  opens  upon 
us  in  a  natural  way,  and  which  has  respect  merely  to  things  ot'  the 
present  world.  But  when  the  future  glories  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom 
disclosed  to  the  mental  eye  of  a  prophet  or  a  seer  ;  when  the 
desolation  of  kingdoms,  and  the  slaughter  of  many  thousands  the  sub- 
jugation and  massacre  of  God's  chosen  people,  famine,  pestilence,  and 
other  tremendous  evils  were  disclosed  to  his  view,  what  could  be  more 
natural  than  that  agitation,  yea  swooning,  should  follow  in  some 
cases  ?"  It  may  be  added,  that  in  the  experience  of  Christians  in 
modern  times  the  elevated  views  which  have  been  taken  of  God,  of 
heaven,  of  the  hopes  of  glory,  and  of  the  plan  of  salvation,  have  pro- 
duced similar  effects  on  the  bodily  frame.  Any  deep,  absorbing,  eleva- 
ted emotion  may  produce  this  state.  i!  The  flesh  is  weak,"  and  that 
there  may  be  such  a  view  of  glory  or  of  calamity ;  such  hope  or  fear; 
such  joy  or  sorrow  as  to  prostrate  the  frame  and  produce  sickness,  or 
faintnese,  is  nothing  more  than  what  occurs  every  aay.  (b.)  There  is 
no  evidence  that  the  true  prophets  were  divested  of  intelligent  con- 
sciousness so  that  they  were  ignorant  of  what  they  uttered  ;  or  that  the 
Spirit  made  use  of  them  merely  as  organs,  or  as  unconscious  agents  to 
utter  his  truth.  They  every  where  speak  and  act  as  men  who  under- 
stood what  they  said,  and  do  not  rave  as  madmen.  Indeed,  the  very 
fact  to  which  I  have  adverted,  that  the  view  of  future  events  had  such 
an  effect  as  to  take  away  their  strength,  shows  that  they  were  conscious 
and  had  an  intelligent  understanding  of  what  they  saw,  or  spoke.  That 
the  prophet  had  control  of  his  own  mind  ;  that  he  could  speak  or  not  as 
he  pleased  ;  tha'  he  acted  as  a  conscious,  voluntary,  intelligent  agent, 
is  more  than  once  intimated,  or  expressly  affirmed.  Thus  in  one  c  f  the 
strongest  cases  of  the  overpowering  nature  of  the  inspiration  which  can 
be  adduced — the  case  of  Jeremiah — it  is  intimated  that  the  prophet 
even  then  was  a  voluntary  agent,  and  could  speak  or  not,  as  he  pleased- 
The  strength  of  this  overpowering  agency  is  intimated  in  Jer.  xx.  7. 

Thou  didst  allure  me,  O  Jehovah,  and  I  was  allured; 
Thou  didst  encourage  me,  and  didst  prevail; 
'    I  am  become  a  laughing  stock  every  day, 
Ridicule  hath  spent  its  whole  force  upon  me. 

Bianey's  Trans. 

And  yet,  in  immediate  connection  with  this  the  prophet  resolved  thai 


INTRODUCTION.  xW 

he  would  cease  to  prophesy,  and  that  he  would  no  more  speak  wi  the 
name  of  Jehovah. 

Then  I  said,  I  will  not  make  mention  of  him, 

Nor  speak  any  more  in  his  name  ; 

But  his  word  was  in  1113'  heart  as  a  burning  fire  shut  up  in  my  bones, 

And  I  was  weary  with  forbearing, 

And  I  could  not  stay.  ver.  9. 

This  proves,  that  Jeremiah  was,  even  under  the  full  power  of  the 
prophetic  impulse,  a  free  and  conscious  agent.  If  he  was  a  mere  pas- 
sive instrument  in  the  hands  of  the  Spirit,  how  could  he  determine  no 
more  to  prophesy  1  And  how  could  he  carry  this  purpose  into  execu- 
tion, as  he  actually  did  for  a  while  ?  B'jt  this  inquiry  has  been  settled 
by  the  express  authority  of  the  apostle  Paul.  He  affirms,  in  a  manner 
which  leaves  no  room  to  doubt,  that  the  prophets  were  conscious  agents 
and  that  they  had  control  over  their  own  minds,  when  he  says,  (1  Cor. 
xiv.  32).  ';  the  spirits  of  the  prophets  are  subject  to  the  prophets.;"  anJ 
on  the  ground  of  this  he  requires  those  who  were  under  the  prophetic 
inspiration  to  utter  their  sentiments  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  produce 
confusion  and  irregularity  in  the  churches,  1  Cor.  xiv.  29 — 31,  33,  40. 
How  could  he  reprove  .'heir  disorder  and  confusion,  if  they  had  no  con- 
trol over  the  operations  of  their  own  minds  ;  and  if  they  were  not  con- 
scious of  what  they  were  uttering  ?  The  truth  seems  to  have  been  that 
they  had  the  same  control  over  their  minds  that  any  man  has  ;  that  they 
were  urged,  or  impelled  by  the  Spirit  to  utter  the  truth,  but  that  they 
had  power  to  refuse.  ;  and  that  the  exercise  of  this  power  was  sub- 
jected to  substantially  «ie  same  laws  as  the  ordinary  operations  of 
their  minds.  The  true  idea  has  been  expressed,  probably,  by  Bishop 
Lowth.  "  Inspiration  may  be  regarded  not  as  suppressing  or  extin- 
guishing for  a  time  the  faculties  of  the  human  mind,  but  of  purifying, 
and  strengthening,  and  elevating  them  above  what  they  would  other- 
wise reach."  Nothing  can  be  more  rational  than  this  view  ;  and  ac- 
cording to  this,  there  was  an  essential  difference  between  the  effect  of 
true  inspiration  on  the  mind,  and  the  wild  and  frantic  ravings  of  the 
pagan  priests,  and  the  oracles  of  divination.  Every  thing  in  the 
Scriptures  is  consistent,  rational,  sober,  and  in  accordance  with  the 
laws  of  the  animal  economy  ;  every  thing  in  the  heathen  idea  of  inspi- 
ration was  wild,  frantic,  fevered,  and  absurd,  (c.)  It  may  be  added, 
that  this  is  the  common  view  of  prophecy  which  prevailed  among  the 
fathers  of  the  church.  Thus  Epiphanius  says,  "  In  whatever  the 
prophets  have  said,  they  have  been  accompanied  with  an  intelligent 
state  of  mind."  Ad.  Haeres.  Mont.  c.  4.  Jerome  in  his  preface  to 
Isaiah  says,  "  Nor  indeed,  as  Montanus  and  insane  women  dream,  did 
the  prophets  speak  in  an  ecstasy,  so  that  they  did  not  know  what  they 
uttered,  and,  while  they  instructed  others,  did  not  themselves  under- 
stand what  they  said."  Chrysostom  says,  "•  For  this  is  characteristic 
of  the  diviners,  to  be  in  a  state  of  frenzy,  to  be  impelled  by  neces- 
sity, to  be  driven  by  force,  to  be  drawn,  like  a  madman.  A  prophet 
on  the  contrary  is  not  so  ;  but  utters  his  communication  with  sober 


Xlvj  INTRODUCTION. 

intelligence,  and   in  a  sound  state  of  mind,  knowing  what  he  says. 
Homil.  xxix.  in  Ep.  ad  Cor.,  Bio.  Repos.  ii.  141. 

(4.)  The  representation  of  future  scenes  was  made  known  to  the 
prophets  by  visions.  This  idea  may  not  differ  Prom  the  two  former, 
except  that  it  intimates  that  in  a  dream,  and  Ml  the  state  of  prophe'tic 
ecstasy,  events  were  made  known  to  them  not  hy  words,  but  by  caus- 
ing the  scene  to  pass  before  their  mind  or  their  mental  visions,  as  ij 
they  saw  it.  Thus  the  entire  series  of  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  is  de- 
scribed as  a  vision  in  ch.  i.  1.  and  in  2  Chron.  xxxii.  32.  It  is  of  im- 
portance to  have  a  clear  understanding  of  what  is  implied  by  tins. 
The  name  vision  is  often  elsewhere  given  to  the  prophecies:  Num. 
xxiv.  4,  16.  1  Sam.  iii.  1.  2  Sam.  vii.  17.  Prov.  xxix.  18.  Ohnd.  i.  1.  Isa. 
xxi.  2.  xxii.  1,  5.  Jer.  xiv.  14.  Lam.  ii.  9.  Ezek.  vii.  13.  Dan.  ii.  19.  vii 
2.  viii.  1,  13,  16,  17,  26.  ix..21,  23.  24.  x.  1,  7.  8.  14,  16.  2  Chron.  ix.  20. 
Ezek.  i.  1.  The  prophets  are  called  Seers  n"?so  rbylm  ;  and  cnn 
Hhozim,  and  their  prophecies  are  designated  by  words  which  denoie 
that  which  is  seen,  as  l^jn  rtm-a  Fix"}"?  "tn,  &c. — all  of  which  aie 
words  derived  from  the  verbs  rendered  to  see,  ^'~}  and  fWj£«  It  would 
be  unnecessary  to  quote  the  numerous  passages  where  the  idea  u 
seeing,  is  expressed.  A  few  will  show  their  general  characters.  Trey 
may  be  classified  according'  to  the  following  arrangement. 

(a.)  Those  which  relate  to  an  open  vision ;  a  distinct  and  clear 
seeing,  1  Sam.  iii.  1 :  "  And  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  precious  in  those 
days  ;  there  was  no  open  vision  "— ^*jS3  THri — no  vision  spread  abroad, 
common,  open,  public,  usual.  It  was  a  rare  occurrence,  and  hence 
the  divine  communications  were  regarded  as  peculiarly  precious  and 
valuable. 

(b.)  Those  which  pertain  to  the  prophetic  ecstasy,  or  trance — 
probably  the  more  usual,  and  proper  meaning  of  the  word.  Num. 
xxiv.  3,  4,  "  The  man  whose  eyes  are  open  hath  said  ;  he  hath  said 
which  heard  the  words  of  God.  which  sawT  the  vision  of  the  Almighty, 
falling,  but  having  his  eyes  open."  Num.  xxiv.  17.  "I  see  him,  but 
not  now  ;  I  behold  him,  but  not  near  ;  there  shall  come  a  Star  out  oi 
Jacob,  and  a  Sceptre  shall  rise  out  of  Israel."  That  is.  I  see.  or  have 
a  vision  of  that  Star,  and  of  that  Sceptre  in  the  distance,  as  if  looking 
on  a  landscape,  and  contemplating  an  indistinct  object  in  the  remote 
part  of  the  picture.  Thus  Ezek.  i.  1,  "  The  heavens  were  opened. 
and  I  saw  the  visions  of  God  ;"  viii.  3.  xl.  2,  '•  In  visions  he  brought 
me  to  the  land  of  Israel."     Comp.  Luke  i.  22. 

(c.)  Instances  where  it  is  applied  to  dreams:  Dan.  ii.  19.  28.  iv 
5.  vii.  2.  viii.  1,  13,  16.  17,  26,  27.  ix.  21.  23,  24.  Gen.  xlvi.  2,  ';  God 
spake  to  Israel  in  visions  of  the  night."     Job.  iv.  13. 

(d.)  Instances  where  the  prophets  represent  themselves  as  standing 
on  a  watch-tower,  and  looking  off  on  a  distant  landscape  to  descry  fu- 
ture and  distant  events. 

"  I  will  stand  upon  my  watch, 
And  will  set  me  upon  the  tower, 
And  will  watch  to  see  what  he  will  say  unto  me, 
And  what  I  shall  answer  when  I  am  reproved."         H-bak.  ii.  1. 


INTRODUCTION.  xlvft 

"  For  thus  hath  the  Lord  said  unto  me,  Go,  set  a  watchman,  let  hire 
declare  what  he  seeth."  Notes,  Isa.  xxi.  6.  Comp.  vs.  8,  11.  Micah 
vii.  4.  Comp.  Jer.  vi.  17.  Ezek.  iii.  17.  xxxiii.  7.  In  these  passages, 
the  idea  is  that  of  one  who  is  stationed  on  an  elevated  post  of  obser- 
vation, who  can  look  over  a  large  region  of  country,  and  give  timely 
warning  of  the  approach  of  an  enemy. 

The  general  idea  of  prophecy  which  is  presented  in  these  passages, 
is  that  of  a  scene  which  is  made  to  pass  before  the  mind  like  a  picture 
or  a  landscape  ;  where  the  mind  contemplates  a  panoramic  view  of 
objects  around  it,  or  in  the  distance  ;  where,  as  in  a  landscape,  objects 
may  appear  to  be  grouped  together,  or  lying  near  together,  which  may 
be  in  fact  separated  a  considerable  distance.  The  prophets  de- 
scribed those  objects  which  were  presented  to  their  minds  as  they  ap- 
peared to  them,  or  as  they  seemed  to  be  drawn  on  the  picture  which 
was  before  them.  They  had,  undoubtedly,  an  intelligent  conscious- 
ness of  what  they  were  describing;  they  were  not  mad,  like  the  priest- 
esses of  Apollo  ;  they  had  a  clear  view  of  the  vision,  and  described  it 
as  it  appeared  to  them.  Let  this  idea  be  kept  in  mind,  that  the 
prophets  saw  in  vision  ;  that  probably  the  mode  in  which  they  con- 
templated objects  was  somewhat  in  the  manner  of  a  landscape  as  't 
passes  before  the  mind,  and  much  light  and  beauty  will  be  cast  ou 
many  of  the  prophecies  which  now  seem  to  be  obscure. 

III.  From  the  view  which  has  now  been  taken  of  the  nature  of 
prophecy,  some  important  remarks  may  be  made,  throwing  additional 
light  on  the  subject. 

(1.)  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  the  prophets  would  describe  what 
they  saw  in  all  their  connexions  and  relations.  See  Hengstenberg.  in 
Bib.  Repos.  ii.  p.  148.  They  would  present  what  they  saw  as  we  de- 
scribe what  we  witness  in  a  landscape.  Objects  which  appear  to  be 
near,  may  be  in  fact  separated  by  a  considerable  interval.  Objects  on 
the  mountain  side  may  seem  to  lie  close  to  each  other,  between  which 
there  may  beadeep  ravine,  or  a  flowery  vale.  In  describing  or  paint- 
ing it,  we  describe  or  paint  the  points  that  appear ;  but  the  ravine 
and  the  vale  cannot  be  painted.  They  arc  not  seen.  So  in  a  prophecy, 
distant  events  may  appear  to  lie  near  to  each  other,  and  may  be  so 
described,  while  between  them  there  may  be  events  happy  or  adverse, 
of  long  continuance  and  of  great  importance. 

(2.)  Some  single  view  of  a  future  event  may  attract  the  attention, 
and  engross  the  mind  of  the  prophet.  A  multitude  of  comparatively 
unimportant  objects  may  pass  unnoticed,  while  there  may  be  one  sin- 
gle absorbing  view  that  shall  seize  upon,  and  occupy  all  the  attention. 
Thus  in  the  prophecies  which  relate  to  the  Messiah.  Scarcely  any 
one  of  the  prophets  gives  any  connected  or  complete  view  of  his  en- 
tire life  and  character.  It  is  some  single  view  of  him,  or  some  single 
event  in  his  life,  that  occupies  the  mind.  Thus  at  one  time  his  birth 
is  described  ;  at  another  his  kingdom  ;  at  another  his  divine  nature  ; 
at  another  his  sufferings  ;  at  another  his  resurrection  ;  at  another  his 
glory.  The  prophetic  view  is  made  up.  not  of  one  of  these  predictions, 
but  of  all  combined j  as  the  life  of  Jesus  is  not  that  which  is  contained 
in  one  of  the  Evangelists,  but  in  all  combined.     Illustrations  of  mis 


jJviil  INTRODUCTION. 

remark  might  bo  drawn  in  abundance  from  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah. 
Thus  in  cli.  ii.  4.  he  sees  the  Messiah  as  the  Prince  of  Peace,  as  dif- 
fusing universal  concord  among  all  the  nations,  and  putting  an  end  to 
war.  In  cli.  vi.  1 — 5,  comp.  John  xii.  41,  he  sees  him  as  the  Lord  of 
glory,  sitting  on  a  throne,  and  filling  the  temple.  In  ch.  vii.  14,  he 
tiim  as  a  child,  the  son  of  a  virgin.  In  ch.  ix.  1,  2,  he  sees  him  at 
having  reached  manhood,  and  having  entered  on  his  ministry,  in  the 
land  of  Galilee  where  he  began  to  preach.  In  ch.  ix.  6,  7.  he  sees  him 
as  the  exalted  Prince,  the  Ruler,  the  mighty  God,  the  Father  of  eter- 
nity. In  ch.  xi.  he  sees  him  as  the  descendant  of  Jesse — a  tender 
sprout  springing  up  from  the  stump  of  an  ancient  decayed  tree.  In 
ch.  xxv.  8,  he  sees  him  as  destroying  death,  and  introducing  immor- 
tality. Comp.  1  Cor.  xv.  54.  In  ch.  xxxv.  the  happy  effects  of  his 
reign  are  seen  ;  in  ch.  liii.  he  views  him  as  a  Buffering  Messiah,  and 
contemplates  the  deep  sorrows  which  he  would  endure  when  he  should 
die  to  make  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the  world.  Thus  in  all  the 
prophets  we  have  one  view  presented  at  one  time,* and  another  at 
another;  and  the  entire  prediction  is  made,  up  of  all  these  when  they 
are  combined  into  one.  It  may  be  observed  also  of  Isaiah,  that  in 
the  first  part  of  his  prophecy  the  idea  of  an  exalted  or  triumphant 
Messiah  is  chiefly  dwelt  upon  ;  in  the  latter  part,  he  presents  more 
prominently  the  idea  of  the  suffering  Messiah.  The  reason  may  have 
been,  that  the  object  in  the  first  part  was  to  console  the  hearts  of  the 
nation  under  their  deep  and  accumulated  calamities,  with  the  assur- 
ance that  their  great  Deliverer  would  come.  In  the  latter  part,  which 
may  not  have  been  published  in  his  life,  the  idea  of  a  suffering  Mes- 
siah is  more  prominently  introduced.  This  might  have  been  rather 
designed  for  posterity  than  for  the  generation  when  Isaiah  lived;  or  it 
may  have  been  designed  for  the  more  pious  individuals  in  the  nation 
rather  than  for  the  nation  at  large,  and  hence,  in  order  to  give  a  ///// 
vim-  of  the  Messiah,  he  dwelt  then  on  his  sufferings  and  death.  See 
Henirstenberg's  Christol.  vol.  i.  pp.  153,  154. 

(3.)  Another  peculiarity  which  may  arise  from  the  nature  of 
prophecy  as  here  presented,  may  have  been  that  the  mind  of  the 
prophet  glanced  rapidly  from  one  thing  to  another.  By  very  slight 
associations  or  connexions,  as  they  may  now  appear  to  us.  the  mind  is 
carried  from  one  object  or  event  to  another  ;  and  almost  before  w  arc 
aware  of  it,  the  prophet  seems  to  be  describing  some  point  that  has.  as 
appears  to  us.  scarcely  any  connexion  with  the  one  which  he  had  but 
just  before  been  describing.  We  are  astonished  at  the  transition,  and 
perhaps  ran  by  no  means  ascertain  the  connexion  which  has  subsisted 
in  view  of  the  mind  of  the  prophet,  and  which  has  led  him  to  pass 
from  the  one  to  the  other.  The  mental  association  to  us  is  lost  or  un- 
seen, and  we  deem  him  abrupt,  and  speak  of  his  rapid  transitions,  and 
of  the  difficulties  involved  in  the  doctrine  of  a  double  sense.  The 
views  which  I  am  here  describing  may  be  presented  under  the  idea  of 
what  may  be  called  the  la we  of  prophetic  suggestion,;  and  per- 
haps a  study  of  those  laws  might  lead  to  a  removal  of  most  of  the  dif- 
ficulties which  have  been  supposed  to  be  connected  with  the  subject 
of  a  spiritual  meaning,  and  of  tap  double  sense  of  the  prophecies.     In 


INTRODUCTION.  xllS 

looking-  over  a  .andscape  ;  in  attempting  to  describe  the  objects  as  they 
lie  in  view  of  the  eye — if  that  landscape  were  not  seen  by  others  for 
whom  the  description  is  made — the  transitions  would  seem  to  be  rapid, 
and  the  objects  might  seem  to  be  described  in  great  disorder.  It  would 
be  difficult  to  tell  why  this  object  was  mentioned  in  connexion  with  that ; 
or  liy  what  laws  of  association  the  one  was  suggested  by  the  other.  A 
house  or  tree  ;  a  brook,  a  man,  an  animal,  a  valley,  a  mountain,  might 
al:  be  described,  and  between  them  there  might  be  no  apparent  laws 
of  close  connexion,  and  all  the  real  union  may  be  thai  they  lie  in  the 
panic  range,  in  view  of  him  who  contemplates  them.  The  laws  of 
prophetic  suggestion  may  appear  to  be  equally  slight;  and  we  may 
not  be  able  to  trace  them,  because  we  have  not  the  entire  view  or 
grouping  which  was  presented  to  the  mind  of  the  prophet.  We  do 
not  set-  the  associations  which  in  his  view  connected  the  one  with  the 
other.  To  him.  there  may  have  been  no  double  sense.  He  may  have 
described  objects  smo-ly  as  they  appeared  to  him.  But  they  may  have 
lain  near  each  other.  They  may  have  been  so  closely  grouped  that 
he  could  not  separate  them  even  in  the  description.  The  words  ap- 
propriate to  the  one  may  have  naturally  and  easily  fallen  into  the  form 
of  appropriate  description  of  the  other.  And  the  objects  may  have 
been  so  contiguous,  arid  the  transition  in  the  mind  of  the  prophet  so 
rapid,  that  he  may  himsel'' have  been  scarcely  conscious  of  the  change, 
and  his  narrative  may  seem  to  flow  on  as  one  continued  description. 
Thus  the  object  with  which  he  commenced,  may  have  sunk  out  of 
view,  and  the  mind  be  occupied  entirely  in  the  contemplation  of  that 
which  was  at  first  secondary.  Such  seems  to  have  been,  in  a  remarka- 
ble manner,  the  peculiarity  of  the  mind  of  Isaiah.  Whatever  is  the  ob- 
ject or  event  with  which  he  commences,  the  description  usually  closes 
with  the  Messiah.  His  mind  glances  rapidly  from  the  object  immedi- 
ately before  him.  and  fixes  on  that  which  is  more  remote,  and  the  first 
object  gradually  sinks  away ;  the  language  rises  in  dignity  and 
beauty  ;  the  mind  is  full,  and  the  description  proceeds  with  a  state- 
ment respecting  the  Prince  of  Peace.  This  is  not  double  sense  :  it  is 
rapid  transition  under  the  laws  of  prophetic  suggestion  ;  and 
though  at  first  some  object  immediately  In  fore  the  prophet  was  the 
subject  of  his  contemplation,  yet  before  he  closes,  his  mind  is  It  tally 
absorbed  in  some  distant  event  that  has  been  presented,  and  his  'an- 
guage  is  designedly  such  as  is  adapted  to  that.  It  would  be  easy  to 
adduce  numerous  instances  of  the  operation  of  this  law  in  Isaiah. 
For  illustration  we  may  refer  to  the  remarkable  prophecy  in  ch.  vii. 
14.  Comp.  ch.  viii.  S.  ix.  1 — 7.  See  Notes  on  those  passages.  Indeed, 
it  may  be  presented,  1  think,  as  one  of  the  prominent  characteristics 
of  the  mind  of  Isaiah,  that  in  the  prophetic  visions  which  he  contend 
plated,  the  Messiah  always  occupied  some  place  ;  that  whatever  pro- 
phetic landscape,  so  to  speak,  passed  before  him.  the  Messiah  was 
always  in  some  part  of  it;  and  that  consequently  wherever  he  began 
his  prophetic  annunciations,  he  usually  closed  with  a  description  ol 
some  portion  of  the  doctrines,  or  the  work  of  the  Messiah.  It  is  thia 
law  of  the  mental  associations  of  Isaiah  which  gives  such  value  to  hia 
•writings  in  me  minds  of  all  who  love  the  Saviour. 

'.I 


I  INTRODUCTION. 

(4.)  It  follows  from  this  view  of  prophecy,  that  the  prophets  wouid 
Bpeuk  of  occurrences  and  events  as  they  appeared  to  them.  They 
would  speak  of  them  as  actually  present,  or  as  passing  before  their 
eyes.  They  would  describe  them  as  being  what  they  had  seen,  and 
would  thus  throw  them  into  the  past  tense,  as  we  describe  what  we 
have  seen  in  a  landscape,  and  speak  of  what  we  saw.  It  would  be 
comparatively  infrequent,  therefore,  that  the  event  would  be  descrihed 
as  future.  Accordingly  we  find  that  this  is  the  mode  actually  adopted 
in  the  prophets.  Thus  in  Isa.  ix.  6,  "  Unto  us  a  child  is  horn,  unto  us 
a  son  is  given."  Isa.  xlii.  1,  "  Behold  my  servant  whom  I  uphold. 
mine  elect  in  whom  my  soul  delighteth?1  So  in  the  description  of  the 
Bufferings  of  the  Messiah  :  -'He  is  despised."  "He  hath,  no  form  or 
comeliness,"  ch.  liii.  2,  3.  Thus  in  ch.  xiv.  1 — 8,  Cyrus  is  addressed 
as  if  he  were  personally  present.  Frequently  events  arc  thus  de- 
k  bribed  as  past,  or  as  events  which  the  prophet  had  seen  in  vision. 
'  The  people  that  walked  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light ;  they 
that  dwell  in  the  land  of  the  shadow  of  death,  upon  them  hath  the 
light  shined,"  ch.  ix.  2.  So  especially  in  the  description  of  the  suf- 
ferings of  the  Messiah :  "As  many  w  ere  astonished  at  thee."  "His 
visage  was  so  marred."  "  He  hath,  borne  our  griefs."  "  He  was  op- 
pressed, and  he  was  afflicted."  "  He  was  taken  from  prison."  ••  He 
teas  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living."  "  He  made  his  grave."  &c. 
&c.  Isa.  lii.  14,  15.  liii.  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9.  In  some  cases  also  the  prophet 
seems  to  have  placed  himself  in  vision  in  the  midst  of  the  scenes 
which  he  describes,  or  to  have  taken,  so  to  speak,  a  station  where  he' 
might  contemplate  a  part  as  past,  and  a  part  as  yet  to  come.  Thus  in 
Isa.  liii.  the  prophet  seems  to  have  his  station  between  the  humiliation 
of  the  Saviour  and  his  glorification,  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  Buffer- 
ings as  past,  and  his  glorification,  and  the  success  of  the  gospel,  as  yet 
to  come.  Comp.  particularly  vs.  9,  10.  11.  12.  This  view  of  the  na- 
ture of  prophecy  would  have  saved  from  many  erroneous  interpreta- 
tions ;  and  especially  would  have  prevented  many  of  the  cavils  of 
skeptics.  It  is  a  view  which  a  man  would  be  allowed  to  take  in 
descrihing  a  landscape ;  and  why  should  it  be  deemed  irrational  or 
absurd  in  prophecy  ? 

(5.)  From  this  view  it  also  follows,  that  the  prophecies  are  usually 
to  be  regarded  as  seen  in  space  and  not  in  time  ;  or  in  other  words, 
the  time  would  not  be  actually  and  definitely  marked.  They  would 
describe  the  order,  or  the  succession  of  events  ;  hut  between  them 
there  might  be  a  considerable,  and  an  unmeasured  interval' of  time 
In  illustration  of  this  we  may  refer  to  the  idea  which  has  been  so  often 
presented  already — the  idea  of  a  landscape.  When  one  is  placed  in 
an  advantageous  position  to  view  a  landscape,  he  can  mark  distinctly, 
the  order  of  the  objects,  the  succession,  the  grouping.  He  can  tell 
what  objects  appear  to  him  to  lie  near  each  other  ;  or  what  are  appa- 
rently in  juxtaposition.  But  all  who  look  at  such  a  landscape  know 
very  well  that  there  are  objects  which  the  eye  cannot  take  in.  and 
which  will  not  be  exhibited  by  any  description.  For  example,  hills  in 
die  distant  view  may  seem  to  lie  near  to  each  other;  one  may  seem 
x>  rise  just  back  of  the.  other,  and  they  may  appear  to  constitute  parts 


INTRODUCTION.  ll 

of  the  same  mountain  range,  and  yet  between  them  there  may  be  wide 
and  fertile  vales,  the  extent  of  which  the  eye  cannot  measure,  and 
which  the  mind  may  be  wholly  unable  to  conjecture.  It  has  no  means 
of  measuring  the  distance,  and  a  description  of  the  whole  scene  as  it 
appeared  to  the  observer  would  convey  no  idea  of  the  distance  of  the 
intervals.  So  in  the  prophecies.  Between  the  events  seen  in  vision 
there  may  be  long  intervals,  and  the  length  of  those  intervals  the  pro- 
phet may  have  left  us  no  means  of  determining.  He  describes  the 
scene  as  it  appeared  to  him  in  vision.  In  a  landscape,  the  distance, 
the  length,  the  nature  of  these  intervals  might  be  determined  in  one  of 
three  ways  :  (1 )  by  the  report  of  one  who  had  gone  over  the  ground  and 
actually  measured  the  distances  ;  (2)  by  going  ourselves  and  measur- 
ing the  distances  ;  or  (3)  by  a  revelation  from  heaven.  So  the  dis- 
tance of  time  occurring  between  the  events  seen  in  vision  by  the 
prophets,  may  be  determined  either  by  the  actual  admeasurement  as 
the  events  occur ;  or  by  direct  revelation  either  made  to  the  prophet 
himself,  or  to  some  other  prophet.  Accordingly  we  find  in  the  pro- 
phecies these  facts,  (a)  In  many  of  them,  there  are  no  marks  of  time, 
but  only  of  succession.  It  is  predicted  only  that  one  event  should  suc- 
ceed another  in  a  certain  order,  (b)  Occasionally  the  time  of  some 
one  event  is  marked  in  the  succession,  as  e.  g.  the  time  of  the  death  of 
the  Messiah,  in  Dan.  ix.  26.  27.  (c)  Events  are  apparently  connected 
together,  which  in  fact  were  to  be  separated  by  long  intervals.  Thus 
Isaiah  ch.  xi.  makes  the  deliverance  which  was  to  be  effected  by  the 
Messiah,  to  follow  immediately  the  deliverance  from  the  yoke  of  the 
Assyrians,  without  noticing  the  long  train  of  intermediate  occurrences. 
And  in  the  same  manner  Isaiah.  Rosea.  Amos,  and  Micah  very  often 
connect  the  deliverance  under  the  Messiah  with  that  which  was  to  be 
effected  from  the  captivity  at  Babylon,  without  noticing  the  long  train 
of  intermediate  events.  There  was  such  a  resemblance  between  the 
two  events  that,  by  the  laws  of  prophetic  suggestion,  the  mind  of  the 
prophet  glanced  rapidly  from  one  to  the  other,  and  the  description  which 
commenced with  the  account  o^  the  deliverance  from  the  Babylonish 
captivity,  closed  with  the  description  of  the  triumphs  of  the  Messiah. 
And  yet  not  one  of  the  prophets  ever  intimate  that  the  Messiah  would 
be  the  leader  from  the  exile  at  Babylon,  (d)  The  time  is  sometimes 
revealed  to  the  prophets  themselves,  and  they  mark  it  distinctly.  Thus 
to  Jeremiah  it  was  revealed  that  the  exile  at  Babylon  would  continue 
seventy  years  (ch.  xxv.  11,  12).  and  although  this  event  had  been 
the  subject  of  revelation  to  other  prophets,  yet  to  no  one  of  them 
was  there  before  an  intimation  of  the  time  during  which  it  was  to  con 
tinue.  So  also  of  the  place.  That  the  Jews  would  be  carried  away 
1o  a  distant  land  if  they  were  disobedient,  had  been  predicted  by  Moses, 
and  threatened  by  many  of  the  prophets  ;  and  yet  there  was  no  inti- 
mation of  the  place  of  their  bondage  until  the  embassy  of  the  king 
of  Babylon  to  Hezekiah,  and  the  sin  of  Hezekiah  in  showing  them  his 
treasure,  led  Isaiah  to  declare  that  Babylon  was  the  place  to  which  the 
nation  was  to  be  carried.  See  Notes  on  Isa.  xxxix.  6.  Marks  of  time 
are  thus  scattered,  though  not  very  profusely,  through  the  prophecies. 
They  were,  on  the  whole,  so  definite  as  to  lead  to  the  general  expecta- 


II  INTRODUCTION. 

uon  (hat  the  Messiah  would  appear  about  the  tine  whin  Jesus  wa« 
born.     See  Notes  mi  Matt.  ii. 

(6.)  It  is  a  consequence  of  this  view  also,  that  many  of  the  prophe- 
cies an-  obscure.  It  is  not  to  he  expected  that  the  sfvme  degree,  of  light 
should  lie  found  in  the  prophecies  which  we  have  now.  And  yet  so 
far  as  the  prophecy  was  made  known,  it  mighl  be  clear  enough  ;  nor 
was  there  any  danger  or  nerd  of  mistake.  The  facts  themselves  were 
perfectly  plain  and  intelligible;  but  then;  was  only  a  partial  and  im- 
perfect development  of  the  facts.  The  fad.  e.  g.  that  the  Messiah 
was  to  come;  that  he  was  to  be  horn  at  Bethlehem  ;  that  lie  was  to 
he  a  king  ;  that  he  was  to  die  ;  that  his  religion  was  to  prevail  among 
the  nations  ;  and  that  the  Gentiles  were  to  he  broughl  to  the  knowledge 
of  him.  were  all  made  known,  and  were  as  clear  and  plain  as  they  are, 
un\v.  .Much  is  known  now.  indeed,  of  the  mode  in  which  this  was  to 
be  done  which  was  not  then  ;  and  the  want  of  this  knowledge  served 
to  make  the  prophecies  appear  obscure.  We  take  the  information 
which  we  now  have,  and  go  hack  to  the  times  when  the  prophecies 
were  uttered,  ami  finding  them  obscure,  we  seem  to  infer  that  because 
all  was  not  known,  nothing  was  known.  But  we  are  to  remember 
that,  all  science  at  the  beginning  is  elementary;  and  that  knowledge 
on  all  subjects  makes  its  advances  by  slow  degrees.  .Many  things  ,n 
the  prophecies  were  obscure,  in  the  sense  that  there  had  been  only  a 
partial  revelation  ;  or  that  only  a  few  facts  were  made  known  ;  or  that 
the  time  was  not  marked  with  certainty  ;  and  yet  the  facts  themselves 
may  have  been  as  clear  as  they  are  now,  and  the  order  of  succession 
may  have  been  also  as  certainly  and  clearly  determined.  The  facts 
were  revealed ;  the  manner  in  which  they  were  to  occur  may  have 
been  concealed. 

It  may  be  added  here,  in  the  words  of  Prof.  Stuart,  "that  many 
prophecies  have  respect  to  kingdoms,  nations,  and  events,  that  tor 
thousands  of  years  have  been  buried  in  total  darkness.  In  what  man- 
ner they  were  fulfilled  we  know  not ;  when,  we  know  not.  We  do  not 
even  know  enough  of  the  geography  of  many  places  and  regions 
that  are  named  in  them,  to  he  able  to  trace  the  scene  of  such  fulfil- 
ment. Customs,  manners,  and  many  other  things  alluded  to  by  sue r. 
prophecies,  we  have  no  present  means  of  illustrating  in  an  adequate 
manner.  Of  course,  and  o\'  necessity,  then,  there  must  be  more  or 
less  in  all  such  prophecies,  that  is  obscure  to  us."  Bib.  Repository 
vol.  ii.  p.  237. 

§  S.  Works  illustrative  of  Isaiah. 

Probably  no  book  of  the  Bible  has  occupied  so  much  the  attention 
of  critics,  of  commentators,  and  of  private  Christians,  as  Isaiah.  The 
beauty,  grandeur,  and  power  of  his  prophecies  ;  their  highly  evangeli- 
cal character;  the  fact  that  they  tire  so  frequently  quoted  in  the  New 
Testament;  tin;  number  and  minuteness  of  his  predictions  in  regard 
to  cities  and  kingdoms  :  as  well  as  the  intrinsic  difficulty  of  many  por- 
tions of  his  writings,  all  have  contributed  to  this.  Of  the  numerous 
works  which  may  he  consulted  in  reading,  or  in  explaining  lsaiati,  the 
following  are  among  the  principal : 


INTRODUCTION.  hi 

i.  The  aivcient  versions. 

(1.)  The  Septuagint.  so  called  from  the  seventy  interpreters  who 
arc  supposed  to  have  been  engaged  in  it.  This  is  the  most  ancient 
am!  in  some  respects  the  most  valuable  of  all  the  versions  of  the  Bible, 
and  was  formerly  esteemed  so  valuable  as  to  be  read  in  synagogues 
ami  in  churches.  Much  uncertainty  exists  in  regard  to  the  real  his- 
tory of  this  version.  According  to  the  common  Jewish  legend  re 
specting  it,  Ptolemy  Philadelphia,  who  reigned  king  of  Egypt  from 
284  to' 246  B.  C,  formed  the  wish,  through  the  advice  of  his  librarian, 
Demetrius  Phalerius,  to  possess  a  Greek  copy  of  the  Jewish  Scriptures, 
for  the  Alexandrian  Library,  and  sent  to  Jerusalem  for  this  obje.  t. 
Tiie  Jews  sent  him  a  Hebrew  manuscript,  and  seventy-two  men  ol 
learning  to  translate  it.  They  all  laboured  together,  being  shut  up  in 
the  island  of  Pharos,  where  having  agreed  on  the  translation  by  mu- 
tual conference,  they  dictated  it  to  Demetrius,  who  wrote  it  down,  and 
thus  in  the  space  oi'  Beventy-two  days  the  whole  was  finished.  This 
legend  is  given  in  an  epistle  said  to  "have  been  written  by  Aristeas,  to 
his  brother  in  Alexandria.  Josephus  also  relates  the  story,  Ant.  xii. 
I],  2 — 14.  Butit  has  every  mark  of  fiction  ;  and  an  examination  ol 
the  Septuagint  itself  will  convince  any  one  that  it  was  not  all  made 
by  the  same  persons,  or  at  the  same  time.  The  most  probable  sup- 
position is.  that  after  the  Jews  had  settled  in  great  numbers  in  Egypt, 
and  had  in  some  measure  forgotten  the  Hebrew  Language,  a  Greek 
version  became  necessary  for  the  public  use  in  their  temple  there 
(Notes  Isa.  xix.  18).  and  in  their  synagogues.  There  is  no  improba- 
bility that  this  was  done  under  the  sanction  of  the  Sanhedrim,  or  Coun- 
cil of  LXXII.  in  Eaypt,  and  that  it  thus  received  its  name  and  au- 
thority. The  translation  was  probably  commenced  about  250  years 
before  Christ.  The  Pentateuch  would  be  first  translated,  and  the  other 
books  were  probably  translated  at  intervals  between  that  time  and  the 
time  of  Christ.  "  The  Pentateuch  is  best  translated,  and  exhibits  a 
clear  and  flowing  Greek  style ;  the  next  in  rank  is  the  translation  of 
Job  and  the  Proverbs  ;  the  Psalms  and  the  Prophets  are  translated 
worst  of  all ;  and  indeed  often  without  any  sense.  Indeed  the  real 
value  of  the  Septuagint,  as  a  version,  stands  in  no  sort  of  relation  to 
its  reputation."  Calmet.  "  Isaiah  has  had  the  hard  fate  to  meet  a 
translation  unworthy  of  him.  there  being  hardly  any  book  of  the  Old 
Testament  that  is  so  ill  rendered  in  that  version  as  Isaiah."  Lowlh. 
The  authority  of  this  version,  however,  soon  became  so  great  as  to  su- 
persede the  use  of  the  Hebrew  among  all  the  Jews  who  spoke  Greek. 
It  was  read  in  the  synagogues  in  Egypt,  and  was  gradually  introduced 
into  Palestine.  It  had  the  highest  reverence  among  the  Jews,  and  was 
used  by  them  every  where  ;  and  is  the  version  that  is  most  commonly 
quoted  in  the  New  Testament.  From  the  Jews  the  reputation  and 
authority  of  this  version  passed  over  to  Christians,  who  employed  it 
with  the  same  degree  of  credence  as  the  original.  The  text  of  this 
version  has  suffered  greatly,  and  great  efforts  have  been  made  to 
restore  it;  and  yet  probably  after  all  these  efforts,  and  after  all  the 
reputation  which  the  version  has  enjoyed  in  former  times,  there  has 
not  been  any  where,  or  scarcely  in  any  language,  any  version  of  the 


Inr  INTRODUCTION. 

Scriptures  that  is  more  incorrect  and  defective  than  the  Septuagint 
Probably  (here  is  no  version  from  which,  as  a  whole,  a  more  correct 
idea  would  not  lie  derived  of  the  rial  meaning  of  the  B'acred  Serip- 
tures,  and  this  is  true  in  a  special  manner  of  Isaiah.  It  is  valuable  as 
the  oldest  version  ;  as  having  been  regarded  with  so  much  respect  .'n 
former  times;  and  as,  notwithstanding  its  faults,  and  the  imperfection 
of  the  tcxl.  throwing  much  light  on  various  parts  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Bui  asan  authority,  for  correcting  the  Hebrew  text,  it  is  of  little 
or  no  value.  The  history  of  the  Septuagint  may  be  seen  in  Hody.  de 
Biblior.  Textibus  orig.  Ox.  1705;  Home's  Intro,  vol.  ii.  163,  seq.  j 
Prideaux's  Connexions;  Walton's  Proleg.  c.  ix.  §  3 — 10;  Isaac  Vos- 
siua  de  LXX.  Inter.  Hag.  Com.  1661  ;  and  Brett,  Diss,  on  the  Sep- 
tuagint. in  Watson's  Theo.  Tracts,  vol.  iii.  p.  18,  seq. 

(2.)  The  Latin  VulgRti — the  authorized  version  of  the  Papal  com 
niunion.  When  Christianity  had  extended  itself  to  the  West,  where 
the  Latin  language  was  spoken,  a  version  of  the  Scriptures  into  thai 
language  became  necessary.  In  the  time  of  Augustine  there  were 
several  of  these,  but  only  one  of  them  was  adopted  by  the  church. 
This  was  called  common,  rulirata,  because  it  was  made  from  the  com- 
aion  Greek  version,  i\  xotvfj.  In  modern  times  this  version  is  often 
called  Ilala.  or  the  Italic  version.  This  version,  in  the  Old  Testament, 
was  made  literally  from  the  Septuagint,  and  copied  all  its  mistakes. 
To  remedy  the  evils  of  this,  and  to  give  a  correct  translation  of  the 
Scriptures,  Jerome  undertook  a  translation  directly  from  the  Hebrew. 
He  went  to  Palestine  and  enjoyed  the  oral  instructions  of  a  learned 
Jew.  He  availed  himself  of  all  the  labours  of  his  predecessors,  and 
furnished  a  translation  which  surpassed  all  that  preceded  his  in  useful- 
ness. In  the  seventh  century  this  version  had  supplanted  all  the  old 
ones.  It  was  the  first  book  ever  printed.  By  the  Council  of  Trent,  it 
was  declared  to  be  "  authentic  " — and  is  the  authorized,  or  standard 
version  of  the  Papists  ;  and  is  regarded  by  them  as  of  equal  authority 
with  the  original  Scriptures.  This  version  is  allowed  generally  to  be 
a  very  faithful  translation  ;  and  it  undoubtedly  gives  a  much  more  cor- 
rect view  of  the  original  than  the  Septuagint. 

(3.)  The  Syriac  versions.  Of  these  there  are  two.  both  of  which 
are  of  Christian  origin  ;  having  been  made  by  Christians  of  the  Syrian 
church  who  dwelt  in  Mesopotamia.  The  earliest,  and  most  celebrated 
of  these  is  the  Peshito  ;  i.  e.  the  clear,  or  the  literal.  It  is  the  author- 
ized version  of  the  Syrian  church,  and  is  supposed  by  them  to  have 
been  made  in  the  time  of  Solomon.  It  was  probably  made  in  the  first 
century.  It  follows,  in  general,  the  Hebrew  literally ;  and  is  very 
valuable  as  an  aid  in  ascertaining  the  meaning  of  the  Hebrew  Scrip- 
tures. The  other  Syriac  version  was  made  from  the  Septuagint  about 
the  year  616,  for  the  use  of  the  Monophysites.  It  is  of  value,  there- 
fore, only  for  the  interpretation  of  the  Septuagint.  It  is  the  former  of 
these  which  is  printed  in  the  Polyglotts.  Of  the  latter  no  portion  has 
been  printed  except  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel,  1787,  and  Daniel.  17S8. 
Cat  met. 

(4.)  The  Arabic  versions.  The  Scriptures  have  been  at  various 
times  translated  into  Arabic.     After  the  time  of  Mohammed,  thp  Arj- 


INTRODUCTION.  h 

bic  became  the  common  language  of  many  of  the  Jews,  and  of  nu- 
merous bodies  of  Christians  in  the  East.  Sometimes  the  translations 
were  made  from  the  Hebrew,  sometimes  from  the  Septuagint,  from 
the  Pesliito,  or  the  Vulgate.  The  version  of  R.  Saadias  Gaon,  director 
ol'  the  Jewish  Academy  at  Babylon,  was  made  in  the  tenth  century. 
It  comprised  originally  the  Old  Testament ;  but  there  have  been 
printed  only  the  Pentateuch,  and  Isaiah.  The  Pentateuch  is  found  in 
the  Polyglotts.  Isaiah  was  published  by  Paulus  in  1791.  The  Mau- 
ritania!) version  was  made  in  the  thirteenth  century,  by  an  Arabian 
Jew.  and  was  published  by  Erpenius  in  1629.  The  Arabic  version  in 
the  Polyglotts  was  made  by  a  Christian  of  Alexandria,  and  was  made 
from  the  Septuagint.  Robinson.  Of  course  these  are  of  little  value  in 
illustrating  the  Hebrew  text.  The  chief  and  great  value  of  the  Arabic 
consists  in  the  light  which  is  thrown  upon  the  meaning  of  Hebrew 
words,  phrases,  and  customs,  from  the  Arabic  language,  manners,  and 
literature. 

(5.)  The  Targums  or  Chaldee  versions.  All  these  are  the  works 
of  Jews  living  in  Palestine  and  Babylon,  from  a  century  before  Christ, 
to  the  eighth,  or  ninth  century  after.  They  bear  the  name  Targnm^ 
i.  e.  translation.  They  comprise  the  Targum  of  Onkelos  on  the  Pen- 
tateuch ;  of  Jonathan  Ben  Uzziel  on  the  historical  books,  and  the 
prophets  ;  of  Jerusalem  on  the  Pentateuch  ;  and  of  smaller  and  sepa- 
rate Targums  on  the  books  of  Daniel,  Ezra,  and  Nehemiah.  That  of 
Jonathan  Ben  Uzziel,  which  was  made  about  the  time  of  the  Saviour 
and  which  includes  Isaiah,  is  far  inferior  to  that  of  Onkelos.  It  often 
wanders  from  the  text  in  a  wordy,  allegorical  explanation ;  admits 
many  explanations  which  are  arbitrary,  and  especially  such  as  honour 
the  Pharisees;  and  often  gives  a  commentary  instead  of  a  translation. 
See  Gesenius,  Comm.  uber  den  Isa.  Einl.  §  11.  It  is  valuable,  as  it 
often  gives  a  literal  translation  of  the  Hebrew,  and  adheres  to  it 
closely,  and  as  it  gives  a  statement  of  what  was  the  prevailing  inter- 
pretation of  the  sacred  writings  in  the  time  when  it  was  made.  It 
may,  therefore.be  used  in  an  argument  with  the  modern  Jews,  to  show 
that  many  of  the  passages  which  they  refuse  to  refer  to  the  Messiah 
were  regarded  by  their  lathers  as  having  a  relation  to  him. 

The  more  modern  versions  of  the  Scriptures  are  evidently  of  little 
or  no  use  in  interpreting  the  Bible,  and  of  no  authority  in  attempting 
to  furnish  a  correct  text.  On  the  general  character  of  the  versions 
above  referred  to,  the  reader  may  consult  Home's  Intro,  vol.  ii.  156, 
seq. ;  Gesenius,  Einl.  §  10 — 20. 

II.  Commentaries.  The  following  are  among  the  principal,  which 
may  be  referred  to  in  illustration  of  Isaiah : 

(1.)  Commentarius  in  Librum  Prophetiarum  Isaiae,  Cura  et  Studio 
Campegii  Vitringa,  2  vol.  fol.  1714,  1720,  1724.  This  great  work  on 
Isaiah  first  appeared  at  Leuwarden  in  1714.  It  has  been  several  times 
reprinted.  Vitringa  was  professor  of  theology  at  Franecker,  and  died 
m  1722.  In  this  great  work,  Vitringa  surpassed  all  who  went  before 
him  in  the  illustration  of  Isaiah  ;  and  none  of  the  subsequent  efforts 
which  have  been  made  to  explain  this  prophet  have  superseded  this, 
or  rendered  it  valueless.     It  is  now  indeed  indispensable  to  a  correct 


IVI  INTRODUCTION. 

understanding  of  this  prophet.  He  is  the  fountain  from  which  most 
subsequent  writers  on  Isaiah  have  copiously  drawn.  His  excellencies 
are,  great  learning;  copious  investigation;  trasl  research;  judicious 

exposition;  an  excellent  spirit  eat  a'putehess,     His  faults — foi 

faults  abound  in  his  work — are  (1.)  Great  diffueeness  of  style.  (2.) 
A  leaning  to  the  allegorical  mode  of  interpretation:  (3.)  A  minute. 
and  anxious,  and  often  fanciful  effort  to  find  something  in  history  that 
accords  with  his  view  of  each  prediction.  Often  these  parts  ftf  his 
work  are  forced  and  fanciful  ;  and  though  they  i ••  it  research 

Hnu  Historical  knowledge,  yet  his  application  of  many  of  the  prop!, 
most  be  regarded  as  wholly  arbitrary  and  unsatisfactory.  (4.)  He 
did  not  seem  to  he  fully  acquainted  with  the  poetic  and  figurative 
character  of  the  prophetic  style.  Hence  he  is  often  forced  to  seek 
for  fulfillment  of  particular  expressions  when  a  more  complete  ac- 
quaintance with  the  character  of  that  style  would  have  led  him  to  seek 
for  no  such  minute  fulfillment.  Yet  no  one  can  regard  himself  as  fur- 
nished for  a  correct  and  full  examination  of  Isaiah,  who  is  not  in  pus-  > 
session  of  this  elaborate  work. 

(2.)  The  collection  of  commentaries  in  the  Critici  Sacri,  nine  vols, 
fol.  This  great  work  contains  a  collection  of  the  best  comment 
which  were  known  at  the  time  in  which  it  was  made.  Valuable  criti- 
cal notes  will  be  found  in  the  commentary  of  Drusius.  and  occasio  tal 
remarks  of  great  value  in  the  brief  commentary  of  Grotius.  Grotius 
is  the  father  of  commentators  ;  and  especially  on  the  New  Testament. 
he  has  furnished  more  materials  which  have  been  worked  up  into  the 
i  commentaries,  than  all  other  expositors  united.  He  is  especially 
valuable  for  the  vast  amount  of  classical  learning  which  he  has  brought 
to  illustrate  the  Scriptures.  His  main  faults  are.  a  want  of  spirituality, 
.  laxness  of  opinions  ;  but  no  man  who  wishes  to  gain  a  large  anil 
libera]  view  of  the  sacred  writings,  will  deem  his  library  complete  who 
has  not  the  commentary  of  this  great  man.  His  notes,  however,  on 
Isaiah  and  the  Old  Testament  generally,  are  very  brief. 

(3.)  The  same  work  abridged  and  arranged  by  Pool,  in  5  vols.  fol. 
This  work  has  often  been  reprinted,  and  is  well  known  as  Pool's  Sy- 
nopsis. It  is  a  work  of  great  labour.  It  consists  in  arranging  in  one 
continuous  form  the  different  expositions  contained  in  the  work  last 
mentioned. '  With  all  the  learning  and  labour  expended  on  it,  it  is,  like 
most  other  abridgments,  a  work  which  will  make  him  who  consults  it 
regret  that  an  abridgment  had  been  attempted,  and  si^h  for  the 
original  work.  It  is  an  arrangement  of  opinions  without  any  reasons 
for  those  opinions  as  they  existed  in  the  minds  of  the  original  authors. 
To  a  man  disposed  to  collect  opinions  merely,  this  work  is  invaluable  ; 
to  a  man  who  wishes  to  know  on  what  opinions  are  based,  and  what  is 
their  true  value,  it  will  be  regarded  <renerally  as  of  comparatively  little 
use.  The  original  work — the  Critici  Sacri — is  of  infinitely  more  value 
than  this  Synopsis  by  Pool. 

(4.)  The  commentary  of  Calvin.  This  may  be  found  in  his  works 
printed  at  Amsterdam  in  1GG7.  This  commentary  on  Isaiah  was  origi- 
nated in  discourses  which  were  delivered  by  him  in  his  public  minis- 
iry.  and  which  were  committed  to  wrting  by  another  hand,  and  after- 


INTRODUCTION.  Tvti 

wards  revised  by  himself.  The  critical  knowledge  of  Calvin  was  not 
great;  nor  does  he  enter  minutely  into  criticisms,  or  philology.  He 
aims  at  giving  the  sense  of  Isaiah,  often  somewhat  in  the  form  of  a 
paraphrase.  There  is  little  criticism  of  words  and  phrases  ;  little  at- 
tempt to  describe  customs,  or  to  illustrate  the  geography  of  the  places 
refen  ed  to  ;  and  there  is  often  in  the  writings  of  this  great  man  a  want 
of  vivacity  and  of  point.  But  he  is  judicious  and  sound.  His  prac- 
tical remarks  are  useful ;  and  his  knowledge  of  the  human  heart,  and 
his  good  sense,  enabled  him  to  furnish  a  commentary  that  is  highly 
valuable. 

f  5.)  Rosenmuller  on  Isaiah.  This  distinguished  and  very  valuable 
work'  was  first  published  in  1793,  in  three  parts,  and  afterwards  in  a 
completely  revised  edition  in  1810,  in  three  volumes.  The  merit  of 
Rosenmuller  consists  in  his  great  learning  ;  in  his  cautious  and  careful 
collection  of  all  the  materials  which  existed  to  throw  light  on  the 
prophet ;  and  in  his  clear  and  simple  arrangement  and  statement. 
The  basis  of  this  work  is  indeed  Vitringa  ;  but  Rosenmuller  is  by  no 
means  confined  to  him.  He  has  gathered  from  all  sources  what  he 
regarded  as  necessary  to  an  explanation  of  the  prophet.  He  is  judi- 
cious in  his  criticisms ;  and  not  rash  and  reckless  in  attempting  to 
modify  and  amend  the  text.  He  does  not  resemble  Grotius,  who  is 
said  to  have  "  found  Christ  nowhere  ;"  but  he  is  almost  always,  par- 
ticularly in  the  first  part,  an  advocate  for  the  Messianic,  interpretation. 
There  can  be  found  nowhere  a  more  valuable  collection  of  materials 
for  an  understanding  of  Isaiah  than  in  Rosenmuller. 

(6.)  Philologisch-Kritischer  und  Historischer  Commentar  liber  den 
Isaiah,  von  W.  Gesenius,  3  Th.  Leipzig.  1821.  "  The  commentary  of 
Gesenius  has  not  rendered  superfluous  the  work  of  Rosenmuller.  Ge- 
senius has  certainly  been  more  independent  in  ascertaining  the  mean- 
ing of  words,  and  in  this  respect  has  rendered  a  great  service  to  the 
prophet.  His  diligence  has  considerably  increased  the  materials  of 
exegesis  by  collecting  a  number  of  striking  parallel  passages,  espe- 
cially from  Arabian  and  Syrian  writers,  which  though  not  numerous, 
have  been  very  accurately  read.  His  historical  illustrations,  especially 
of  the  prophecies  relating  to  foreign  nations,  are  for  the  most  part  very 
va!  .uble  ;  and  his  acuteness  has  made  new  discoveries."  Hengstenberg. 
The  great  value  of  Gesenius  consists  in  his  explanation  of  words  and 
phrases ;  in  his  bringing  to  bear  his  vast  learning  in  the  Hebrew,  and 
the  cognate  languages,  to  an  explanation  of  the  prophet ;  in  his  acute- 
ness and  skill  in  philological  investigations ;  and  in  his  use  of  illustra- 
tions of  customs,  geography.  &c,  from  modern  travellers.  A  favour- 
able specimen  of  his  manner  of  exposition  may  be  seen  in  his  com- 
mentary on  the  prophecy  respecting  Moab,  chs.  xv.  xvi.  This  is 
translated  in  the  Biblical  Repository  for  January,  1S36.  See  also  a 
translation  of  ch.  xvii.  12 — 14.  xviii.  1 — 7,  in  the  Biblical  Repository 
for  July,  1836.  Of  this  exposition,  Prof.  Stuart  says,  h  I  consider  it 
the  only  successful  effort  which  has  been  made,  to  unravel  the  very 
difficult  passage  of  which  it  treats.  I  consider  it  a  kind  of  chef  cP  (eir.rre 
among  the  philological  efforts  of  this  distinguished  writer."  Bib.  Rep. 
July,  1836,  p.  220.     For  the  general  merits  of  Gesenius,  see  the  articU 

3* 


IVil!  INTRODUCTION. 

"Hebrew  Lexicography,"  by  Prof.  Stuart,  in  Bib.  Repository.  1836 
p.  468  seq. 

(7.)  Isaiah  ;  a  New  Translation  witli  a  Preliminary  Dissertation,  and 
Notes,  Critical,  Philological,  and  Explanatory.  By  Robert  Lowth, 
D.  D..  Lord  Bishop  of  London.  This  very  beautiful  translation  of  Isaiah, 
was  first  published  in  London,  in  quarto,  in  1778.  and  has  been  several 
times  reprinted.  A  German  translation  was  published  by  M.  Koppe, 
with  notes  and  additions,  at  Gottingen,  1799,  1781,  in  4  vols.  8vo.  It 
is  the  only  work  in  English,  with  which  I  am  acquainted,  of  any  very 
great  value  on  Isaiah ;  and  it  will  doubless  continue  to  hold  its  rank 
as  a  standard  work  in  sacred  literature.  01'  all  tbe  interpreters  of 
,saiah,  Lowth  has  probably  most  clearly  discerned  the  true  nature  oi 
the  prophetic  visions  ;  has  been  enabled  most  clearly  to  apprehend  and 
express  the  sense  of  the  prophet ;  and  has  presented  a  translation 
which  has  been  universally  admired  for  its  beauty.  The  faults  of  the 
work  are,  that  his  translation  is  often  too  paraphrastic;  that  he  indul- 
ges in  great  caprice  of  criticism  ;  that  he  often  changes  the  Hebrew 
text  on  very  slight  authority  ;  and  that  there  is  a  want  of  copiousness 
in  the  notes  for  the  purpose  of  those  who  would  obtain  a  full  And  accu- 
rate view  of  Isaiah.  Lowth  made  good  use  of  the  aids  which  in  his 
time  might  be  derived  from  the  researches  of  Oriental  travellers.  But 
since  his  time,  this  department  of  literature  has  been  greatly  enlarged, 
and  important  light  has  been  thrown  upon  many  passages  which  ii\ 
his  time  were  obscure. 

(8.)  A  new  translation  of  the  Hebrew  Prophets,  arranged  in  chro- 
nological order.  By  George  Noyes.  Boston,  1833.  This  work  pro- 
fesses to  be  simply  a  literal  translation  of  the  prophets,  without  an 
extended  commentary.  A  very  few  notes  are  appended.  The  trans- 
lation is  executed  with  great  skill. and  fidelity,  and  gives  in  general 
very  correctly  the  meaning  of  the  original.  The  translator  has 
availed  himself  of  the  labours  of  Gesenius,  and  of  the  other  modern 
critics.  For  a  further  view  of  this  work,  see  North  American  Review 
for  January.  1838. 

(9.)  Esaias  ex  recensione  Textus  Hebraci.  ad  fidem  Codd.  etverss. 
Latine,  vertit,  et  Notas  subjecit,  J.  C.  Doederlin.  Altdorf,  8vo.  1780. 
Norimbergae,  17S9. 

(10.)  The  Book  of  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  in  Hebrew  and  English. 
The  Hebrew  text  metrically  arranged,  the  translation  altered  from 
thai  of  Bishop  Lowth.  By  the  Right  Rev.  Joseph  Stock,  D.  D.,  Bishop 
of  Killala.  1804.  4to.  "  There  is  a  variety  of  notes,  critical  and  ex- 
planatory, supplied  partly  by  the  translator,  and  partly  by  others 
Many  of  these  are  uncommonly  valuable  for  their  depth  and  acuteness, 
and  tend  to  elucidate  in  a  high  degree,  the  subject  matter  of  these 
prophecies."     British  Critic,  vol.  xxviii.  p.  466. 

(11.)  Lectures  on  the  Prophecies  of  Isaiah,  by  Robert  Macculoch. 
London,  1791,  4  vols.  8vo. 

(\2.)  Hierozoicon,  Sive  de  animalibus  Sacra  Scriptural  Auctore 
Samuele  Bocharto.  Folio,  Lond.  1663.  This  great  work  has  been 
several  times  reprinted.  It  is  a  work  of  immense  research  and  learn- 
ing ;  and  is  invaluable  to  all  who  desire  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  th« 


INTRODUCTION.  1IX 

eubjects  on  which  it  treats.  Great  use  may  he  made  of  it  in  the  inter- 
pretration  of  the  Scriptures  ;  and  its  authority  has  often  been  used  in 
the  following  translation  and  notes.  There  is  repeated  mention  of 
animals  in  Isaiah  ;  and  in  no  other  work  known  to  me  can  so  accurate 
and  valuable  a  description  of  those  animals  be  found  as  in  Bochart. 

(13.)  Christology  of  the  Old  Testament  and  a  Commentary  on  the 
Predictions  of  the  Messiah,  by  the  Prophets.  By  E.  W.  Hengstenberg, 
Doctor  of  Phil,  and  Theol.,  Professor  of  the  latter  in  the  University  of 
Berlin.  Translated  from  the  German  by  Reuel  Keith,  I).  D.  Alexan- 
dria, 1836.  For  a  notice  of  Prof.  Hengstenberg,  and  the  character  of 
his  writings,  see  Biblical  Repository,  vol.  i.  p.  21.  The  first  vol.  of 
this  work  was  published  in  1829.  It  is  a  very  valuable  accession  to 
sacred  literature,  and  should  form  a  part  of  every  theological  library. 
It  evinces  great  learning;  accurate  research ;  and  is  deeply  imbued 
with  the  spirit  of  piety.  Its  fault  on  Isaiah  is,  that  there  are  many 
parts  of  this  prophet  which  should  be  regarded  as  predictions  of  the 
Messiah,  which  are  not  noticed,  or  so  regarded  in  his  work.  His  ex- 
positions of  those  parts  which  he  has  examined  (Isa.  ii.  iv.  vii.  viii.  23. 
ix.  1 — 6.  xi.  xii.  xl.  seq.)  are  very  valuable. 

(14.)  Oriental  Travellers.  In  regard  to  these,  the  main  design  is 
not  usually  to  demonstrate  the  truth  of  the  predictions  of  the  }  rophets, 
or  to  furnish  formal  expositions  of  the  meaning  of  the  passages  of 
Scripture.  The  illustration  of  the  sacred  writings  which  is  to  be  de- 
rived from  them,  is  mainly  incidental,  and  often  is  as  far  as  possible 
from  the  intention  of  the  traveller  himself.  The  illustrations  which 
are  derived  from  these  travels,  relate  particularly  to  manners,  rites,  cus- 
toms, usages,  modes  of  travelling,  conversation,  and  laws;  to  the  ani- 
mals which  are  mentioned  in  the  Bible  ;  to  houses,  articles  of  dress  and 
furniture;  and  more  especially  to  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecies.  In 
this  respect  almost  a  new  department  pertaining  to  the  truth  of  the 
Bible  has  been  opened  by  the  researches  of  modern  travellers.  Many 
of  the  older  commentaries  were  exceedingly  defective  and  unsatisfac- 
tory for  the  want  of  the  information  which  can  now  be  derived  from 
such  researches  ;  and  the  principal  advance  which  can  be  anticipated 
in  the  interpretation  of  the  prophecies,  is  probably  to  be  derived  from 
this  source.  In  this  respect  such  researches  are  invaluable,  and  par- 
ticularly in  the  exposition  of  Isaiah.  Some  of  the  most  complete  and 
irrefragable  demonstrations  of  the  inspiration  of  the  sacred  writings  are 
furnished  by  a  simple  comparison  of  the  predictions  with  the  descrip- 
tions of  places  mentioned  by  modern  travellers.  In  this  work,  I  have 
endeavoured  to  embody  the  results  of  these  inquiries  in  the  notes.  As 
an  illustration  of  the  kind  of  aid  to  be  expected  from  this  quarter,  I 
may  refer  to  the  notes  on  ch.  xiii.  xiv.  respecting  Babylon ;  ch.  xv.  xvi. 
respecting  Moab  ;  ch.  xxiii.  of  Tyre ;  and  ch.  xxxiv.  xxxv.  of  Edom. 
Perhaps  no  part  of  the  world  has  excited  more  the  attention  of  travel- 
lers than  those  where  the  scenes  of  Scripture  history  and  of  prophecy 
are  laid.  Either  for  commercial  purposes;  or  by  a  natural  desire  to 
visit  those  parts  of  the  earth  which  have  been  the  scenes  of  sacred 
events  ;  or  by  the  mere  love  of  adventure,  most  of  the  places  distin- 
guished either  in  history  or  in  prophecy  have  been  recently  explored. 


iX  INTRODUCTION 

The  sites  of  Babylon,  Nineveh.  Tyre.  Damascus,  and  Jerusalem  have- 
been  examined  ;  Lebanon.  Egypt,  Arabia,  and  Palestine  in  general 
have  been  visited  ;  and  even  Moab  and  Arabia  iiave  been  traversal. 
The  ancient  land  of  Idumea,  long  deemed  inaccessible,  now  Arabia 
Petraa.  has  been  explored  by  Burckhardt.  by  Captains  Irby  and  Man- 
gles, by  Laborde,  and  still  more  recently  by  our  own  countrymen,  Mr. 
Stephens,  and  by  Messrs.  Smith  and  Robinson.  The  capital  of  that 
once  celebrated  kingdom  has  been  discovered  and  examined  alter  it 
had  been  unknown  for  ages,  and  a  most  striking  fulfilment  of  tbe  sa- 
cred predictions  has  thus  been  furnished.  See  Notes  on  chs.  xvi. 
and  xxxiv.  Perhaps  tbere  is  no  department  of  sacred  learning  that 
promises  so  much  to  illustrate  the  Scriptures,  as  that  of  modern  travels. 
It  is  to  be  remembered  (to  use  the  words  of  Prof.  Bush),  that  as  "  the 
Bible,  in  its  structure,  spirit,  and  costume,  is  essentially  an  Eastern 
book,  it  is  obvious  that  the  natural  phenomena,  and  the  moral  condi- 
tion of  the  East,  should  be  made  largely  Tributary  to  its  elucidation. 
In  order  to  appreciate  fully  the  truth  of  its  descriptions,  and  the  accu 
racy,  force  and  beauty  of  its  various  allusions;  it  is  indispensable  that 
the  reader,  as  far  as  possible,  separate  himself  from  his  ordinary  asso" 
eiations,  and  put  himself  by  a  kind  of  mental  transmutation  into  the 
very  circumstances  of  the  writers.  He  must  sqt  himself  down  in  the 
midst  of  Oriental  scenery — gaze  upon  the  sun.  sky,  mountains  and 
rivers  of  Asia — go  forth  with  the  nomade  tribes  of  the  desert — follow 
their  flocks — travel  with  their  caravans — rest  in  their  terns — lodge  in 
their  khans — load  and  unload  their  camels — drink  at  their  watering 
places — pause  during  the  heat  of  the  day  under  their  palms — cultivate 
the  fields  with  their  own  rude  implements — gather  in  or  glean  after 
their  harvests — beat  out  and  ventilate  the  grain  in  their  open  threshing 
floors — dress  in  their  costume — note  their  proverbial  or  idiomatic  forms 
of  speech,  and  listen  to  the  strain  of  song  or  story  with  which  they  be- 
guile their  vacant  hours."  Pref.  to  Illustrations  of  the  Scriptures.  To' 
use  the  words  of  a  late  writer  in  the  London  Quarterly  Preview.  '•  we 
confess  that  we  have  felt  more  surprise,  delight  and  conviction  in  ex- 
amining the  account  which  the  travels  of  Burckhardt,  Mangles,  Irby, 
Leigh,  and  Laborde  have  so  recently  given  ofJudea,  Edom,  &c.  than 
we  have  ever  Jerived  from  any  similar  inquiry:  it  seems  like  a  mira- 
cle in  our  own  times.  Twenty  years  ago,  we  read  certain  portions  of 
tbe  prophetic  Scriptures  with  a  belief  that  they  were  true,  because 
other  similar  passages  had,  m  the  coarse  of  ages,  been  proved  to  be  so. 
and  we  had  an  indistinct  notion  that  ail  these  (to  us)  obscure  and  indefi- 
nite denunciations  had  been — we  knew  not  very  well  when  or  how — 
accomplished  ;  but  to  have  graphic  descriptions,  grpund  plans  and  ele- 
vations, showing  the  actual  existence  of  all  the  heretofore  vague  and 
saadowy  denunciations  of  God  against  Ed  en.  does,  we  confess,  excite 
our  feelings,  and  exalt  our  confidence  in  prophecy  to  a  height  that  no 
external  evidence  has  hitherto  done.  Here  we  nave,  bursting  upon 
our  age  of  incredulity,  by  the  labours  of  aci  dental,  impartial,  and 
sometimes  incredulous  witnesses,  the  certain t}  of  existing  facts,  which 
fullil  w'mt  were  hitherto  considered  the  most  vague  and  least  intelli- 
gible of  all  the  prophecies.     The  value  of  one  such  contemporaneous 


NTRODUCTION. 


bu 


proof  is  immense."    "  It  is,"  to  use  the  language  of  the  Biblical  Reposi- 
tory (vol.  ix.  pp.  456,  457),  "sensible  evidence,  graven  on  the  eternal 
rocks,  and  to  endure  till  those  rocks  shall  melt  in  the  final  catastrophe 
of  earth.     The  exactness  between  the  prediction  and  the  fulfilment  is 
wonderful.     The  evidence  for  the  truth  of  the  prophecies  is  sometimes 
said  to  be  cumulative  ;  but  here  we  have  a  new  vo.ume  at  once  opened 
to  our  view  ;  a  sudden  influx  of  overpowering  light.     It  is  a  monu 
mental  miracle,  an  attestation  to  the  truth  of  God  wrought  into  the  very 
framework  of  the  globe."     Review  of  Laborde's  Journey  to  Petra.     1 
may  be  added,  that  the  sources  of  information  on  these  interesting  sub 
jects  are  becoming  very  numerous,  and  already  leave  little  to  be  do 
sired.     To  see  this,  it  is  sufficient  to  mention  the  following  : 
Roberts'  Oriental  Illustrations, 
Maundrell's  Journey  from  Aleppo  to  Jerusalem, 
Volney's  Travels  through  Egypt,  and  Syria, 
Mariti's  Travels  through  Cyprus,  Syria  and  Palestine, 
Russell's  Natural  History  of  Aleppo, 
Clarke's  Travels  in  the  Holy  Land, 
Burckhardt's  Travels  in  Syria, 

Travels  in  Nubia  and  Egypt, 

Keppel's  Narrative  of  a  Journey  from  India  to  England, 
Morier's  Journey  through  Persia, 
Jowett's  Christian  Researches, 
Burnes'  Travels  in  Bokhara, 

Laborde's  Journey  to  Petra,  . 

and  the  travels  of  Chandler,  Pocoke.  Shaw,  Pitts,  Niebuhr-the  '  prince 
of  travellers '-Porter,  Seetzen ;  from  all  of  whom  valuable  illus- 
trations  may  be  derived,  and  confirmations  of  the  truths  ol  the  fecrip- 
ttire  prophecies.  Of  all  the  works  of  this  description,  the  most  valuable 
for  an  accurate  exposition  of  the  Scriptures,  in  relation  to  the  geogra- 
phy of  the  Holy  Land,  is  the  recent  work  of  our  own  countrymen—-  Uib- 
iical  Researches  in  Palestine,  Mount  Sinai,  and  Arabia  Petraea  a 
journal  of  Travels  in  the  year  1838,  by  E.  Robinson  and  E.  bmitn. 
3  vols.  8vo.  1841. 


THE   PROPHET   ISAIAH. 


CHAPTER   I. 


ANALYSIS  OF  THE  CHAPTER. 

This  chapter  contains,  I.  the  Inscription,  or  title  to  the  whole  book  of  Isaiah  (ver.  1) ;  an t,  II. 
to  entire  prophecy  respecting  the  land  of  Judah.    In  regard  to  .the  title  see  the  Notes  on  ver.  1 

The  remainder  ot  the  chapter  (ver.  2-31)  comprises  a  single  prophecy,  complete  in  itself  and 
evidently  delivered  on  a  single  occasion.  It  has  no  immediate  connexion  with  that  which  follows 
fhough  it  m ay  b.  ve  been  delivered  about  the  same  period..  When  it  was  delivered  is  not  known 
We  are  ..formed  (ch.  vi.  1)  that  the  vision  of  Jehovah,  which  Isaiah  had  in  the  temple,  occurred 
during  !he  last  year  of  the  reign  of  Uzziah.  The  only  indication  which  we  can  have  of  the  time 
when  this  prophecy  was  uttered,  is  to  be  derived  fro...  Its  location,  and  Iron, .the  accordance  of its 
com enls  w  ih  the  state  of  things  in  Judea.  It  is  evident  that  the  author  of  the  arrangement,  who- 
ever he  was,  regarded  it  as  properly  placed  in  the  order  of  time  before  the  account  of  the  vision  of 
Jehovah,  i.  e.  as  having  been  uttered  before  the  death  of  Uzziah.  Nor  are  the  contents  of 
such  a  nature  as  to  render  it  improbable  that  the  collector,  has  followed  the  natural  order  in 
which  the  prophecies  were  delivered.  On  some  accounts,  indeed,  it  might  better  be  regarded 
as  spoken  during  the  reign  of  Ahaz;  but  at  any  time  of  the  Jewish  history  ,n  which  Isaiah 
lived,  it  is  not  an  inappropriate  description  of  the  character  of  the  Jewish  peop  e.  There  is 
one  internal  indication  indeed  that  it  was  not  delivered  in  the  time  ot  Ahaz  Ahaz  had  tilled 
the  land  with  the  groves  ami  altars  ol  idolatry.  See  the  Introduction,  §.3  But  this  p.Oj-hecy  does 
not  allude  to  idolatry,  as  the  leading  and  characteristic  sin.  It  is  a  description  of  a  people  who  still 
kep "up  the  form  of  the  worship  of  Jehovah;  of  a  people  deeply  depraved  indeed,  and  suffering  un- 
der the  tokens  of  the  Divine  displeasure,  but  who  were  professedly  the  worshippers  of  the  true  God. 
It  is  descriptive  of  a  time  when  the  nation  was  distinguished  lor  hypocrisy,  rather  than  idolatry.  It 
naturally  falls,  therefore,  into  the  time  of  Uzziah,  or  Jotham.-as  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  if  deliv- 
ered during  the  reign  of  Hezek.ah,  it  would  be  so  far  misplaced  as  to  constitute  the  introductory 
Chapter  to  the  whole  series  of  prophecies.  In  regard  to  the  time  when  it  was  uttered,  and  the  tuna 
to  which  it  refers,  there  have  been  v.  ry  dirlerent  opinions.  Abarbanel,  Grotius,  and  Rosenmiiller, 
suppose  that  it  refers  to  the  times  of  Uzziah ;  Oe  Wette  supposes  that  it  relates  to  the  reign  of 
Jo  nam  i  Piscator,  Hensler,  Arnold,  regard  it  as  relating  to  the  reign  ot  Ahaz  i  and  Jarchi,  Vitringa, 
and  Eichhorn,  refer  it  to  the  times  of  Hezekiah.  In  such  a  variety  of  opinion  it  is  impossible  to  fix 
the  time  with  any  certainty.  Nor  is  it  verv  material.  It  was  not  an  inappropriate  description  of  the 
general  character  of  the  Jewish  people  ;  and  there  car.  be  no  doubt  that  there  were  times  during  the 
long  prophetic  life  of  Isaiah,  whe„  it  would  be  found  to  accord  fully  with  the  condition  of  he 
nation  Unhappily,  also,  there  are  times  in  the  church  now,  when  it  is  fully  descriptive  of  the 
character  of  the  professed  people  of  God,  and  it  contains  truths,  and  fearful  denunciations,  not  less 
appropriate  to  them,  than  they  were  to  the  people  who  lived  in  the  time  of  Isaiah. 

The  prophecy  is  highly  objurgatory  and  severe  in  its  character.  It  is  made  up  of  reproof,  and  of 
assurances  that  the  evils  which  they  were  suffering  were  for  their  hypocrisy,  and  other  sins  It  com- 
mences with  a  solemn  and  very  sublime  address  to  heaven  and  earth  to  witness  the  deep  depravity, 
and  the  pervading  corruption  of  the  land  of  Judah.  It  was  such  as  was  adapted  to  attract  the  atten  ion, 
and  to  amaze-  all  beings  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  vs.  2-4.  The  prophet  then  proceeds  to  state  that  he 
existing  calamities  of  the  nation  bad  been  inflicted  on  account  of  their  sins,  and  that  for  those  sins  the 
land  was  laid  waste,  vs.  5-9.  Yet  they  kept  up  the  appearance  of  religion.  They  were  constant  and 
re-ular  externally,  in  offering  sacrifices.  But  their  character  was  deeply  hypocritical. .  The  services  of 
God  were  so  lake  and  hollow  that  he  spurned  and  despised  them.  They  were  a  weariness  to  him,  and 
a  burden  vs  10-15.  The  prophet  then  calls  on  the  sinful  nation  to  turn  from  their  sins,  and  to  seek 
God,  with  the  assurance  that  he  was  willing  to  readmit  them  to  his  favour ;  to  pardon  all  their  crimes, 
and  to  receive  them  as  his  own  children,  vs.  16-20.  If  they  did  not  do  it,  he  assures  them  that 
heavier  iudrments  would  come  upon  them  than  they  had  yet  experienced,  vs.  21—25;  and  that  God 
would  so  deal  with  them  as  to  effect  a  change  in  the  nation  and  to  restore  the  happier  and  purer 
Btate  of  things  existing  in  former  days.  The  wicked  would  be  punished,  and  Zion  would  he 
redeemed,  vs.  26—31. 


THE  vision"  of  Isaiah,  the  son 
of  Amoz,  which  he  saw  con- 
cerning Judah  and  Jerusalem,  in 

a  Num.  12.  6. 

1.   The  Vision.     The  first  verse  evi- 
dently is  a  title,  but  whether  to  the 


the  days6  of  Uzziah,  Jotham, 
Ahaz,  and  Hezekiah,  kings  of 
Judah. 

0  2  Ch-  26.  32. 

whole  book  or  only  to  a  part  of  it  ha* 
been  questioned.     As  it  stand*  here* 


64 


ISAIAH. 


[E  C.  76ft 


however,  it  seems  clearly  intended  to 
include  the  entire  book, because  it  em- 
braces all  that  Was  seen  during  the 
reigns  of  Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahaz,  and 
Hezekiah;  that  is,  during  the  whole 
prophetic  life  of  the  prophet  The 
same  title  is  also  given  to  his  prophe- 
cies in  2  Chron.  xxxii.  3:2:  "  Now  the 
rest  of  the  acts  of  Hezekiah,  and  his 
goodness,  behold  they  are  written  in 
the  vision  of  Isaiah."  Vitringa  supposes 
that  the  former  part  of  this  title,  "  the 
vision  of  Isaiah,''  was  at  fust  affixed 
to  the  single  prophecy  contained  in  the 
first  chapter,  and  that  the  latter  part 
was  inserted  afterwards  as  an  intro- 
duction to  the  whole  hook.  This  might 
have  been  done  by  Isaiah  himself  it 
he  collected  his  prophecies  into  a  vo- 
lume, or  by  some  other  inspired  man 
who  collected  and  arranged  them.  See 
the  Introduction  to  ch.  xxxvi. — The 
word  vision,  *pTC!  hhazon,  denotes 
properly  that  which  is  seen,  from  the 
verb  fjn  hhdzA,  to  see,  to  bekotd. 
It  is  a  term  which  is  often  used  'da 
reference  to  the  prophecies  of  the  Old 
Testament.  Num.  xii.  6,  xxiv.  4. 
1  Sam.  iii.  1.  Ps.  lxxxix.  19-  Dan. 
ii.  19,  vii  2,  viii.  1.  Nah.  i.  1.  Gen. 
xv.  1.  Isa.  xxi.  2,  xxii.  1.  Hence  the 
prophets  were  anciently  called  Seers, 
as  those  who  saw  or  witnessed  events 
which  were  yet  to  come.  Comp  1  Sam. 
ix  9 :  "  He  that  is  now  called  a  Prophet 
was  beforetime  called  a  Scr.r."  1  Sam. 
ix.  11,  IS,  19.  1  Chron.  ix.  22,  xxix. 
29.  2Kingsxviii.  13.  In  these  visions, 
the  objects  probably  were  made  to  pass 
before  the  mind  of  the  prophet  as  a 
picture  in  which  the  various  events 
were  delineated  svith  more  or  less  dis- 
tinctness, and  the  prophecies  were 
spoken,  or  recorded,  as  the  visions  ap- 
peared to  the  observer.  As  many 
events  could  be  represented  only  by 
symbols,  those  symbols  became  a  mat- 
ter of  record,  and  are  often  left  with- 
out explanation.  On  the  nature  of  the 
prophetic  visions,  see  Introduction,  §  7. 
(4.)  t  Of  Isaiah.  The  name  Isaiah 
•irp?^  from  ",*?'1.  Yesha' — salvation, 
help,  deliverance — and  ■",jn>?  Yehova 
or  Jehovah,  means    salvatu  n  of  Jeho- 


vah,' or  'Jehovah  \«ill  save.'  The 
Vulgate  renders  it  Isaias  ;  the  LXX. 
Ht'hk  /'.sains.  This  is  also  retained 
in  the  New  Testament.  Matt.  iii.  3, 
iv.  14,  xii.  17,  xv.  7.  Mark  vii.  6. 
Luke  iv.  17.  John  xii.  39.  Acts  viii. 
28.  Rom  ix.  27,  &c.  &c.  In  the 
book  of  Isaiah  itself  we  find  the  form 
l1"1??^1?  Yesha'yd/ut,  but  in  the  in- 
scription the  Rabbins  give  the  form 
ft"!?^"1  Yeslia'yu.  It  was  common 
among  the  Hebrews  to  incorporate  the 
name  Jehovah,  or  a  part  of  it,  into 
their  proper  names.  See  Note  on  ch. 
vii.  14.  Probably  the  object  of  this 
was  to  express  veneration  or  regard 
for  him  —  as  we  now  give  the  name  of 
a  patent  or  friend  to  a  child  ;  or  in 
many  cases  the  name  may  have  been 
given  to  record  some  signal  act  of  mer- 
cy on  the  part  of  God,  or  some  special 
interposition  of  his  goodness.  The 
practice  of  incorporating  the  name  of 
the  God  that  was  worshipped  into 
proper  names  was  common  in  the  East. 
Thus  the  name  Del,  the  principal  idol 
worshipped  in  Babylon,  appears  in  the 
proper  names  of  the  kings,  as  Bel- 
shazzar,  ■Sec.  Comp.  Note,  ch.  xlvi.  1. 
It  is  not  known  that  the  name  was 
given  to  Isaiah  with  any  reference  to 
the  nature  of  the  prophecies  which  he 
would  deliver  ;  but  it  is  a  remarkable 
circumstance  that  it  coincides  so  en- 
tirely with  the  design  of  so  large  a 
portion  of  his  predictions.  The  sub- 
stance of  the  latter  portion  of  the  book, 
at  least,  is  the  sdbodtion  which  Jeho- 
vah would  effect  for  his  people  from 
their  oppressors  in  Babylon,  and  the 
far  mightier  deliverance  which  the 
world  would  experience  under  the 
Messiah.  IT  The  son  of  Amoz. — See 
the  Introduction,  §  2.  H  Concerning 
Judah.  The  Jews  after  the.  death  of 
Solomon  were  divided  into  two  king- 
doms ;  the  kingdom  of  Judah,  and  of 
Israel,  or  Ephraim.  The  kingdom  of 
Judith,  included  the  tribes  of  Judah  aitd 
Benjamin.  Benjamin  was  a  small 
tribe,  and  it  was  not  commonly  men- 
tioned, or  the  name  was  lost  in  that  of 
Judah.  The  kingdom  of  Israel,  oi 
Ephraim,  included  the  remaining  ten 


B  C.760.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


8a 


2  Hear/  O  heavens  ;  and  give 
ear,  O  earth  ;  for  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  :   I   hove    nourished    and 

tribes.  Few  of  the  prophets  appeared 
among  them  ;  and  the  personal  minis'-' 
try  of  Isaiah  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  ai  all  extended  to  them.  IF  Jeru* 
salem  The  capital  of  the  kingdom  of 
Judah.  It  was  on  the  dividing  line  be- 
tween the  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin. 
It  is  supposed  to  have  been  founded 
by  Melcliizedek,  who  is  called  king  of 
Salem  (Gen.  xiv.  18),  and  who  is  sup- 
posed to  have  given  this  name  Salem 
to  it.  This  was  about  2000  years 
before  Christ.  About  a  century  after 
its  foundation  as  a  city,  it  was  cap- 
tured by  the  Jebusites,  who  extended 
its  walls  and  built  a  citadel  on  Mount 
Zion.  By  them  it  was  called  Jebus. 
In  the  conquest  of  Canaan,  Joshua  put 
to  death  its  king  (Josh.  x.  23),  and 
obtained  possession  of  the  town,  which 
was  jointly  occupied  by  the  Hebrews 
and  Jebusites  until  the  latter  were  ex- 
pelled by  David,  who  made  it  the  capi- 
tal of  his  kingdom  under  the  name  of 
Jebus-Salem,  or,  for  the  sake  of  easier 
pronunciation  by  changing  the  2  B 
into  "l  R,  Jerusalem.  After  the  revolt 
of  the  ten  tribes,  it  of  course  became 
the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Judah. 
It  was  built  on  hills,  or  rocks,  and  was 
capable  of  being  strongly  fortified,  and 
was  well  adapted  to  be  the  capital  of 
the  nation.  For  a  more  full  descrip- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  see  Notes  on  Matth. 
ii.  1.  The  vision  which  is  here  spoken 
of  as  having  been  seen  respecting  Ju- 
dah and  Jerusalem,  pertains  only  to 
this  chapter.  See  ch.  ii.  1.  V  In  the 
days  of  UzziaJi.  In  the  time,  or  during 
the  reign  of  Uzziah.  2  Chron.  xxvi. 
Comp.  Intro.  §  3.  He  was  sixteen 
years  old  when  he  began  to  reign,  and 
reigned  fifty-two  years.  It  is  not 
affirmed  or  supposed  that  Isaiah  began 
to  prophesy  at  the  commencement  of 
his  reign.  The  first  part  of  the  long 
reign  of  Uzziah  was  prosperous.  He 
gained  important  victories  over  his 
enemies,  and  fortified  his  kingdom 
•  Chron.  xxvi.  5-15.     He  had  under 


brought  up  children/   and  they 
have  rebelled  against  me  : 

C  De.  32.  1.   Je.  2.  12.    Mi.  1.  2.     d  ch.  63.  IS. 


him  an  army  of  more  than  three  hun- 
dred thousand  men.  But  he  became 
proud — attempted  an  act  of  sacrilege — 
was  smitten  of  God  and  died  a  leper. 
But  though  the  kingdom  under  Uzziah 
was  flourishing,  yet  it  had  in  it  the 
elements  of  decay.  During  the  pre- 
vious reign  of  Joash,  it  had  been  in- 
vaded and  weakened  by  the  Assyrians, 
and  a  large  amount  of  wealth  had 
been  taken  to  Damascus  the  capital  of 
Syria.  2  Chron.  xxiv.  23,  24.  It  is 
not  improbable,  that  those  ravages  were 
repeated  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
reign  of  Uzziah.  Comp.  Isa.  i.  7. 
If  Jotham.  He  began  to  reign  at  the 
age  of  twenty-five  years,  and  reigned 
sixteen  years.  2  Chron.  xxvii.  1,  2. 
H  Ahaz.  He  began  to  reign  at  the  age 
of  twenty,  and  reigned  sixteen  years. 
He  was  a  wicked  man,  and  during  his 
reign  the  kingdom  was  involved  in 
crimes  and  calamities.  2  Chron.  xxviii. 
IT  Hezekiah.  He  was  a  virtuous  and 
upright  prince.  He  began  his  reign  at 
the  age  of  twenty-five  years,  and  reign- 
ed twenty-nine.  2  Chron.  xxix.  See 
the  Introduction  §  3. 

2.  Hear,  O  heavens.  This  is  pro- 
perly the  beginning  of  the  prophecy. 
It  is  a  sublime  commencement  ;  and 
is  of  a  highly  poetic  character.  The 
heavens  and  the  earth  are  summoned  to 
bear  witness  to  the  apostacy,  ingratitude, 
and  deep  depravity  of  the  chosen  peo- 
ple of  God  The  address  is  expressive 
of  deep  feeling, — the  bursting  forth  of 
a  heart  filled  with  amazement  at  a 
wonderful  and  unusual  event.  The 
same  sublime  beginning  is  found  in  the 
song  of  Moses,  Deut.  xxxii.  1 : 

Give  ear,  0  ye  heaveng,  and  1  will  speak  ; 
And  hoar,  O  earth,  the  words  of  my  mouth. 

Comp.  Ps  iv.  3,  4.  Thus  also  the 
prophets  often  invoke  the  hills  and 
mountains  to  hear  them.  Ezek.  vi.  3  : 
"  Ye  mountains  of  Israel,  hear  the 
words  of  the  Lord  God  :  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  God  to  the  mountains,  and  to  the 


66 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


hills,  and  to  the  rivers,  and  to  the  val- 
levs  "  Comp.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  1.  "Be 
astonished,  O  ye  heavens,  at  this,  and 
be  horribly  afraid,  be  ye  very  desolate, 
saith  the  Lord."  Jer.  ii.  12.  By  the 
heavens  therefore,  in  this  place,  we  are 
not  to  understand  the  inhabitants  of 
heaven,  i.  e.  the  angels,  any  more  than 
by  the  hills  we  are  to  understand  the 
inhabitants  of  the  mountains.  It  is 
high  poetic  language,  denoting  the 
importance  of  the  subject,  and  the  re- 
markable and  amazing  truth  to  which 
the  attention  was  to  be  called.  V  Give 
ear,  O  earth.  It  was  common  thus  to 
address  the  earth  on  any  remarkable 
occasion,  especially  any  one  implying 
warm  expostulation.  Jer.  v.  19,  xxii. 
29.  Micah  i.  2,  vi.  2.  Isa.  xxxiv.  1, 
xlix.  13.  IT  For.  Since  it  is  Jehovah 
that  speaks,  all  the  universe  is  sum- 
moned to  attend.  Comp.  Ps.  xxxiii. 
8, 9  :  "  Let  all  the  earth  fear  the  Lord  ; 
let  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  world 
stand  in  awe  of  him.  For  he  spake 
and  it  was  done  ;  he  commanded  and 
it  stood  fast."  T  The  Lord. — Mfrfl 
Yehova,  or  Jehovah.  The  small  capi- 
tals used  here  and  elsewhere  through- 
out the  Bible,  in  printing  the  word 
Lord,  denote  that  the  original  word  is 
Jehovah.  It  is  derived  from  the  verb 
■T^n  hiiyd,  to  be ;  and  is  used  to  de- 
note being,  or  the  fountain  of  being,  and 
can  be  applied  only  to  the  true  God. 
Comp  Ex.  iii.  14 :  "  And  God  said 
unto   Moses,  I  AM  THAT  I  AM," 

rrna  nttix  rrjrix .  Ex.  vi.  3.  Num. 

xi.  21.  Isa.  xlvii.  8.  It  is  a  name 
which  is  never  given  to  idols,  or  con- 
ferred on  a  creature  ;  and  though  it 
occurs  often  in  the  Hebrew  Scriptures, 
as  is  indicated  by  the  small  capitals, 
yet  our  translators  have  retained  it  but 
fcur  times.  Ex.  vi.  3.  Ps.  lxxxiii.  18. 
Isa.  xii.  2.  xxvi.  4.  In  combination 
however  with  other  names,  it  occurs 
often.  Thus  in  Isaiah,  meaning  the 
salvation  of  Jehovah  ;  Jeremiah,  the 
exaltation  or  grandeur  of  Jehovah,  &c. 
Comp.  Gen.  xxii.  14:  "  Abraham  call- 
ed the  name  of  the  place  Jehovah- 
jireh."  Ex.  rvii.  15.  Judges  vi.  24. 
fclzek.  xlviii.  35.    The  Jews  never  pro- 


nounced this  name,  not  even  in  read- 
ing their  own  Scriptures.  So  sacred 
did  they  deem  it,  that  when  it  occurred 
in  their  books,  instead  of  the  word 
Jehovah,  they  substituted  the  word 
Adonai,  "'J*1^  Lord.  Our  translators 
have  shown  respect  to  this  feeling  of 
the  Jews  in  regard  to  the  suorednesa 
of  the  name  ;  and  hence,  have  render- 
ed it  by  the  name  of  Lord — a  word 
which  by  no  means  conveys  the  sense 
of  the  word  Jehovah.  It  would  have 
been  an  advantage  to  our  version  if  the 
word  Jehovah  had  been  retained  wher- 
ever it  occurs  in  the  original.  IT  I  have 
nourished.  Heb.  I  have  made  great, 
^•J??  •  In  Piel,  the  word  means  to 
make  great,  to  cause  to  grow ;  as  e.  g. 
the  hair  ;  Num.  vi.  5,  plants,  Isa.  xliv. 
14  ;  then  to  educate  or  bring  up  chil- 
dren. Isa.  xlix.  21,  41,  13.  2  Kings 
x.  6.  V  And  brought  up.  'traa'H 
romdmti,  from  Q'n  rum,  to  lift  up 
or  exalt.  In  Piel  it  means  to  bring  up, 
nourish,  educate.  Isaiah  xxiii.  4.  These 
words,  though  applied  often  to  the 
training  up  of  children,  yet  are  here 
used  also  to  denote  the  elevation  to 
which  they  had  been  raised.  He  had 
not  merely  trained  them  up,  but  he  had 
trained  them  up  to  an  elevated  station  ; 
to  peculiar  honour  and  privileges. 
IT  Children.  Heb.  D^pa  banim — sons. 
They  were  the  adopted  children  of 
God  ;  and  they  are  represented  as 
bei.:g  weak,  and  ignorant,  atid  help- 
less as  children,  when  he  took  them 
under  his  fatherly  protection  and  care. 
Hosea  xi.  1  :  "  When  Israel  was  a 
child,  then  1  loved  him,  and  called  my 
son  out  of  Eiiypt."  Comp.  Note,  Matth. 
ii.  15.  Isa.  lxiii.  8—16.  IT  They  have 
rebelled.  This  complaint  was  often 
brought  against  the  Jews.  Comp.  Isa. 
lxiii.  10.  Jer.  ii.  6,  7,  8. — This  is  the 
sum  of  the  charge  agaii^t  them.  God 
had  shown  them  peculiar  favours.  He 
recounted  his  mercy  in  bringing  them 
out  of  Egypt ;  and  on  the  ground  of 
this,  he  demanded  obedience  and  love. 
Comp.  Ex.  xx.  1,  2,  3.  And  yet  they 
had  forgotten  him,  and  rebelled  against 
him.     The  Targum  of  Jonathan,  an 


1 


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CHAPTER  I. 


67 


3  The  oxh  knoweth  his  owner, 
and  the  ass  his  master's  crib  :  but 
Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people 

k  Jer.  8.  7. 

ancient  Chaldee  version,  has  well  ex- 
pressed the  idea  here.  "  Hear,  O  hea- 
vens, which  were  moved  when  I  gave 
my  law  to  my  people  ;  give  ear,  0 
eaith,  which  didst  tremble  before  my 
word,  for  the  Lord  has  spoken.  My 
people,  the  house  of  Israel,  whom  I 
called  sons, — I  loved  them, — I  honour- 
ed them,  and  they  rebelled  against  me." 
The  same  is  true  substantially  of  all 
sinners  ;  and  alas,  how  often  may  a 
similar  expostulation  be  made  with  the 
professed  people  of  God  ! 

3.  The  ox,  &c.  The  design  of  this 
comparison  is  to  show  the  great  stu- 
pidity and  ingratitude  of  the  Jews. 
Even  the  least  sagacious  and  most 
stupid  of  the  animals,  destitute  as  they 
are  of  reason  and  conscience,  evince 
knowledge  and  submission  far  more 
than  the  professed  people  of  God.  The 
ox  is  a  well  known  domestic  animal, 
remarkable  for  patient  willingness  to 
toil,  and  for  submission  to  his  owner. 
^  Knoweth  his  owner.  Recognizes, 
or  is  submissive  to  him.  IT  The  ass. 
A  well  known  animal,  proverbial"  for 
dulness  and  stupidity.  1T  His  master's 
crib.  O^it  from  03X  abas,  to  heap 
up,  and  then  to  fatten.  Hence  it  is 
applied  to  the  stall,  barn,  or  crib,  where 
cattle  are  fed,  or  made  fat.  Job  xxxix. 
9.  Prov.  xiv.  4.  The  ass  has  suffi- 
cient knowledge  to  understand  that  his 
support  is  derived  from  that.  The  idea 
is,  that  the  ox  was  more  submissive  to 
laws  than  the  Jews  ;  and  that  even  the 
most  stupid  animal  better  knew  whence 
support  was  to  be  derived,  than  they 
did  the  source  of  their  comfort  and 
protection.  The  ass  would  not  wan- 
der away,  and  the  ox  would  not  rebel 
as  they  had  done.  This  comparison 
was  very  striking,  and  very  humiliat- 
ing, and  nothing  could  be  more  fitted  to 
oring  down  their  pride.  A  similar 
comparison  is  elsewhere  used.  Thus, 
in  Jer.  viii.  7,  the  Jews  are  contrasted 
with  the  stork :  "  Yea,  the  stork  in  the 


doth  not  consider. 

4  Ah,  sinful  nation,  a  people 
'laden  with*  iniquity,  a  seed  of 

1  of  heaviness.       k  Matth.  it.  21. 

heaven  knoweth  her  appointed  times  ; 
and  the  turtle  [dove],  and  the  crane, 
and  the  swallow,  observe  the  time  of 
their  coming  ;  but  my  people  know  not 
the  judgment  of  the  Lord."  This 
idea  has  been  beautifully  expressed  by 
Watts  : 

The  brutes  obey  their  God, 

And  bow  ihuir  nocks  to  men  : 

But  we  more  base,  more  brutish  things, 

Keject  hit;  easy  reign. 

Comp.  Hos.  xi.  4.  IT  But  Israel.  The 
name  Israel,  though  after  the  division 
of  the  tribes  into  two  kingdoms  speci- 
fically employed  to  denote  that  of  the 
ten  tribes,  is  often  used  in  the  more 
general  sense  to  denote  the  whole  peo- 
ple of  the  Jews,  including  the  kingdom 
of  Judah.  It  refers  here  to  the  king- 
dom of  Judah,  though  a  name  is  used 
which  is  not  inappropriately  charac- 
teristic of  the  whole  people.  IT  Doth 
not  know.  The  Latin  Vulgate,  the 
Septuagint,  and  the  Arabic,  add  the 
word  "  me."  The  word  know  is  used 
in  the  sense  of  recognizing  him  as  their 
Lord  ;  of  acknowledging  him,  or  sub- 
mitting to  him.  T  Doth  not  consider. 
Heb.  Do  not  understand.  They  have 
a  stupidity  greater  than  the  brute. 

4.  Ah  .'  sinful  nation.  The  word 
rendered  "  ah  !" — tfHn  hoy — is  not  a 
mere  exclamation,  expressing  astonish- 
ment. It  is  rather  an  interjection,  de- 
nouncing threatening,  or  punishment. 
'  Wo  to  the  sinful  nation.'  Vulg.  "  Vae 
genti  peccatrici."  The  corruption  per- 
tained to  the  nation,  and  not  merely  to 
a  part.  It  had  become  general.  V  La~ 
den  with  iniquity.  The  word  trans- 
lated laden — "*23 — denotes  proper- 
ly any  thing  heavy,  or  burdensome  ; 
from  "133  kdbhddh,  to  be  heavy.  It 
means  that  they  were  oppressed,  a~d 
borne  down  with  the  weight  of  the.r 
sins.  Thus  we  say,  Sin  sits  heavy  on 
the  conscience.  Thus  Cain  said,  "  My 
punishment  is  greater  than  I  can  bear." 
Gen.  iv.  13.     The  word  is  applied  to 


68 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760. 


evil-doers,  children  that  are  cor- 
rupters !  they  have  forsaken  the 
Lord,   they    have    provoked  the 

an  employment  as  being  burdensome. 
Exod.  xviii.  18  :  "  This  thing  is  too 
heavy  for  th'e."  Num.  xi.  14  :  "  I  am 
not  able  to  bi  ar  all  this  people  alone  ; 
it  is  too  heavy  for  me."  It  is  applied 
also  to  heavy,  se- 

vere, distressing.  Gen.  xii.  It) :  "  For 
the  famine  was  grievous  i"1?^  heavy) 
in  the  land."  Gen.  xii.  31.  It  is  also 
applie  I  ti  eing  heavy,  dull, 

unintelligible.  Ex.  iv.  10:  "Iamslow 
(heavy  t^S)  of  speech,  and  of  a  slow 
.y  113)  tongue."  It  is  not  ap-' 
[died  to  sin  in  the  Seriptnres,  except 
in  this  place,  or  except  in  the  sense 
of  making  atonement  for  it.  The 
idea  however  is  very  striking, — 
that  of  a  nation — an  entire  people, 
bowed  and  crashed  under  the  enor- 
•Tious  weight  of  accumulated  erimes. 
To  pardon  iniquity,  or  to  atone  for  it, 
is  represented  by  bearing  . .,  as  if  it 
were  a  heavy  burden.  Ex.  xxviii.  .38, 
43.  "  That  Aaron  may  bear  the  ini- 
quity of  the  holy  things."  Lev.  x.  17  : 
"  God  hath  given  it  you  to  bear  the  ini- 
quity of  the  congregation."  Lev.  xxii. 
9,xvi.  22.  Num  xviii.  1.  Isa.  liii.  6: 
"  Jehovah  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniqui- 
ty of  us  all."  11 :  "  He  shall  bear  their 
iniquities."  1  Pet.  ii.  24:  "  Who  his 
own  self  bai  e  our  sins  in  his  own  body 
on  the  tree."  IT  A  seed.  5H|  zerd', 
from  "  jj  zdrd',  to  sow,  to  scatter,  to 
disperse.  It  is  applied  to  seed  sown 
in  a  field  ;  Judges  vi.  B.  Gen.  i.  11, 12, 
xlvii.  23  ;  to  plants  set  out,  or  engraft- 
ed ;  or  to  planting,  or  transplanting  a 
nation.  Isa.  xvii  10:  "  And  thou  shalt 
set  it  pi?"?!'?  shalt  sow,  or  plant  it] 
with  strange  slips."  Hence  it  is  ap- 
plied to  children,  posterity,  descend- 
ants, from  th<-  resemblance  to  seed 
sown,  and  to  a  harvest  springing  up, 
and  spreading.  The  word  is  applied 
by  way  of  eminence  to  the  Jews,  as 
being  the  seed  or  posterity  of  Abra- 
ham, according  to  the  promise  that  his 
seed  should  be  as  the  stars  of  heaven. 


Holy  One  of  Israel  into  anger 
they  are2  gone  away  backward. 

2  alienated,  or  separated.    Pa.  58.  3. 

Gen.  xii.  7.  xiii.  15,  16,  xv.  5,  18, 
Xvii.  7,  &C  IT  Children.  Heb.  sons — 
the  same  word  that  is  used  in  ver.  2. 
They  were  the  adopted  people  or  sons 
of  God,  but  they  had  now  become  cor- 
rupt. TThat  are  corrupters,  cr^nttJB 
m&shhithim,  from  rn'JJ  sh&hhath, 
to  destroy,  to  lay  waste,  as  an  invad- 
ing army  does  a  city  or  country.  Josh. 
xxii.  33.  Gen.  xix.  13.  To  destrok 
a    viie  xii.   10.     To   bn 

down  walls,  Ezek.  xxvi.  4.  Applied 
to  conduct,  it  means  to  destroy,  or  lay 

virtuous  principles  ;  to  break 
down  the  burriers  to  vice  ;  to  corrupt 
i     ■  morals.     Gen.  vi.  12:  "And  God 

upon  the  earth,  and  it  was  cor- 
rupt— n~n'i3  ; — for  all  flesh  had  cor- 
rupted his  way — n*TTDrl — upon  the 
earth."  Deut.  iv.  16.  xxxi.  29i  Judges 
ii.  ID.  They  were  not  merely  corrupt 
themselves,  but  they  corrupted  others 
by  their  example. — This  is  always  the 
case.  When  men  become  infidels  and 
profligates  themselves,  they  seek  to 
make  as  many  more  so  as  possible. 
The  Jews  did  this  by  their  wicked 
lives.  The  same  charge  is  often  brought 
against  them.  See  Judges  ii.  12.  Zeph. 
iii.  7.  11  They  have  provoked.  ><■■  b. 
1  l»JO  .  '  They  have  despised  the  Holy 
One.'  Gomp  Prov.  i.  30,  v.  12,  xv.  5. 
Vulg.  '  They  have  blasphemed.'  Sep- 
ttiagint,  mtpuioyianTe.  '  You  have  pro- 
him  to  anger.'  'J  he  meaning  is, 
that  they  had  so  despised  him,  as  to 
excite  his  indignation  11  The  Holy  One 
of  Israel.  God  ;  called  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel  because  he  was  revealed  to 
them  as  their  God,  or  they  were  taught 
to  regard  hnu  as  the  sacred  object  of 
their  worship.  1T  They  are  gone  away  \S 
backward.  Lowth  :  "  They  have  turn- 
ed their  backs  upon  him."  The  word 
rendered  they  are  gone  aieay,  *HM  nd- 
zorii,  from  "lit  zur,  rreana  properly, 
.nine  estranged;  u  be  alienated. 
Job  v.x.  13:  "  Mine  acquaintance  are 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


69 


5  Why '  should  ye  be  stricken  ]  and  more.     The  whole  head  i 

sick,  and  the  whole  heart  faint. 


any  more 

l  Je.  2 


1  ye  will  3revolt  more 

3  increase  revolt. 


Verily  estranged  from  nie."  It  means 
especially  that  declining;  from  God, 
or  that  alienation,  which  takes  place 
when  men  commit  sin.  Ps.  lxxviii.  30. 

5  Why,  &c.  The  prophet  now,  by  i 
in  abrupt  change  in  the  discourse,  calls 
their  attention  to  the  effects  of  their  J 
sins.  Instead  of  saying  that  they  had 
been  smitten,  or  of  saying  that  they 
had  been  punished  for  their  sins,  he 
assumes  both,  and  asks  why  it  should 
be  repeated.  The  Vulgate  reads  this :  I 
"  Super  quo — on  what  part — shall  I  j 
smite  you  any  more  1"  This  expresses 
well  the  sense  of  the  Hebrew — np"PS  i 
— upon  what ;  and  the  meaning  iS, 
■  what  part  of  the  body  can  be  found 
on  which  blows  have  not  been  inflict- 
ed ?  On  every  part  there  are  traces 
of  the  stripes  which  have  been  inflicted  I 
for  your  sins.'  The  idea  is  taken  from 
a  body  that  is  all  covered  over  with 
weals  or-marks  of  blows,  and  the  idea 
is,  that  the  whole  frame  is  one  continued 
bruise,  and  there  remains  no  sound  | 
part  to  be  stricken.  The  particular 
chastisement  to  which  the  prophet  re- 
fers, is  specified  in  vs  7 — 9.  In  vs. 
5,  6,  he  refers  to  the  calamities  of  the 
nation,  under  the  image  of  a  person 
wounded  and  chastised  for  crimes. 
Such  a  figure  of  speech  is  not  uncom- 
mon in  the  classic  writers.  Thus 
Cicero  (de  fin.  iv.  14)  says, *  quae  hie 
reipublicae  vulnera  imponebat  hie  sa- 
nabat.'  See  also,  Tusc  Quaes,  iii.  22. 
Ad  Quintum  fratrem,  ii.  25.  Sallust. 
Cat.  10.  IT  Should  ye  be  stricken. 
Smitten,  or  punished.  The  manner 
in  which  they  had  been  punished,  he 
specifies  in  vs  7,  8.  Jerome  says,  that 
the  sense  is,  "  there  is  no  medicine 
which  I  can  administer  to  your  wounds. 
All  your  members  are  full  of  wounds  ; 
and  there  is  no  part  of  youi  body  which 
has  not  been  smitten  before.  The 
mere  you  are  afflicted,  the  more  will 
your  impiety  and  iniquity  increace." 
The  word  here,  ^3^  thukku,  from 
**"?3  »  means  to  smite,  to  beat,  to  strike 


down,  to  slay,  or  kill.  It  is  applied  to 
the  infliction,  of  punishment  on  an  in- 
dividual ;  or  to  the  judgments  of  God 
by  the  plague,  pestilence,  or  sickness. 
Gen.  xix.  2  :  "  And  they  smote  the 
men  that  were  at  the  door  with  blind- 
ness." Num.  xiv.  12:  "And  I  will 
smite  them  with  the  pestilence."  Ex. 
vii.  25  :  "  After  that  the  Lord  had  smit- 
ten the  river,"  i.e.  had  changed  it  into 
blood.  Comp.  verse  20.  Zech.  x.  2. 
Hero  it  refers  to  the  judgments  inflict- 
ed on  the  nation  as  the  punishment  of 
their  crimes.  IT  Ye  will  revolt.  Heb. 
You  will  add  defection,  or  revolt.  The 
effect  of  calamity,  and  punishment, 
will  be  only  to  increase  rebellion. 
Where  the  heart  is  right  with  God, 
the  tendency  of  affliction  is  to  humble  -. 
it,  and  lead  it  more  and  more  to  God./ 
Where  it  is  evil,  the  tendency  is  tol 
niakj  the  sinner  more  obstinate  and\ 
rebellious.  This  effect  of  punishment] 
is  seen  every  where.  Sinners  revolt  \ 
more  and  more.  They  become  sullen,  \ 
and  malignant,  and  fretful ;  they  plunge  I 
into  vice  to  seek  temporary  /elief,  j 
and  thus  they  become  more  and  more  » 
alienated  from  God.  IT  The  whole 
head  The  prophet  proceeds  to  specify 
more  definitely  what  he  had  just  said 
respecting  their  being  stricken.  He 
designates  each  of  the  members  of  the 
body — thus  comparing  the  Jewish  peo- 
ple to  the  human  body  when  under 
severe  punishment.  The  word  head 
in  tht  Scriptures  is  often  used  to  de- 
note the  primes,  leaders,  or  chiefs  of 
the  nation.  But  the  expression  here 
is  used  as  a  figure  taken  from  the  hu- 
man body,  and  refers  solely  to  the 
punishment  of  the  people,  not  to  their 
sins,  it  means  that  all  had  been  smit- 
ten— all  was  filled  with  the  effects  of 
punisnment — as  the  human  body  is 
when  the  head  and  all  the  members 
are  d4seased.  IT  Is  sick.  Is  so  smit- 
ten— so  punished,  that  it  has  become 
sick    and    painful.       Heb.    ""PPlb — for 

•t:  t        -' 

stckness,  or  pain.     The  preposition  5 


70 


IS  \  I  AH. 


[B.C.  7CO. 


6  From  the  sole  of  the  foot 
even  unto  the  head  there  is  no 
soundness  in  it ;  but  wounds,  and 
bruises,    and    putrifying    sores : 

denotes  a  state,  or  condition  of  any 
thing.  Pa  lxix.  81.  "  And  in  [^] 
my  thirst,  they  gave  me  vinegar  to 
drink."  The  expression  is  intensive, 
and  denotes  that  the  head  was  entirely 
sick.  IT  The  whole  heart  faint.  The 
heart  is  here  put  for  the  whole  region 
of  the  chest,  or  stomach.  As  when 
the  head  is  violently  pained,  there  is 
also  sickness  at  the  heart,  or  in  the.  sto- 
mach, and  as  these  are  indications  oi 
entire  or  total  prostration  of  the  frame, 
so  the  expression  here  denotes  the 
perfect  desolation  which  had  come  over 
the  nation.  IT  Faint.  Sick,  feeble, 
without  vigour  ;  attended  with  nausea. 
Jer.  viii.  18:  "When  I  would  comfort 
myself  in  my  sorrow,  my  heart  is  faint 
within  me."  Lam.  i.  22.  When  the 
body  is  suffering  ;  when  severe  punish- 
ment is  inflicted,  the  effect  is  to  pro- 
duce languor  and  faintness  at  the  seat 
of  life.  This  is  the  idea  here.  Their 
punishment  had  been  so  severe  for  their 
sins,  that  the  heart  was  languid  and 
feeble — still  keeping  up  the  figure 
drawn  from  the  human  body. 

6.  From  the  sole  of  the  foot,  &c. 
Or  as  we  say,  '  from  head  to  foot,' 
that  is,  in  every  part  of  the  body 
There  may  be  included  also  the  idea 
that  this  extended  from  the  lowest  to 
the  highest  among  the  people.  The 
Chaldee  paraphrase  is,  "  from  the  low- 
est of  the  people  even  to  the  princes — 
all  are  contumacious  and  rebellious." 
IT  No  soundness.  DP^3  met  horn,  from 
D'QH  tluunam,  to  be  perfect,  sound, 
uninjured.  There  is  no  part  unaffect- 
ed ;  no  part  that  is  sound.  It  is  all 
smitten  and  sore.  V  But  wounds.  The 
precise  shade  of  difference  between 
this  and  the  two  following  words  may 
not  be  apparent.  Together,  they  mean 
such  wounds  and  contusions  as  are 
inflicted  upon  man  by  scourging,  or 
beating  him.  This  mode  of  punish- 
ment was  common  among  the  Jews ; 


they  have  not  been  closed,  neither 
bound  up,  neither  mollified  with 
ointment.5 


5  or,  oil 


as  it  is  at  the  East  at  this  time.  Abar- 
banel  and  Kimchi  say  that  the  word 
here  rendered  wounds  ^ ^S  ,  a  verbal 
from  ™3£S  to  wound,  to  mutilate), 
means  an  open  wound,  or  a  cut  from 
which  blood  flows.  IT  Bruises.  iT^an 
hhabburd.  This  word  means  a  con- 
tusion, or  the  effect  of  a  blow  where 
the  skin  is  not  broken  ;  such  a  contu- 
sion as  to  produce  a  swelling,  and  livid 
appearance  ;  or  to  make  it,  as  we  Lay, 
black  and  blue.  IT  Putrifying  sores. 
The  Hebrew  rather  means  recent,  or 
fresh  wounds  ;  or  rather,  perhaps,  a 
running  wound,  which  continues  fresh 
and  open  ;  which  cannot  be  cicatrized, 
or  dried  up.  The  LXX.  render  it 
elegantly  -aXnyh  tpXcYl"t't""'aa>  a  swell- 
ing, or  tumefying  wound.  The  ex- 
pression is  applied  usually  to  inflam- 
mations, as  of  boils,  or  to  the  swelling 
of  the  tonsils,  &,c.  IT  They  have  not 
been  closed.  That  is,  the  lips  had  not 
been  pressed  together,  to  remove  the 
blood  from  the  wound.  The  meaning 
is,  that  nothing  had  been  done  towards 
healing  the  wound  It  was  an  un- 
healed, undressed,  all-pervading  sore. 
The  art  of  medicine,  in  the  East,  con  ■ 
sists  chiefly  in  external  applications  ; 
accordingly  the  prophet's  images  id 
this  place  are  all  taken  from  surgery. 
Sir  John  Chardin  in  his  note  on  Prov. 
iii.  8, '  It  shall  be  health  to  thy  navel, 
and  marrow  to  thy  bones,'  observes, 
that  the  comparison  is  taken  from  the 
plasters,  ointments,  oils,  and  frictions, 
which  are  made  use  of  in  the  East,  in 
most  maladies.  "  In  Judea,"  says 
Tavernier,  "  they  have  a  certain  pre- 
paration of  oil,  and  melted  grease, 
which  they  commonly  use  for  the  heal- 
ing of  wounds."  Lowth.  Comp.  Note 
on  ch  xxxviii  21.  ^  Neither  molli- 
fied with  ointment.  Neither  made 
soft,  or  tender,  with  ointment.  Great 
use  was  made,  in  Eastern  nations,  of 
oil,  and  various  kinds  of  unguents,  L» 


B.C. 760.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


71 


7  Your  country  is  desolate,8 
your  cities  are  burned  with  fire: 
your  land,  strangers    devour    it 

0  Deut.  28.  51. 

medicine.  Hence  the  good  Samaritan 
is  represented  as  pouring  in  oil  and 
wine  into  the  wounds  of  the  man  that 
fell  among  thieves  (Luke  x.  34)  ;  and 
the  apostles  were  directed  to  anoint 
with  oil  those  who  were  sick.  James 
v.  14.  Comp.  Rev.  iii.  18.  V  Oint- 
ment. Heb.  o/7.  }W»,  The  oil  of 
olives  was  used  commonly  for  this  pur- 
pose.— The  whole  figure  in  these  two 
verses  relates  to  their  being  punished 
for  their  sins.  It  is  taken  from  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  man  who  is  severely 
beaten,  or  scourged  for  crime  ;  whose 
wounds  had  not  been  dressed  ;  and 
who  was  thus  a  continued  bruise,  or 
sore,  from  his  head  to  his  feet.  The 
cause  of  this  the  prophet  states  after- 
wards, vs.  10,  seq.  With  great  skill 
he  first  reminds  them  of  what  they 
saw  and  knew,  that  they  were  severely 
punished  ;  and  then  states  to  them  the 
cause  of  it.  Of  the  calamities  to  which 
the  prophet  refers,  they  could  have  no 
doubt.  They  were  every  where  visi- 
ble, in  all  their  cities  and  towns.  On 
these  far-spreading  desolations,  he  fixes 
the  eye  distinctly  first  Had  he  begun 
with  the  statement  of  their  depravity, 
they  would  probably  have  revolted  at 
it.  But  being  presented  with  a  state- 
ment of  their  sufferings,  which  they  all 
saw  and  felt,  they  were  prepared  for 
the  statement  of  the  cause. — To  find 
access  to  the  consciences  of  sinners, 
and  to  convince  them  of  their  guilt,  it 
is  often  necessary  to  remind  them  firet 
of  the  calamities  in  which  they  are 
actually  involved  ;  and  then  to  search 
for  the  cause.  This  passage,  therefore, 
has  no  reference  to  their  moral  charac- 
ter. It  relates  solely  to  their  punish- 
ment. It  is  often  indeed  adduced  to 
prove  the  doctrine  of  depravity  ;  but  it 
has  no  direct  reference  to  it,  and  it 
should  not  be  adduced  to  prove  that 
men  are  depraved,  or  applied  as  refer- 
ring to  the  moral  condition  of  man. 
The  account  of  their  moral  character, 


in  your  presence,  and  it  is  deso- 
late, as  'overthrown  by  stran- 
gers. 

6  the  overthrow  of. 

as  the  cause  of  their  calamities,  ia 
given  in  vs.  10-14.  That  statement 
will  fully  account  for  the  many  woea 
which  had  come  on  the  nation. 

7.  Your  country  is  desolate.  This 
is  the  literal  statement  of  what  he  had 
just  affirmed  by  a  figure.  In  this  there 
was  much  art.  The  figure  (ver.  6) 
was  striking.  The  resemblance  be- 
tween a  man  severely  beaten,  and  en- 
tirely livid  and  sore,  and  a  land  per- 
fectly desolate,  was  so  impressive  as 
to  arrest  the  attention.  This  had  been 
threatened  as  one  of  the  curses  which 
should  attend  disobedience.  Lev.  xxvi 
33: 

And  I  will  scatter  you  among  the  heathen. 
And  will  draw  out  a  sword  after  you  : 
And  your  land  9hall  be  desolate, 
And  your  cities  waste. 

Comp.  vs.  31,  32.  Deut.  xxviii.  49- 
52.  It  is  not  certain,  or  agreed  among 
expositors,  to  what  time  the  prophet 
refers  in  this  passage.  Some  have 
supposed  that  he  refers  to  the  time  of 
Ahaz,  and  to  the  calamities  which 
came  upon  the  nation  during  his  reign. 
2  Chron.  xxviii.  5-8.  But  the  pro- 
bability is,  that  this  refers  to  the  time 
of  Uzziah.  See  the  Analysis  of  the 
chapter.  The  reign  of  Uzziah  was 
indeed  prosperous.  2  Chron.  xxvi.  But 
it  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  land 
had  been  ravaged  just  before  under  the 
reigns  of  Joash  and  Amaziah,  by  the 
kings  of  Syria  and  Israel,  2  Kings  xiv. 
8-14,  2  Chron.  xxiv.  xxV.  ;  and  it  is 
by  no  means  probable  that  it  had  re- 
covered in  the  time  of  Uzziah.  It  was 
lying  under  the  effect  of  the  former 
desolation,  and  not  improbably  the 
enemies  of  the  Jews  were  even  then 
hovering  around  it,  and  possibly  still 
in  the  very  midst  of  it.  The  kingdom 
was  going  to  decay,  and  the  reign  of 
Uzziah  gave  it  only  a  temporary  pros- 
perity. IT  Is  desolate.  Heb.  Is  deso- 
lation. FTO'Ott?  shemamd  This  is  a 
Hebrew  mode  of  emphatic  expression, 
denoting  that  the  desolation    was  mi 


ISAIAH. 


[.B.C.  760. 


8  Ami   the  daughter  of  Zi.m    is 


universal  : hit  the  land  might  be  said 
to  be  entirely  in  ruins.  IF  Your  haul. 
That  is,  the  fruit,  or  productions  of 
the  land.  Foreigners  consume  all  that 
it  produces.  IT  Stxangers,  Dn"?J  «a- 
ri?n,  from  yfl  zfir,  to  he  alienated,  or 
estranged,  ver.  4.  Jt  is  applied  to 
foreigners,  i.  e.  those  who  were  not 
Israelites,  Ex  xxx  33;  and  is  often 
used  to  denote  an  enemy,  a  foe,  a  bar- 
barian.   Fs.  cix.  11 : 

Let  the  extortioner  catch  all  that  he  hath, 
A  in  I  let  the  sp-angers  |>lniK>er  his  lahour. 

Ezek.  xi.  9,  xxviii.  10,  xxx  12.     Hos. 

vii.  9.  viii.  7.  The  word  refers  here 
particularly  to  the  Syrians.  1i  Devour, 
it.  Consume  its  provisions.  IT  In 
your  presence.  This  is  a  circumstance 
that  greatly  heightens  the  calamity, 
that  they  were  compelled  to  look  on 
and  witness  the  desolation,  without 
being  able  to  prevent  it.  1  As  over- 
thrown by  strangers'.  ^~]\  ^rS'l1?? 
-from  "Ett  kdpk&kh,  to  turn,  to 
overturn,  to  destroy  as  a  city.  Gen. 
xix  2] -25.  Deut  xxix.  22  It  refers 
to  the  changes  which  an  invading  foe 
produces  in  a  nation,  where  every  thing 
is  subverted  ;  where  cities  are  destroy- 
ed, walls  are  thrown  down,  and  fields 
and  vineyards  laid  waste.  The  land 
was  as  if  an  invading  army  had  passed 
through  it,  and  completely  overturned 
every  thing  Lowth  proposes  to  read 
this,  "  as  if  destroyed  by  an  inunda- 
tion :"  but  without  authority.  The 
desolation  caused  by  the  ravages  of 
foreigners,  at  a  time  when  the  nations 
were  "barbarous,  was  the  highest  possi- 
ble image  of  distress,  and  the  prophet 
dwells  on  it,  though  with  some  appear- 
ance of  repetition. 

8.  And  the  daughter  of  Zion.  Zion, 
or  Sion,  was  the  name  of  one  of  the 
hills  on  which  the  city  of  Jerusalem 
was  built  On  this  hill  formerly  stood 
the  city  of  the  Jcbusites,  and  when 
David  took  it  from  them  he  transferred 
to  it  his  court,  and  it  was  called  the 
city  of  David,  or  the  holy  hill,   it  was  in 


left  as  ?a  cottage  in  a  vine. 

q  Lsim.  2.  6. 

the  southern  partof  theeity  V  Zion 
became  the  ivsiileiiec  of  the  court,  anil 
was  the  most  important  part  of  the 
city,  the  name  was  oft<  Q  used  to  de- 
note the  city  itself;  and  is  often  ap- 
plied to  the  whole  of  Jerusalem  The 
phrase  *  daughter  of  Zion"  her'- means 
/ion  itself,  or  Jerusalem.  The  name 
daughter  is  given  to  it  by  a  personifi- 
cation in  accordance  with  a  common 
custom  in  Eastern  writers,  by  which 
beautiful  towns  and  cities  are  likened 
to  young  females.  The  name  moihef 
is  also  applied  in  the  same  way.  Per- 
haps the  custom  arose  from  the  fact 
that  when  a  city  was  built,  towns  and 
villages  would  spring  up  round  it — 
and  the  first  would  be  called  the  mo- 
ther-city hence  the  word  metropolis). 
The  expression  was  also  employed  as 
an  image  oi  beauty,  from  a  fancied  re- 
semblance between  a  beautiful  town 
and  a  beautiful  and  well-dressed  wo- 
man Thus  Ps.  xlv.  13,  the  phrase 
daughter  of  Tyre,  means  Tyre  itself. 
Ps.  exxxvii.  8',  daughter  of  Babylon, 
i  e.  Babylon  Isa.  xxxvii.  22,  "  The 
virgin,  the  daughter  of  Zion."  Jer. 
xlvi.  2.  Isa  xxiii.  12.  Jer.  xiv.  17. 
Num.  xxi.  23,  32  (Heb.)  Jud.  xi  2(i. 
Is  left  "T^^"1  .  The  word  here  used 
denotes  left  as  a  part  or  remnant  is 
left — not  left  entire,  or  complete,  but 
in  a  weakened  or  divided  state  IT  As 
a  cottage.  Literally,  a  shade,  or'shelter 
— '1353  kesukka,  a  temporary  habi- 
tation erected  in  vineyards  to  give 
shelter  to  the  grape-gatherers,  and  to 
those  who  were  appointed  to  watch 
the  vineyard  to  guard  it  from  depre- 
dation. Comp.  Note  Matt.  xxi.  33. 
The  following  passage  from  Mr.  Jo'w- 
i  ti'.s  "  Christian  Researches,"  describ- 
ing what  he  himself  saw,  will  throw 
light  on  this  verse  "  Extensive  6 
of  ripe  melons  and  cucumbers  adorned 
the  sides  of  the  river  (the  Nile)  They 
grre*w  in  such  abundance  thai  the 
ors  freely  helped  themselves  Some 
guard;  however,  is  placed  upon  theui 
Occasionally,  but  at  long  and  desolate 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


73 


yard,  as  a  lodge  in  a  garden  of 

intervals,  we  may  observe  a  little  hut, 
made  of  reeds,  just  capable  of  contain- 
ing one  man  ;  being  in  fact  little  more 
than  a  fence  against  a  north  wind.  In 
these  I  have  observed,  sometimes,  a 
poor  old  man,  perhaps  lame,  protecting 
the  property.  It  exactly  illustrates 
Isa  i.  8."  "  Gardens  were  often  pro- 
bably unfenced,  and  formerly,  as  now, 
esculent  vegetables  were  planted  in 
some  fertile  spot  in  the  open  held.     A 


cucumbers,  as  a  besieged  city. 

custom  prevails  in  Hindostan,  as  tra- 
vellers inform  us,  of  planting  in  the 
commencement  of  the  rainy  season, 
in  the  extensive  plains,  ten  abundance 
of  melons,  cucumbers,  gourds,  &c.  In 
the  centre  of  the  field  is  an  artificial 
mound  with  a  hut  on  the  top,  just  large 
enough  to  shelter  a  person  from  the 
storm  and  the  heat."  Bib.  Die.  A.  S.  U 
The  following  cut  will  convey  a  clear 
idea  of  such  a  cottage. 


^ML 


Such  a  cottage  would  be  designed  only 
for  a  temporary  habitation.  So  Jerusa- 
lem seemed  to  be  left  amidst  the  sur- 
rounding desolation  as  a  temporary 
abode,  soon  to  be  destroyed.  IT  As  a 
lodge.  The  word  lodge  here  properly 
denotes  a  place  for  passing  the  night, 
but  it  means  also  a  temporary  abode. 
It  was  erected  to  afford  a  shelter  to 
those  who  guarded  the  enclosure  from 
Sieves,  or  from  jackals,  and  small 
foxes.  "  The  jackal,"  says  Hassel- 
quist,  "  is  a  species  of  mustela,  which 
is  very  common  in  Palestine,  especial- 
ly during  the  vintage,  and  often  de- 
stroys whole  vineyards,  and  gardens 
of  cucumbers."  IT  A  garden  of  cucum- 
bers. The  word  cucumbers  here  pro- 
bably includes  every  thing  of  the  melon 
kind,  as  well  as  the  cucumber.  They 
are  in  great  request  in  that  region 
on  account  of  their  cooling  qualities, 
and  are  produced  in  great  abundance 
4 


and  perfection.  These  things  are  par 
ticularly  mentioned  among  the  luxu- 
ries which  the  Israelites  enjoyed  in 
Egypt,  and  for  which  they  sighed  when 
they  were  in  the  wilderness.  Num.  si. 
5  :  "  We  remember — the  cucumbers 
and  the  melons,"  &c.  The  cucumbei 
which  is  produced  in  Egypt  and  Pales- 
tine is  large— usually  a  foot  in  length, 
soft,  tender,  sweet,  and  easy  of  diges- 
tion (Gesenius),  and  being  of  a  cool- 
ing nature,  was  peculiarly  delicious  in 
their  hot  climate.  The  meaning  here 
is,  that  Jerusalem  seemed  to  be  left  ag 
a  temporary,  lonely  habitation,  soon  to 
be  forsaken  and  destroyed.  IT  As  a 
besieged  city.  FHI^H  "1"1^"3.  Lowth. 
"  As  a  city  taken  by  siege."  Noyes. 
"'  So  is  the  delivered  city.'  This 
translation  was  first  proposed  by 
Arnoldi  of  Marburg.  It  avoids  the 
incongruity  of  comparing  a  city  with 
a  city,  and  requires  no  alteration  of 


74 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760. 


9  Except*  the  Lord  of  hosts    Sodom,w  and  we  should  have  beer 
had   left   unto   us  a   very   small  {  like  unto  Gomorrah, 
remnant,  we  should  have  been  as 


s  Lam.  3.  22.        Rom.  9.  39. 


the  text  except  a  change  of  the  vowel 
points.  According  to  this  translation, 
the  meaning  will  be,  that  all  things 
round  about  the  city  lay  desolate,  like 
the  withered  vines  of  a  cucumber-gar- 
den around  the  watchman's  hut  ;  in 
other  words,  that  the  city  alone  stood 
safe  amidst  the  ruins  caused  by  the 
enemy,  like  the  hut  in  a  gathered  gar- 
den of  cucumbers."  Noyes.  According 
to  this  interpretation,  the  word  f^XD 
netzura  is  derived  not  from  ^X 
tziir,  to  besiege,  to  press,  to  straiten  ; 
but  from  "!?3  natzar,  to  preserve, 
keep,  defend.  Comp.  Ezek.  vi.  12. 
The  Hebrew  will  bear  this  translation  ; 
and  the  con.cin.nity  of  the  comparison 
will  thus  be  preserved.  I  rather  pre- 
fer, however,  the  common  interpreta- 
tion, as  being  more  obviously  the  sense 
of  the  Hebrew,  and  as  being  sufficient- 
ly in  accordance  with  the  design  of 
the  prophet.  The  idea  then  is,  that 
of  a  city  straitened  by  a  siege,  yet 
standing  as  a  temporary  habitation, 
while  all  the  country  around  was  ly- 
ing in  ruins.  Jerusalem,  alone  pre- 
served amidst  the  desolation  spreading 
throughout  the  land,  will  resemble  a 
temporary  lodge  in  the  garden — itself 
soon  to  be  removed  or  destroyed.  The 
essential  idea,  whatever  translation  is 
adopted,  is  that  of  the  solitude,  loneli- 
ness, and  temporary  continuance  of 
even  Jerusalem,  while  all  around  was 
involved  in  desolation  and  ruin. 

9.  Except,  &c.  It  is  owing  entirely 
to  the  mercy  of  God,  that  we  are  not 
like  Sodom.  The  prophet  traces  this 
not  to  the  goodness  of  the  nation,  not 
to  any  power  or  merit  of  theirs,  but 
solely  to  the  mercy  of  God.  This  pas- 
aage  the  Apostle  Paul  has  used  in  an 
argument  to  establish  the  doctrine  of 
divine  sovereignty  in  the  salvation  of 
men.  See  Note  Rom.  ix  29.  H  The 
Lord.  Heb.  Jehovah.  Note  ver.  2. 
V  Of  hosts.     niiOX    Tzebhaoth— the 


w  Gen.  19.  24. 


word    sometimes    translated    Sabaoth. 
Rom    ix.  29.    James  v.  4.     The  word 
means    literally    armies    or    military 
hosts.     It  is    applied    however  to  the 
angels  which  surround   the   throne  of 
God,  1  Kings  xxii.  19.    2  Chron.  xviii. 
18.     Ps   ciii   21  ;  and  to  the  stars  or 
constellations   that  appear  to  be  mar- 
shalled in  the  sky,  Jer.  xxxiii.  22.  Isa. 
xl.  26.     This  host,  or  the    "  host   of 
heaven,"  was  frequently  an    object  o 
idolatrous  worship.  Deut.  iv.  19,   xvii. 
3.     2  Kings  xvii.   16.     God   is   called 
Jehovah   of  hosts  because  he  is  at  the 
head  of  all  these  armies,  as  their  leader 
and  commander;  he  marshals  and   di- 
rects them — as  a  general  does  the  arm/ 
under   his   command.      "  This,"    says 
Gesenius,  "  is  the  most  common  name 
of  God    in   Isaiah,   and   in    Jeremiah, 
Zechariah,    and     Malachi.     It    repre- 
sents him  as  the  ruler  of  the   hosts  ot 
heaven,  i.  e.  the  angels  and  the  stars. 
Sometimes,    but    less    frequently,    we 
meet    with    the     appellation    Jehovah, 
God  of  hosts.     Hence,  some  suppose 
the   expression  Jehovah  of  hosts  to  be 
elliptical.     But  it   is  not  a  correct  as- 
sertion that  Jehovah,  as  a  proper  name, 
admits  of  no  genitive.     But  such  rela- 
tions and  adjuncts  as  depend  upon  the 
genitive,    often    depend    upon    proper 
names.     So   in    Arabic,  one   is  called 
Iiebiah  of  the  poor   in   reference  to   his 
liability."     The   name   is  given   here, 
because  to  save  any  portion  of  a  nation 
so  wicked  implied  the  exercise  of  the 
same  power  as  that  by  which  he  con- 
trolled the  hosts  of  heaven.     IT  Rem- 
nant.    A  small    part — that    which    is 
left.     It    means    here,    that    God    had 
spared  a  portion  of  the  nation,  so  that 
they    were    not    entirely    overthrown 
IT    We  should  have  been  as  Sodom,  <fcc 
This  does  not  refer  to  the  character  of 
the  people,  but  to  their  destiny.    If  God 
had   not    interposed  to  save  them  they 
would  have  been  overwhelmed  entirely 
as  Sodom  was.  Comp.  Gen.  xix.  24,25 


B.C.  760.1 


CHAPTER  I. 


75 


10  Hear  t  le  word  of  the  Lord, 
ye  rulers  of  Sodom  ;  give  ear 
unto  the  law  of  our  God,  ye  peo- 
ple of  Gomorrah : 

10.  Hear  the  word  of  the  Lord. 
The  message  of  God.  Having  stated 
the  calamities  under  which  the  nation 
was  groaning,  the  prophet  proceeds  t  > 
address  the  rulers,  and  to  state  the 
cause  of  all  these  woes.  IT  Ye  rulers 
of  Sodom.  The  incidental  mention  of 
Sodom  in  the  previous  verse  gives  oc- 
casion for  this  beautiful  transition,  and 
abrupt  and  spirited  address.  Their 
character  and  destiny  were  almost  like 
those  of  Sodom,  and  the  prophet  there- 
fore openly  addresses  the  rulers  as 
being  called  to  preside  over  a  people 
like    those    in    Sodom.     There    could 

^have  been  no  more  severe  or  cutting 
reproof  of  their  wickedness  than  to  ad- 
dress them  as  resembling  the  people 
whom  God  overthrew  for  their  enor- 
mous crimes. 

11.  To  what  purpose.  "^  f"1^- 
'  What  is  it  to  me  ;  or  what  profit  or 
pleasure  can  I  have  in  them  V  God 
here  replies  to  an  objection  which 
might  be  urged  by  the  Jews  to  the 
representation  which  had  been  made 
of  their  guilt.  The  objection  would 
be,  that  they  were  strict  in  the  duties 
of  their  religion,  and  that  they  even 
abounded  in  offering  victims  of  sacri- 
fice. God  replies  in  this  and  the  fol- 
lowing verses,  that  all  this  would  be 
of  no  use,  and  would  meet  with  no 
acceptance  unless  it  were  the  offering 
of  the  heart.  He  demanded  righteous- 
ness ;  and  without  that,  all  external 
offerings  would  be  vain.  The  same 
sentiment  often  occurs  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. 


Hath  Jehovah  a«  great  delight  in  burnt  offerings 

and  sacrifices 
As  in  obeying  the  voice  of  the  Lord  ? 
Behold,  to  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice, 
And  to  hearken  than  the  fat  of  rams. 

1  Sam.  xv.  22. 

To  what  purpose  shall  fi'inkineense  be  brought 

unto  me  from  Saba  ? 
Or  the  rich  aromatic  reed  from  a  far  country  ? 
Your  burnt-offerings  are  not  acceptable, 
^•rr  your  sacrifices  pleasant  unto  me. 

Jer.  vi.  ao.    Blanei/. 


11  To  what  purpose  "is  the 
multitude  of  your  sacrifices  unto 
me  ?  saith  the  Lord  :   I  am  ful1 

V  Pb.  50.  8,  &c.        Amos  5.  21,  22. 

For  1  desired  mercy  and  not  sacrifice  ; 

And  the  knowledge  of  God  more  than  burnt- 
offerings.  Hosea  vi.  6. 

I  hate,  1  despise  your  solemn  feast  days. 

And  1  will  not  smell  in  your  solemn  assemblies; 

Though  ye  offer  me  your  burnt  offerings, 

And  your  meat  offerings, 

I  will  not  accept  them; 

Neither  wdl  I  regard  the  thank  offerings  of  your 
llil  beasts. 

Take  thou  away  from  me  the  noise  of  thy  songs; 

For  I  will  not  hear  the  melody  of  thy  viols. 

But  let  judgment  run  down  as  waters, 

And  righteousness  as  a  mighty  stream. 

Amos  v.  21—24. 

IT  Ift  the  multitude.  There  was  no 
deficiency  in  the  amount  of  offerings. 
It  was  admitted  that  they  complied  in 
this  respect  with  the  requirements  of 
the  law ;  and  that  they  offered  an 
abundance  of  sacrifices,  so  numerous 
as  to  be  called  a  multitude — 31  robh, 
a  vast  number.  Hypocrites  abound  in 
outward  religious  observances  just  in 
proportion  to  their  neglect  of  the  spi- 
ritual requirements  of  God's  word. 
Comp.  Matt,  xxiii.  23.  TT  Your  sacri- 
fices. — S^HDT  zibhhhekhem,  from 
H3T,  to  slay ;  especially  to  slay  for 
sacrifice.  The  word  used  here  denotes 
any  sacrifice  which  was  made  by  blood  ; 
but  is  distinguished  from  the  burnt- 
offering  from  the  fact,  that  this  was 
not  entirely  consumed.  It  is  applied 
to  the  sin-offering,  trespass-offering, 
thank-offering.  The  word  also  stands 
opposed  to  the  offerings  which  were 
made  without  blood  i,1"1^?^  minhha). 
Any  offering  that  consisted  in  an  ani- 
mal that  was  slain  came  under  this 
general  denomination  of  sacrifice.  Ex. 
x.  25.  Lev.  xvii.  8.  Num.  xv.  5. 
IT  Burnt-offerings  TfOV  oloth,  from 
•""■J^)  cilah,  to  go  up,  ascend.  It  is 
applied  to  a  sacrifice  that  was  wholly 
consumed,  or  made  to  ascend  on  an 
altar.  It  answers  to  the  Greek  6X<S- 
kuvvtov  —  holocaust,  that  which  is 
entirely  consumed.  Such  offerings 
abounded  among  the  Hebrews.  The 
burnt-offering   was   wholly   consumed 


76 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760. 


of  the  burnt-offerings  of  rams, 
and  the  fat  of  fed  beasts  ;  and  1 
delight  not  in  the  blood  of  bul- 
locks, or  of  lambs,  or  of  9he- 
goats. 

9  great  he-goats. 

on  the   altar,  excepting   the  skin   and 

the  blood.     The    blood  was  sprinkled 

round  the  altar,  and  the  other  parts  of 

♦he  animal  which  was  slain  were  laid 

upon   the    altar    and    entirely   burned. 

See  Lev.  i.      This   was   commonly   a 

voluntary  offering  ;  and  this  shows  their 

zeal  to  comply  with  the  external  forma 

of  religion.     11    /  am  full.     "W3^, 

I  am  satiated.     The   word   is  usually 

applied    to   food    and   drink,   denoting 

satisfaction,  or  satiety.     It  is  used  here 

with   great   force,  denoting  that   their 

offerings  had  been  so  numerous  and  so 

incessant,  that  God  was  satiated  with 

them.     It   means   that   he   was  weary, 

tired,   disgusted  with  them.     Thus  in 

."ob   vii.  4:  "I   am   full—'Wab—of 

'"ossings  to  and  fro  unto  the   dawning 

.if  the  day."  Prov.  xxv.  17  : 

Withdraw  thy  foot  from  thy  neighbour's  house, 
Lest  lie  be  weury  (Heb.  full)  of  thee,  itnd  hate 
thee. 

IT  Fat,   &c.     They   were   required   to 

offer    not   the    lame,    or    the    diseased 

(Deut.  xv.  21.  xvii.  1.     Lev.  xvii  20. 

Mai.   i.   7,  8)  ;  and    God   admits   here 

that  they  had  externally  complied  with 

this  requirement.     The  fat  was  burned 

on  the  altar.     IT  /  delight  nut.     That 

is,  I  delight  not  in  them  when  offered 

without  the  heart ;  or  I  delight  not  in 

them   in    comparison    with    works    of 

righteousness.     See    Amos  v.   21-24. 

Ps.  iv.  9-13,  li.  16-19. 

12.    When  you  come  to  appear  before 

me.     The    temple   was  in   Jerusalem, 

and  was  regarded  as  the  habitation,  or 

dwelling  place,  of  the  God  of  Israel  — 

Particularly  the  most  holy  place  of  the 

temple    was  deemed  the   place   of  his 

Bacred   abode.      The   Shekinah — from 

*]31I3    shakhan,   to   dwell — the    visible 

symbol  of  his  presence,  rested  on  the 

cover  of  the  Ark,  and  from  this  place 

he  was  accustomed  to  commune  with 

his   people,   and   to   give  responses  to 


12  When  ye  come  to  'appear 
before  me,  who  hath  required 
this  at  your  hand  to  tread  my 
courts  ? 

13  Bring  no   more  vain  obla- 

l  be  seen. 

their  requests.  Hence,  "  to  appear 
before  God,"  Heb.  '  to  be  seen  before 
my  face/  \3Q  nftfji  for  ^fl  TX , 
means  to  appear  in  his  temple  as  a 
worshipper.  The  phrase  occurs  in  this 
sense  in  the  following  places:  Ex. 
xxxiv.  23,  24.  Deut.xxxi.il.  1  Sam. 
i  22.  Ps  xlii.  3.  H  Who  hath  re- 
quired this.  The  Jews  were  required 
to  appear  there  to  worship  God  (Ex. 
xxiii  17.  Deut.  xvi.  16);  but  it  was 
not  required  that  they  should  appear 
with  that  spirit  and  temper.  A  similar 
sentiment  is  expressed  in  Ps.  1.  16. 
IT  At  your  hand.  From  you.  The 
emphasis  in  this  expression  is  to  be 
laid  on  your.  '  Who  has  asked  it  of 
you?'  It  was  indeed  the  duty  of  the 
humble,  and  the  sincere,  to  tread  those 
courts,  but  who  had  required  such  hy- 
pocrites as  they  were  to  do  it  ?  God 
sought  the  offerings  of  pure  worship- 
pers, not  those  of  the  hypocritical  and 
the  profane.  IT  To  tread  my  courts 
The  courts  of  the  temple,  were  the 
different  areas,  or  open  spaces  which 
surrounded  it.  None  entered  the  temple 
itself  but  the  priests.  The  people  wor- 
shipped God  in  the  courts  assigned 
them  around  the  temple.  In  one  of 
those  courts  was  the  altar  of  burnt- 
offerings  ;  and  the  sacrifices  were  all 
made  there.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi. 
12.  To  tread  his  courts  was  an  ex- 
pression, therefore,  equivalent  to  wor- 
ship. To  trrinl  the  courts  of  the  Lord 
here,  has  the  idea  of  profanation.  Who 
has  required  you  to  tread  those  courts 
with  this  hollow,  heartless  service  ? 
It  is  often  used  in  the  sense  of  tread- 
ins  down,  or  trampling  on,  2  Kings 
vii.  17-20.  Dan.  viii.  7-10.  Isa.  lxiii. 
3-16. 

13.  Bring  no  more.  God  does  not 
intend  absolutely  to  forbid  this  kind  of 
worship,  but  he  expresses  his  strong 
abhorrence  of  the  manner  in  which  it 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


77 


lions  :  ^incense  is  an  abomina- 
tion unto  me ;  the  new  moons 
and  sabbaths,  the  calling  of  as- 

z  Luke  H.  i-2. 

was  done.  He  desired  a  better  state 
of  mind  ;  he  preferred  purity  of  heart 
to  all  this  external  homage.  IT  Vain. 
Heb.  '  offering  of  vanity' — X?lJ  shiic 
Offerings  which  were  hollow,  false, 
deceitful,  and  hypocritical.  11  Obla- 
tions. rn3E  miiihhath.  This  word 
properly  denotes  a  gift,  or  present,  of 
any  kind  (Gen.  xxxii.  13),  and  then 
especially  a  present  or  offering  to  the 
Deity.  Gen.  iv  3,  4,  5.  It  does  not 
denote  a  bloody  offering,  but  what  is 
improperly  rendered  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, a  meat-offering  (Lev.  ii.  1,  vi.  14, 
ix.  17) — an  offering  made  of  flour  or 
fruits,  with  oil  and  frankincense.  A 
small  part  of  it  was  burned  upon  the 
altar,  and  the  remainder  was  eaten  by 
Aaron  and  his  sons  with  salt.  Lev.  ii. 
1,9,  13.  The  proper  translation  would 
have  been  meal  or  flour-offering,  rather 
than  meat-offering,  since  the  word 
meat  with  us  now  denotes  animal  food 
only.  11  Incense.  More  properly  frank- 
incense. This  is  an  aromatic  or  odori- 
ferous gum,  which  is  obtained  from  a 
tree  called  Thurifcra.  Its  leaves  were 
like  those  of  a  pear-tree.  It  grew 
around  Mount  Lebanon,  and  in  Ara- 
bia. The  gum  was  obtained  by  mak- 
ing incisions  in  the  bark  in  dogdays. 
It  was  much  used  in  worship,  not  only 
by  the  Jews,  but  by  the  heathen.  When 
burned  it  produced  an  agreeable  odour; 
and  hence  it  is  called  a  sacrifice  of 
Bweet  smell,  an  odour  acceptable  to 
God  Comp  Phil.  iv.  18.  That  which 
was  burned  among  the  Jews  was  pre- 
pared in  a  peculiar  manner,  with  a 
mixture  of  sweet  spices.  It  was  offer- 
ed by  the  priest  alone,  and  it  was  not 
lawful  to  prepare  it  in  any  other  way 
than  that  prescribed  by  the  law.  See 
Ex.  xxx.  34,  &c  IT  Is  an  abomination. 
Is  hateful,  or  an  object  of  abhorrence  ; 
that  is,  as  it  was  offered  by  them,  with 
hollow  service,  and  with  hypocritical 
hearts  11  The  new  moons.  On  the 
appearance  of  the  new  moon,  in  addi- 


semblies,  I  cannot  away  with  ; 
it  is  3iniquity,  even  the  solemn 
meeting. 

3  or,  grief. 

tion  to  the  daily  sacrifices,  two  bul- 
locks, a  ram,  and  seven  sheep,  with  a 
meal-offering,  were  required  to  be  of- 
fered to  God.  Num.  x.  10,  xxviii.  11- 
14.  The  new  moon  in  the  beginning 
of  the  month  Tisri  (October),  was  the 
beginning  of  their  civil  year,  and  was 
commanded  to  be  observed  as  a  festi- 
val. Lev  xxiii.  24,  25.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  new  moon  was  announced 
by  the  blowing  of  silver  trumpets. 
Num.  x.  10.  Hence  the  annual  festi- 
val was  called  sometimes,  "  the  memo- 
rial of  the  blowing  of  trumpets."  The 
time  of  the  appearance  of  the  new 
moon  was  not  ascertained,  as  with  us, 
by  astronomical  calculation  ;  but  per- 
sons were  stationed,  about  the  time  it 
was  to  appear,  on  elevated  places  in 
the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem,  and  when  it 
was  discovered,  the  trumpet  was  sound- 
ed. Moses  did  not  command  that  this 
should  be  observed  as  a  festival  except  at 
the  beginning  of  the  year,  but  it  is  not 
improbable  that  the  Jews  observed  each 
return  of  the  new  moon,  as  such.  IT  And 
sabbaths.  ^212  shdbbdth,  from  P2lfl 
shahdth,  to  cease  to  do  any  thing  ;  to 
rest  from  labour.  The  words  here  used 
are  all  in  the  singular  number,  and 
should  have  been  rendered  '  the  new 
moon,  and  the  sabbath,  and  the  calling 
of  the  assembly  ;'  though  used  in  & 
collective  sense.  The  sabbaths  here 
refer  not  only  to  the  weekly  sabbatha, 
but  to  all  their  days  of  rest.  The 
word  sabbath  means  properly  a  day  of 
rest  (Gen.  ii.  2,3)  ;  and  it  was  applied 
not  only  to  the  seventh  day,  but  par- 
ticularly to  the  beginning  and  the 
close  of  their  great  festivals,  which 
were  days  of  unusual  solemnity  and 
sacredness.  Lev.  xvi.  31.  xxiii  24-39. 
IT  The  calling  of  assemblies.  The  so- 
lemn convocations  or  meetings  at  their 
festivals  and  fasts.  IT  /  cannot  away 
with.  Heb.  '^X  K5 — I  cannot  bear, 
or  endure.  V  It  is  iniquity.  That  is, 
in  the  way  in  which  it  is  conducted 


78 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.im. 


14  Your  new  moons  and  your 
appointed  feasts  my  soul  hateth  : 
they  are  a  trouble   unto   me  ;   I 

This  is  a  strong  emphatic  expression. 
It  is  not  merely  evil,  and  tending  to 
evil ;  but  it  is  iniquity  itself.  There 
was  no  mixture  of  good.  IT  Even  the. 
solemn  meeting.  The  word  which  is 
here  used — ^^? — comes  from  the 
verb  "|5£33  dtziir,  which  signifies  to 
shut  up,  or  to  close ;  and  is  applied  to 
the  solemnities  which  concluded  their 
great  feasts,  as  being  periods  of  un- 
usual interest  and  sacredness.  It  was 
applied  to  such  solemnities,  because 
they  shut  up,  or  closed  the  sacred  fes- 
tivals. Hence  that  day  was  called  the 
great  day  of  the  feast,  as  being  a  day 
of  peculiar  solemnity  and  irnpressive- 
ness.  See  Note  John  vii.  37.  Comp. 
Lev.  xxiii.  3-36.  In  the  translation 
of  this  word,  however,  there  is  a  great 
variety  in  the  ancient  versions.  Vulg., 
"  Your  assemblies  are  iniquitous. " 
LXX.  "  Your  new  moons,  and  sab- 
baths, and  great  day,  I  cannot  endure  ; 
fasting,  and  idleness."  Chald.  Paraph., 
"  Sacrifice  is  abominable  before  me  ; 
and  your  new  moons,  and  sabbaths, 
since  you  will  not.  forsake  your  sins, 
so  that  your  prayer  may  be  heard  in 
the  time  of  your  assembling."  Syriac, 
"  In  the  beginning  of  your  months, 
and  on.  the  sabbath,  you  convene  an 
assembly,  but  I  do  not  eat  that  [i.  e. 
sacrifices]  which  has  been  obtained  by 
fraud  and  violence."  The  English 
translation  has,  however,  probably  ex- 
pressed the  correct  sense  of  the  Hebrew. 
14.  Your  appointed  feasts.  That 
is,  your  assemblies  convened  on  regu- 
lar set  times — "l?"^  moedh,  from  1?^ 
ydddh,  to  fix,  to  appoint.  Hengstenberg 
(Chris,  iii.  p.  87)  has  shown  that  this 
■rord  (D^SIO)  is  applied  in  the  Scrip- 
tures only  to  the  sabbath,  passover, 
pentecost,  day  of  atonement,  and  feast 
of  tabernacles.  Prof.  Alexander,  in  he. 
It  is  applied  to  those  festivals,  because 
they  were  fixed  by  law  to  certain  periods 
of  the  year.  This  verse  is  a  very  im- 
pressive repetition  of  the  former,  as  if 


am  weaiy  to  bear  them. 

15  And  when  yea  spread  fortl. 

a  Mic.  3.  4. 

the  soul  was  full  of  the  subject,  and 
disposed  to  dwell  upon  it.  If  My  soul 
hateth.  I  hate.  Ps.  xi.5.  The  nouns 
tUS3  nephesh,  soul,  and  H*"1  riiahh, 
spirit,  are  often  used  to  denote  the 
person  himself,  and  are  to  be  construed 
as  /.  Thus  Isa.  xxvi.  9 :  "  With  my 
soul  have  I  desired  thee  in  the  night ; 
yea,  with  my  spirit  within  me  will  I 
seek  thee  early  ;"  that  is,  "  I  myself 
seek  thee  ;  I  myself  do  desire  thee." 
So  the  phrase,  '  deliver  my  soul,' — 
"•IBB? — that  is,  deliver  me,  Ps.  xxii.  20, 
lxxxiv  3,  lxxxvi.  13,  14  ;  that  thy  soul 
may  bless  me,  Gen.  xxvii.  19  ;  his  soul 
shall  dwell  at  ease,  Ps  xxv.  13.  Comp. 
Num.  xi.  6.  Lev.  xvi.  29.  Isa.  lv. 
2,  3.  Job  xvi.  4.  So  the  word  spirit  : 
"  Thy  watchfulness  hath  preserved  my 
spirit" — "WT1 — Job  x.  12.  Comp.  Ps. 
xxxi.  6.  1  Kings  xxi.  5.  The  expres- 
sion here  is  emphatic,  denoting  cordial 
hatred :  odi  ex  animo.  IT  They  are 
a  trouble.  Tnb  tordhh.  In  Deut. 
i.  12,  this  word  denotes  a  burden,  an 
oppressive  load  that  produces  weari- 
ness in  bearing  it.  It  is  a  strong  ex- 
pression, denoting  that  their  acts  of 
hypocrisy  and  sin  had  become  so  nu- 
merous, that  they  became  a  heavy 
oppressive  load.  IT  /  am  weary  to  bear 
them.  This  is  language  which  is  taken 
from  the  act  of  carrying  a  burden  till 
a  man  becomes  weary  and  faint.  So 
in  accordance  with  human  conceptions, 
God  represents  himself  as  burdened 
with  their  vain  oblations,  and  evil 
conduct.  There  could  be  no  more  im- 
pressive statement  of  the  evil  effect? 
of  sin,  than  that  even  Omnipotence 
was  exhausted  as  with  a  heavy,  op- 
pressive burden. 

15.  Ye  spread  forth  your  hands 
This  is  an  expression  denoting  the  act 
of  supplication.  When  we  ask  for 
help,  we  naturally  stretch  out  our 
hands,  as  if  to  receive  it.  '1  he  expres- 
sion therefore  is  equivalent  to  '  when 
ye  pray,  or   implore  mercy.'     Como 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


79 


your  hands  I  will  hide  mine  eyes 
from  you  ;   yea,  when  ye  4make 
many   prayers  I  will  not   hear  : 
your  hands  are  full  of  5blood. 
16    Washc    you,     make    you 

4  multiply  ■prayer.       5  bloods.       c  Jer.  4.  11. 

Ex  ix,  29,  xvii.  11,  12.  1  Kings  viii. 
22.  IT  I  will  hide  mine  eyes,  &c.  That 
is,  I  will  not  attend  to,  or  regard  your 
supplications.  The  Chaldee  Paraphrase 
is,  "  When  your  priests  expand  their 
hands  to  pray  for  you."  11  Your  hands, 
&c.  This  is  given  as  a  reason  why 
he  would  not  hear.  The  expression 
full  of  blood,  denotes  crime  and  guilt 
of  a  high  order — as,  in  murder  the 
hands  would  be  dripping  in  blood,  and 
as  the  stain  on  the  hands  would  be 
proof  of  guilt.  It  is  probably  a  figura- 
tv  f-  expression,  not  meaning  literally 

..;  they  were  murderers,  but  that  they 
were  given  to  rapine  and  injustice  ;  to 
the  oppression  of  the  poor,  the  widow, 
&c.  The  sentiment  is,  that  because 
they  indulged  in  sin,  and  came,  even  in 
their  prayers,  with  a  determination 
still  to  indulge  it,  God  would  not  hear 
them.  The  same  sentiment  is  else- 
where expressed.  Ps.  lxvi.  18  :  "  If  I 
regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord 
will  not  hear  me."  Prov.  xxviii.  9  : 
*'  He  that  turneth  away  his  ear  from 
hearing  the  law,  even  his  prayer  shall 
be  abomination."  Jer.  xvi.  10,  11,  12. 
Zach.  vii.  11,  12.  Prov.  i.  28,  29. 
This  is  the  reason  why  the  prayers  of 
sinners  are  not  heard — But  the  truth 
is  abundantly  taught  in  the  Scriptures, 
that  if  sinners  will  forsake  their  sins, 
the  greatness  of  their  iniquity  is  no 
obstacle  to  forgiveness.  Isa.  i.  18. 
Matth.  xi.  28.     Luke  xvi.  11-24. 

16.  Wash  you.  This  is,  of  course, 
to  be  understood  in  a  moral  sense  ; 
meaning  that  they  should  put  away 
their  sins.  Sin  is  represented  in  the 
Scriptures  as  defiling  or  polluting  the 
boul  (Ezek.  xx.  31,  xxiii.  30.  Hos  v. 
8,  ix  4)  ;  and  the  removal  of  it  is  re- 
presented by  the  act  of  washing.  Pa. 
Ii.  2 :  "  Wash  me  thoroughly  from 
mine  iniquity,  and  cleanse  me  from  my 
silt"    Jer  iv.  14:  "  O  Jerusalem, wash 


clean,  put  away  the  evil  of  yjur 
doings  from  before  mine  eyes ; 
ceased  to  do  evil  ; 

17  Learn   to   do   well :    seek 
judgment,  7relieve  the  oppressed ; 

d  1  Pet.  3.  11.  7  or,  Tighten. 

thine  heart  from  wickedness,  tha  thou 
mayest  be  saved."  Job  ix  30.  1  Cor. 
vi.  11.  Heb.  x.  22  2  Peter  ii.  22. 
Rev.  i.  5,  vii.  14.  It  is  used  here  in  close 
connection  with  the  previous  verse, 
where  the  prophet  says  that  their  hands 
were  filled  with  blood.  He  now  ad- 
monishes them  to  wash  away  that 
blood,  with  the  implied  understanding, 
that  then  their  prayers  would  be  heard. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark  also  that  the 
prophet  directs  them  to  do  this  them- 
selves. He  addresses  them  as  moral 
agents,  and  as  having  ability  to  do  it. 
This  is  the  uniform  manner  in  which 
God  addresses  sinners  in  the  Bible, 
requiring  them  to  put  away  their  sins, 
and  to  make  themselves  a  new  heart. 
Comp.  Ezek.  xviii.  31,  32.  IT  The  evil 
of  your  doings.  This  is  a  Hebraism, 
to  denote  your  evil  doings.  T  From 
before,  mine  eyes.  As  God  is  omnis- 
cient, to  put  them  away  from  before 
his  eyes,  is  to  put  them  away  altoge- 
ther. To  pardon  or  forgive  sin,  is 
often  expressed  by  hiding  it.  Ps.  Ii.  9 : 

"  Hide  thy  face  from  thy  sins." 
T  Cease  to  do  evil.  Comp.  1  Peter  iii. 
10,  11.  The  prophet  is  specifying 
what  was  necessary  in  order  that  their 
prayers  might  be  heard,  and  that  they 
might  find  acceptance  with  God.  What 
he  states  here  is  a  universal  truth.  If 
sinners  wish  to  find  acceptance  with 
God,  they  must  come  renouncing  all 
sin  ;  resolving  to  put  away  every  thing 
that  God  hates,  however  dear  it  may 
be  to  the  heart.  Comp  Mark  ix.  43-47. 
17.  Learn  to  do  well.  To  learn 
here  is  to  become  accustomed  to,  to 
practise  it.  To  do  well  stands  opposed 
*.o  ali  kinds  of  evil.  T  Seek  judgment. 
The  word  judgment — ^S'^'P — here 
means  justice.  The  direction  refers 
particularly  to  magistrates,  and  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  prophet  had  them  parti* 


80 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  160 


judge  the   fatherless;  plead   for  I      18  Come  now,  and  let  us  rea 
the  widow.  sona   together,   saith  the  Lord  . 

a  ch.  43  26. 


cularly  in  his  view  in  all  this  discourse. 
Execute  justice  between  man  and  man 
with  impartiality.  The  word  seek — 
mun'H — means,  to  pursue,  to  search  for, 
as  an  object  to  be  gained  ;  to  regard, 
or  care  for  it,  as  the  main  thing.  In- 
stead of  seeking  gain,  and  bribes,  and 
public  favour,  they  were  to  make  it  an 
object  of  intense  interest  to  do  justice 
IT  Relieve,  ^"^"^  •  Literally,  make 
si  might,  or  right  (margin  Tighten), 
The  root — "'"'J  dshdr — means,  to  pro- 
ceed, to  walk  forward  in  a  direct  line  ; 
and  bears  a  relation  to  "w^J  y dshdr, 
to  be  straight.  Hence  it  often  means 
to  be  successful,  or  prosperous — to  go 
straight  forward  to  success.  In  Piel, 
which  is  the  form  used  here,  it  means, 
to  cause  to  go  straight ;  and  hence, 
applied  to  leaders,  judges,  and  guides, 
to  conduct  those  under  their  care  in  a 
straight  path,  and  not  in  the  devices  and 
crooked  ways  of  sin.    Prov.  xxiii.  19: 

Hew  thou,  my  son,  and  be  wise, 
And  guide  ("IS  St  make  straight)  thine  heart 
in  the  way. 

IT  The  oppressed.  Him  to  whom  in- 
justice has  been  done  in  regard  to  his 
character,  person,  or  property.  Comp. 
Notes  on  ch.  lviii.  6.  IT  Judge  the 
fatherless.  Do  justice  to  him — vindi- 
cate his  cause.  Take  not  advantage 
of  his  weak  and  helpless  condition — 
his  ignorance  and  want  of  experience. 
This  charge  was  particularly  necessary 
on  account  of  the  facilities  which  the 
guardians  of  orphans  have  to  defraud 
or  oppress,  without  danger  of  detection 
of  punishment.  Orphans  have  no  ex- 
perience. Parents  are  their  natural  pro- 
tectors ;  and  therefore  God  especially 
charged  on  their  guardians  to  befriend, 
and  do  justice  to  them.  Deut.  xxiv.  17  : 
"  Thou  shalt  not  pervert  the  judgment 
of  the  stranger,  nor  the  fatherless,  nor 
take  the  widow's  raiment  to  pledge." 
V  Plead  for.  Contend  for  her  rights. 
Aid  her  by  vindicating  her  cause.  She 
is  unable  to  defend  herself;  she  is  lia- 


ble to  oppression  ;  and  her  rights  may 
be  taken  away  by  the  crafty  and  de- 
signing It  is  remarkable  that  God  so 
often  insists  on  this  in  the  Scriptures, 
and  makes  it  no  small  part  of  religion. 
Driit.  xiv.  20 — xxiv.  17.  Ex.  xxii  22 : 
"  Ye  shall  not  afflict  any  widow,  or 
fatherless  child."  The  ancient  views 
of  piety  on  this  subject  are  expressed 
in  the  language,  and  in  the  conduct 
of  Job.  Thus  impiety  was  said  to 
consist  in  oppressing  the  fatherless  and 
widow : 

They  drive  away  the  ass  of  the  fatherless, 
They  take  the  widow's  ox  for  a  pledge. 

Jul)  xxiv.  S. 
He  evil-entreateth  the  barren  that  beareth  not, 
And  doeth  not  good  to  the  widow. 

Ver.  21. 

Job's  own  conduct  was  an  illustration 
of  the  elevated  and  pure  views  of  an- 
cient piety  : 

When  the  ear  heard  me,  then  it  blessed  me  ; 
And  when  the  eye  saw  me,  it  gave  witness  to 

me  j 
Because  I  delivered  the  poor  that  cried, 
And  the  fatherless, 
And  him  that  had  none  to  help  him. 
The  blessing  of  him  that  was  ready  to  perish 

came  upon  mo ; 
And  I  caused  the  widow's  heart  to  leap  for  joy. 
Job  xxix.  11—13. 

See  also  Jer.  vii  6.  Mai.  iii.  5.  Jas 
i.  27.  Hence  God  is  himself  repre 
sented  as  the  vindicator  of  the  rights 
of  the  widow  and  orphan. 

A  father  of  the  fatherless, 
And  a  judge  of  the  widows 
Is  (jod  in  his  holy  habitation.  Ps.  lxviii.  6. 

Leave  thy  fatherless  children,  I   will  preserve 

them  alive ; 
And  let  thy  widows  trust  in  me. 

Jer.  xlix.  11. 

1H.  Come  now.  This  is  addressed 
to  the  nation  of  Israel  ;  and  the  same 
exhortation  is  made  to  all  sinners.  It 
is  a  solemn  act  on  the  part  of  God, 
submitting  the  claims  and  principle* 
of  his  government  to  reason,  on  the 
supposition  that  men  may  see  the  pro- 
priety  of  his  service,  and  of  his  plan. 
11  Let  us  reason  together.  '"""J"???* 
from  H3^ ,  not  used  in  Kal,  but  in 
Hiphil  ;  meaning  to  show,  to  prove 
Job  xiii.  15:  "  Surely  I  will  prove  my 


B.  C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


81 


though   your  sins  be  as  scarlet, 
they  shall  be  as  white  as  *snow  ; 

b  P>.  51    7. 

ways  (righteous)  before  him  ;"  i.  e.  I 
will  justify  my  ways  before  him.  Also 
to  correct,  reprove, convince ,  Job  xxxii. 
12  ;  to  rebuke,  reproach,  censure,  Job 
vi  25;  to  punish,  Job  v  17,  Prov.  iii. 
12  ;  to  judge,  decide,  Isa.  xi.  3  ;  to  do 
justice,  Isa.  xi.  4 ;  or  to  contend,  Job 
xiii.  3,  xvi.  21,  xxii  4.  Here  it  de- 
notes the  kind  of  contention,  or  argu- 
mentation, which  occurs  in  a  court  of 
justice,  where  the  parties  reciprocally 
state  the  grounds  of  their  cause.  God 
had  been  addressing  magistrates  par- 
ticularly, and  commanding  them  to 
seek  judgment,  to  relieve  the  oppressed, 
to  do  justice  to  the  orphan  and  widow  ; 
all  of  which  terms  are  taken  from 
courts  of  law.  He  here  continues  the 
language,  and  addresses  them  as  ac- 
customed to  the  proceedings  of  courts, 
and  proposes  to  submit  the  case  as  if  on 
trial.  He  then  proceeds  (vs  18,  19,  20) 
to  adduce  the  principles  on  which  he  is 
willing  to  bestow  pardon  on  them  ;  and 
submits  the  case  to  them,  assured  that 
those  principles  will  commend  them- 
selves to  their  reason  and  sober  judg- 
ment. IT  Though  your  sins  be  as 
scarlet.  The  word  used  here — B"'?^ 
shdnim — denotes  properly  a  bright  red 
colour,  much  prized  by  the  ancients. 
The  Arabic  verb  means  to  shine,  and 
the  name  was  given  to  this  colour,  it 
is  supposed  by  some,  on  account  of  its 
splendour,  or  bright  appearance.  It  is 
mentioned  as  a  merit  of  Saul,  that  he 
clothed  the  daughters  of  Israel  in  scar- 
let. 2  Sam.  i.  24.  Our  word  scarlet, 
denoting  a  bright  red,  expresses  the 
colour  intended  here.  This  colour  was 
obtained  from  the  eggs  of  the  coccus 
ilicis,  a  small  insect  found  on  the  leaves 
of  the  oak  in  Spain,  and  in  the  coun- 
tries east  of  the  Mediterranean.  The 
cotton  cloth  was  dipped  in  this  colour 
twice;  and  the  word  used  to  express  it 
means  also  double-dyed,  from  the  verb 
H3ty  shdnd,  to  repeat.  From  this 
double-dying  many  critics  have  sup- 
posed that  the  name  given  to  the  colour 
4* 


though  they  be  red  like  crimson, 
they  shall  be  as  wool. 

was  derived.  The  interpretation  which 
derives  it  from  the  sense  of  the  Arabic 
word  to  shii.e,  however,  is  the  most 
probable,  as  there  is  no  evidence  that 
the  doutde-dying  was  peculiar  to  this 
colour.  It  was  a  more  permanent  colour 
than  that  which  is  mentioned  under  the 
word  crimson. — White  is  an  emblem 
of  innocence.  Of  course  sins  would 
be  represented  by  the  opposite.  Hence 
we  speak  of  crimes  as  black,  or  deep- 
dyed,  and  of  the  soul  as  stained  by 
sin.  There  is  another  idea  here.  This 
was  a  fast,  or  fxed  colour.  Neither 
dew,  nor  rain,  nor  washing,  nor  long 
usage,  would  remove  it.  Hence  it  is 
used  .o  represent  the  fixedness,  and 
permanency,  of  sins  in  the  heart.  No 
human  means  will  wash  them  out. 
JNo  effort  of  man,  no  external  rites,  no 
tears,  no  sacrifices,  no  prayers,  are  of 
themselves  sufficient  to  take  them 
away.  Thsy  are  deep  fixed  in  the 
heart,  as  the  scarlet  colour  was  in  the 
web  of  cloth,  and  an  almighty  power  is 
needful  to  remove  them.  II  Shall  be 
as  white  as  snow.  That  is,  the  deep, 
fixed  stain,  which  no  human  power 
could  remove,  shall  be  taken  away. 
In  other  words,  sin  shall  be  par- 
doned, and  the  soul  be  made  pure. 
White,  in  all  ages,  has  been  the  emblem 
of  innocence,  or  purity.  Comp.  Ps. 
lxviii.  14.  Eccl.  ix  8.  Dan.  vii.  9.  Matt, 
xvii.  2,  xxviii.  3.  Rev  i.  14,  iii.  4,  5, 
iv.  4,  vii.  9,  13.  IT  Though  they  be 
red.  The  idea  here  is  not  materially 
different  from  that  expressed  in  the 
former  part  of  the  verse.  It  is  the 
Hebrew  poetic  form  of  expressing  sub- 
stantially the  same  thought  in  both 
parts  of  the  sentence.  Perhaps,  also, 
it  denotes  intensity,  by  being  repeated. 
See  Intro  §  8.  IT  Like  crimson,  S'lrp  . 
The  difference  between  scarlet  and 
crimson  is,  that  the  former  denotes  a 
deep  red  ;  the  latter  a  deep  red  slightly 
tinged  with  blue.  Perhaps  this  differ- 
ence, however,  is  not  marked  in  the 
original.  The  purple,  or  crimson  coloui 
was  obtained  commonly  from  a  shell- 


82 


fSAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


19.  If  ye  be  willing  and  obe- 
dient, ye  shall  eat  the  good  of  the 
iand  : 

20.  But  if  ye  refuse  and  rebel, 


fisli,  called   murex,  or  purpura,  which 
abounded  chiefly  in  the  sea,  near  Tyre  ; 
and  hence  the  Tyrian  dye   became   so 
celebrated.     That,  however,  which  is 
designated  in  this  place,  was  obtained, 
not  from  a  shell-fish  but  a  worm  (Heb. 
yowi  told),  snail  or  conchylium — the 
helix  ianthina  of  Linnaeus.  This  colour 
was  less  permanent   than  the  scarlet; 
was  of  a  bluish  cast ;  and  is  commonly 
in  the  English  Bible  rendered  blue.      It 
was  employed  usually  to  dye  wool,  and 
was   used    in    the    construction   of  the 
tabernacle,  and   in  the  garments  of  the 
high  priest.     It  was  also  in  great   de- 
mand  by  princes  and  great  men.   Jud 
viii   26.  Luke   xiv.    19.     The  prophet 
has  adverted  to  the  fact  that  it  was  em- 
ployed mainly  in  dying  wool,  by  what 
he    has    added,    "  shall    be    as    wool." 
IT  As  wool.     That  is,  as  wool  uudyed, 
or  from  which  the  colour  is  removed 
Though  your  sins  appear  as  deep  stain- 
ed, and  as  permanent  as  the  fast  colour 
of  crimson  in  wool,  yet  they  shall   be 
removed— as   if  that   stain   should    be 
taken    away    from    the    wool,    and    it 
should  be  restored  to  its  original  white- 
ness. 

19.  If  ye  be  willing.  If  you  submit 
your  wills,  and  become  voluntary  in 
your  obedience  to  my  law.  If  And 
obedient.  Heb.  If  you  will  hear;  i.  e. 
my  commands.  If  Ye  shall  eat,  ^r. 
That  is,  the  land  shall  yield  its  increase  ; 
and  you  shall  be  saved  from  pestilence, 
war,  famine,  &c.  The  productions  of 
the  soil  shall  no  more  be  devoured  by 
strangers.  Ver.  7.  Comp.  Notes  on  ch. 
lxv.  21-23  This  was  in  accordance 
with  the  promises  which  God  made  to 
their  fathers,  and  the  motives  to  obe- 
dience placed  before  them,  which  were 
drawn  from  the  fact  that  they  should 
possess  a  land  of  distinguished  fertility, 
and  that  obedience  should  be  attended 
with  eminent  national  prosperity  Such 
an  appeal  was  adapted  to  the  infancy 
of  society,  and  to  the  circumstances  of 


ye  shall  be  devoured  with  the 
sword  :  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
fi'hath  spoken  it. 

e  Lev.  26.  33. 


the  people.  It  should  be  added,  how- 
ever, that  with  this  they  connected  the 
idea  that  God  would  be  their  God  and 
Protector;  and,  of  course,  the  idea  that 
all  the  blessings  resulting  from  that 
fact  would  be  theirs.  Ex.  iii.  S  :  "  And 
I  am  come  down  to  deliver  them  out 
of  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians,  and  to 
bring  them  up  out  of  that  land  unto  a 
good  land  and  a  large,  unto  a  land 
flowing  with  milk  and  honey."  Comp. 
Ex  iii.   17,  xiii.  5    Deut.  xxviii.  1-3, 

4,  5-7-9.  In  accordance  with  this, 
the  language  of  promise  in  the  New 
Testament  is  that  of  inheriting  the 
?arth,  i.  e.   the   land.     Note  Matt.  v. 

5.  The  expression  here  means,  that  if 
they  obeyed  God  they  should  be  under 
his  patronage,  and  be  prospered.  It 
refers,  also,  to  ver.  7,  where  it  is  said 
that  strangers  devoured  the  land.  The 
promise  here  is,  that  if  they  were  obe- 
dient, this  calamity  should  be  removed. 

20.  But  if  ye  refuse,  ye  shall  be  de- 
voured with  the  sword.  Your  ene- 
mies shall  come  in,  and  lay  waste  the 
land.  This  prediction  was  fulfilled,  in 
consequence  of  their  continuing  to  re- 
bel, when  the  land  was  desolated  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  and  the  nation  was 
carried  captive  to  Babylon,  ft  illue- 
trates  a  general  principle  of  the  Divine 
government,  that  if  men  persevere  in 
rebelling  against  God  they  shall  be 
destroyed.  The  word  devour  is  ap- 
plied to  the  sword,  as  if  it  were  insa- 
tiable for  destruction.  Whatever  de- 
stroys may  be  figuratively  said  to  de- 
vour. See  Notes  on  ch.  xxxiv.  5,  6. 
Comp.  Isa.  v.  24.  Lam.  ii.3.  Ezek  xv. 
4.  Joel  ii  3.  Rev.  xi.  5— where  Jire  is 
said  to  devour.  If  The  mouth  of  the 
Lord.  Jehovah  himself.  This  had 
been  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  the  Lord, 
and  recorded,  Lev   xxvi.  33  : 

And  I  will  scatter  you  amonp  the  heathen, 
And  will  draw  out  a  sword  after  you  ; 
And  your  land  shall  he  desolate, 
And  your  cities  waste. 

On  these  points  God  proposed  to  rea* 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


83 


21.  How  is  the  faithful  city 
become  an  harlot !  *it  was  full  of 
judgment ;   righteousness  lodged 


i  Jer.  2.  20,  21. 


son;  or  rather, perhaps,  these  principles 
are  regarded  as  reasonable,  or  as  com- 
mending themselves  to  men.  They 
are  the  great  principles  of  the  Divine 
administration,  that  if  men  obey  God 
they  shall  prosper  ;  if  not,  they  shall 
be  punished. — They  commend  them- 
selves to  men  as  just  and  true  ;  and  they 
are  seen  and  illustrated  every  where. 

21.  How  is.  This  is  an  expression 
of  deploring,  or  lamenting.  It  indi- 
cates that  that  had  occurred  which  was 
matter  of  grief.  The  prophet  had 
stated  the  principles  of  the  Divine  go- 
vernment ;  had  urged  the  people  to 
reason  with  God  ;  and  had  affirmed  his 
willingness  to  pardon.  But  it  was 
seen  that  they  would  not  repent.  They 
were  so  wicked,  and  perverse,  that  there 
was  no  hope  of  their  reformation  His 
mind  is  full  of  this  subject  ;  he  repeats 
the  charge  of  their  wickedness  (21-23), 
and  states  what  must  be  the  conse- 
quences. IT  T lie  faithful  city.  Jeru- 
salem. It  is  represented  here  under 
the  image  of  a  wife — once  faithful  to 
her  husband  ;  once  a  devoted  and  at- 
tached partuer.  Jerusalem  was  thus 
once.  In  former  days  it  was  the  seat 
of  the  pure  worship  of  God  ;  the  place 
where  his  praise  was  celebrated,  and 
where  his  people  came  to  offer  sincere 
devotion.  In  the  Scriptures,  the  church 
is  often  represented  under  the  image  of 
a  wife,  to  denote  the  tenderness,  and 
sacredness  of  the  union.  Hos  ii  19, 
20.  Isa  lxii.  5,  liv.  6.  Rev  xxi.  9. 
11  An  harlot.  She  has  proved  to  be 
false,  treacherous,  unfaithful.  The  un- 
faithfulness of  the  people  of  God,  par- 
ticularly their  idolatry,  is  often  repre- 
sented under  the  idea  of  unfaithfulness 
to  the  marriage  contract.  Jer.  iii.  8, 
9,  v.  7,  xiii.  27,  xxiii.  14.  Ezek.  xvi. 
32,  xxiii.  37.  Hos.  ii.  2,  iv  2.  IT  It 
was  full  of  judgment.  It  was  distin- 
guished for  justice  and  righteousness. 
1  Lodged  in  it.  This  is  a  figurative 
*xpressiou,   nt  eaning  that  it  was  cha- 


in it;  but  now  murderers. 

22.  Thy  silver  is  become  dross, 
thy  wine  mixed  with  water : 


racterized  as  a  righteous  city.  The 
word  I"1?"  is  from  "1?  lun,  to  pass  the 
night,  to  remain  through  the  night 
(Gen  xix.  2)  ;  and  then  to  lodge,  to 
dwell.  Ps.  xxv.  13.  Job  xvii.  2,  xxix. 
19.  In  this  place  it  has  the  sense  of 
aiiding,  remaining,  continuing  perma- 
nently. Jerusalem  was  the  home  of 
justice,  where  it  found  protection  ind 
safety.  IT  Now  murderers.  By  mur- 
derers here  are  meant  probably  unjust 
judges  ;  men  who  did  not  regard  the 
interests  of  the  poor,  the  widow,  and 
the  orphan  ;  and  who  therefore,  by  a 
strong  expression,  are  characterized  as 
murderers.  They  had  displaced  justice 
from  its  home  ;  and  had  become  the 
permanent  inhabitants  of  the  city. 
Comp   Note  ver.  15. 

22.  Thy  silver.  The  sentiment  in 
this  verse,  as  it  is  explained  by  the  fol- 
lowing, is,  thy  princes  and  people  have 
become  corrupt,  and  polluted  Silver 
is  used  here  to  denote  what  should  have 
been  more  valuable — virtuous  princes. 
IT  Dross.  This  word — 3^0 — means  the 
scoriae,  or  baser  metal,  which  is  sepa- 
rated from  the  purer  in  smelting.  It 
is  of  little  or  no  value  ;  and  the  expres- 
sion means  that  the  rulers  had  become 
debased  and  corrupt,  as  if  pure  silver 
had  been  converted  wholly  to  dross. 
If  Thy  wine.  Wine  was  regarded  as 
the  most  pure  and  valuable  drink  among 
the  ancients.  It  is  used,  therefore,  to 
express  that  which  should  have  been 
most  valued  and  esteemed  among 
them — to  wit,  their  rulers.  IT  Mixed 
with  water.  Diluted,  made  weak. 
According  to  Gesenius,  the  word  ren- 
dered mizcd — PiriB  mdhul — is  from 
prra  mahal,  the  same  as  Sl'B  mill,  to 
circumcise  ;  and  hence,  by  a  figure 
common  with  the  Arabians,  to  adul- 
terate, or  dilute  wine.  The  word  does 
not  occur  in  this  sense  elsewhere  in 
the  Scriptures,  but  the  connection  evi- 
dently requires  it  to  be  sc  understood. 


34 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  7(.u 


23.  Thy  princes  are  rebellious, 
and  companions  of  thieves:  every 
one  loveth  gifts,  and  followeth 
after  rewards:  they  judge  not 
the   fatherless,  neither    doth  the 


Wine  mixed  with  water  is  that  which 
is  weakened,  diluted,  rendered  compa- 
ratively useless.  So  with  the  rulers 
and  judges.  They  had  lost  the  strength 
and  purity  of  their  integrity,  by  inter- 
mingling those  tilings  which  tended  to 
weaken  and  destroy  their  virtue — pride, 
the  love  of  gifts,  and  bribes,  &c.  Di- 
vested of  the  figure,  the  passage  means 
that  the  rulers  had  become  wholly  cor- 
rupt. 

23.  Thy  princes,  &c.  This  is  an 
explanation  of  the  previous  verse. 
Princes  mean  here  those  attached  to 
the  royal  family  ;  those  who  by  rank, 
or  office,  had  an  influence  over  the  peo- 
ple. IT  Rebellious.  Against  God.  The 
corruption  of  a  nation  commonly  be- 
gins with  the  rulers.  1T  Companions  of 
thieves.  That  is,  they  connive  at  the 
doings  of  robbers  ;  they  do  not  bring 
them  to  justice  ;  they  are  their  accom- 
plices, and  are  easily  bribed  to  acquit 
them.  %  Every  one  loveth  gifts.  Every 
magistrate  can  be  bribed.  If  Followeth 
after  rewards.  EH"1  •  This  word  de- 
notes the  act  of  pursuing  after  in  or- 
der to  obtain  something  ;  and  means 
here  that  they  made  it  an  object  to 
obtain  rewards  by  selling  or  betraying 
justice.  They  sell  justice  to  the  high- 
est bidder.  No  more  distressing  con- 
dition of  a  people  can  be  conceived  than 
this,  where  justice  could  not  be  secured 
between  man  and  man,  and  where  the 
wicked  could  oppress  the  poor,  the  wid- 
ow, and  the  orphan,  as  much  as  they 
pleased,  because  they  knew  they  could 
bribe  the  judge,  t  They  judge  not. 
They  do  not  render  justice  to.  Ver.  17. 
The  Chaldee  has  well  expressed  the 
sense  of  a  part  of  this  verse :  "  Thej 
say,  each  one  to  his  neighbour,  Favour 
me  in  my  judgment,  or  do  me  good  in 
it,  and  I  will  recompense  you  in  your 
cause."  U  The  cause  of  the  widow 
tome  unto  them.  Or,  rather,  come  be- 
fore them.     They  would  not  take  up 


cause  of  the  widow  come  unta 
them. 

24.  Therefore  saith  the  Lord, 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  mighty 
One  of  Israel,   Ah,   1   will   ease 

her  cause,  but  rather  the  cause  of  those 
wlm  were  <  steemed  able  to  offer  a 
bribe,  and  from  whom  a  gift  might  be 
expected,  if  a  decision  was  made  in 
their  favor. 

24.  Therefore  saith  the  Lord,  &c. 
The  prophet  having  stated  the  guilt  ol 
the  nation,  proceeds  to  show  the  con- 
sequences of  their  crimes;  or  to  fore- 
tell what  would  happen.  The  name 
of  God  is  repeated,  to  attract  attention; 
to  till  the  mind  with  awe  ;  and  to  ifive 
emphasis  to  the  solemn  sentence  which 
was  abiut  to  be  uttered.  II  The  Lord. 
"l1_Ii$  •  This  word  properly  denotes 
master,  lord,  owner.  Gen.  xxiv.  9 : 
Lnril  over  his  whole  house.  1  Kings 
xvi.  24 :  Owner  of  the  hill  Samaria. 
It  is  applied  here  to  Jehovah,  not  as  a 
peculiar  title,  or  as  one  of  the  names 
which  he  assumes  to  himself,  but  as 
owner,  proprietor,  master,  ruler  of  the 
nation.  The  word  when  applied  to 
God,  as  one  of  his  peculiar  titles,  has 
the  form  of  an  ancient  plural  termina- 
tion, ^J7~  ddondi.  The  root  is  pro- 
bably "ill  dhiitt,  to  judge,  which  in  an- 
cient times  was  also  closely  connected 
with  the  idea  of  ruling.  If  The  Lord 
of  hosts.  Jehovah — ruling  in  the  hosts 
of  heaven,  and  therefore  able  to  accom- 
plish his  threatenings.  Note,  ver  9. 
If  The  mighty  One  of  Israel.  He  whir 
had  been  their  defender  in  the  days  of 
their  peril ;  who  had  manifested  his 
mighty  power  in  overthrowing  their 
enemies  ;  and  who  had  shown,  there- 
fore, that  he  was  able  to  inflict  ven- 
geance on  them.  1f  Ah.  "^i"!  •  This 
is  an  expression  of  threatening.  It  is 
that  which  is  used  when  an  a  front  is 
offered,  and  there  is  a  purpose  of  re- 
venge. See  ver.  4.  If  /  will  ease  me 
This  refers  to  what  is  said  in  ver.  14, 
where  God  is  represented  as  burdened 
with  their  crimes.  The  Hebrew  word 
is,  I  will  be  consoled,  or  comlorted— 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


85 


mme   of  mine    adversaries,    and 
avenge  me  of  mine  enemies  : 

WlDeut.  28.  63.      Eze.  5.   13. 

I.  e.  by  being  delivered  from  my  foes — 
DTiSfi*  from  Etta,  in  Niphil  to  suffer 
pain,  to  be  grieved  ;  and  hence,  to  have 
pity,  to  show  compassion.  In  Pie],  to 
console  or  comfort  one's  self;  to  take 
revenge.  The  idea  included  in  the 
word  is  that  of  griej ',  or  distress,  either 
in  beholding  the  sufferings  of  others, 
or  from  some  injury  received  from 
others.  Hence,  in  Piel  it  denotes  to 
obtain  relief  from  that  distress,  either 
by  aiding  the  distressed  object,  or  by 
taking  revenge.  In  both  instances  the 
mind,  by  a  law  of  its  nature,  finds  re- 
lief. The  passion  expends  itself  on  its 
proper  object,  and  the  mind  is  at  ease. 
It  is  used  here  in  the  latter  sense.  It 
is  an  instance  where  God  uses  the  lan- 
guage which  men  employ  to  denote 
passion,  and  where  they  obtain  relief 
by  revenge.  When  applied  to  God,  it 
is  to  be  understood  in  accordance  with 
his  nature,  as  implying  simply,  that  he 
would  punish  them.  Comp.  Note  on 
ver.  13.  It  means  that  he  had  been 
pained  and  grieved  by  their  crimes ; 
his  patience  had  been  put  to  its  utmost 
trial ;  and  now  he  would  seek  relief 
from  this  by  inflicting  due  punishment 
on  them.  An  expression  explaining 
this  may  be  seen  in  Ezek  v.  13  :  "  Then 
shall  mine  anger  be  accomplished,  and 
I  will  cause  my  fury  to  rest  upon  them, 
and  /  will  be  comforted."  Also,  Deut 
xxviii.  63  :  "  As  the  Lord  rejoiced  over 
you,  to  do  you  good  ;  so  the  Lord  will 
rejoice  over  you,  to  destroy  you." 
1T  Mine  adversaries.  The  enemies  to 
his  law  and  government  among  the 
rebellious  Jews.  The  expression  in 
this  verse  is  a  remarkable  instance 
of  God's  adapting  himself  to  our  appre- 
nension,  by  using  our  language.  In- 
stances occur  often  in  the  Scriptures 
where  language  expressive  of  human 
passions  is  applied  to  God ;  and  as 
human  language  must  be  employed 
in  revelation,  it  was  indispensable. 
But  those  expressions  are  not  to  be 
tnderstood  as  they  are  when  applied 


25  And  "I  will  turn  my  hand 
upon    thee,   and    purely4    purge 

n  Rial.  3.  3         4  according  to  pureness. 

to  the  passions  of  men.  In  God,  they 
are  consistent  with  all  that  is  pure,  and 
glorious,  and  holy,  and  should  be  so 
understood.  The  Chaldee  renders  this 
verse,  "  I  will  console  the  city  of  Jeru- 
salem ;  but  wo  to  the  impious,  when 
I  shall  be  revealed  to  take  vengeance 
on  the  enemies  of  my  people."  But 
this  is  manifestly  a  false  interpretation  ; 
and  shows  how  reluctant  the  Jews  were 
to  admit  the  threatenings  against  them- 
selves. 

25.  And  I  will  turn  my  hand  upon 
thee.  This  expression  is  capable  of 
two  significations.  The  hand  may  be 
stretched  out  for  two  purposes,  either 
to  inflict  punishment,  or  to  afford  help 
and  protection.  The  phrase  here  re- 
fers evidently  to  the  latter,  to  the  act 
of  redeeming  and  restoring  his  people, 
vs.  26,  27.  The  idea  may  be  thus 
expressed  :  '  I  will  stretch  out  my  hand 
to  punish  my  enemies  (ver.  24),  and 
will  turn  my  hand  upon  thee  for  pro- 
tection, and  recovery.'  1T  Purge  away. 
This  refers  to  the  process  of  smehing, 
or  purifying  metals  in  the  fire.  It 
means,  I  will  remove  all  the  dross 
which  has  accumulated  (ver.  22),  and 
will  make  the  silver  pure.  This  was 
commonly  done  by  fire  ;  and  the  idea  is, 
that  he  would  render  his  own  people 
pure  by  those  judgments  which  would 
destroy  his  enemies  who  were  intermin- 
gled with  them.  IT  Purely.  The  original 
word  here — 123  kdbbdr — has  been  com« 
monly  understood  to  mean,  according  to 
purity;  i.e.  effectually  or  entirely  pure. 
Thus  it  is  translated  by  the  Septuagint, 
and  by  the  Latin  Vulgate.  But  by  the 
Chaldee  it  is  translated,  "  I  will  purify 
thee  as  with  the  herb  borith."  Th 
word  may  mean  lye,  alkali,  or  potash 
(Job  ix.  30)  ;  and  it  may  mean  also 
borax — a  substance  formed  of  alkali 
and  boracic  acid,  much  used  in  purify- 
ing metals.  The  essential  idea  is,  I 
will  make  you  effectually,  or  entirely 
pure,  f  Thy  tin.  Tin  is  with  us  a 
well  known  white    metal.      But   tha 


fib" 


ISAIAH. 


awa)  thy  dross,  and  take  away- 
all  thy  tin  : 

20  And  I  will  restore  thy 
judges  as  at  the  first,  and  thy 
counsellors  as  at  the  beginning  : 
afterward   thou  shalt  be   called, 


[B.C.  760. 
The 


The  city  of  righteousness 
faithful  city. 

27  Zion  shall  be  redeemed 
with  judgment,  and  her  converts' 
with  Prirrhteousness. 


7  or,  they  that  return  of  her.       p  1  Cor.  1.  30. 


word  used  here  does  not  mean  tin.  It 
denotes  the  stannum  of  the  ancients  ; 
a  metal  formed  of  lead  mixed  with 
silver-ore.  Here  it  means,  I  will  take 
away  all  the  impure  metal  mixed  with 
thee  ;  varying  the  idea  but  little  from 
the  former  part  of  the  verse. 

2(>.  And  1  will  restore,  &c.  That  is, 
I  will  give  you  such  judges  as  the  na- 
tion had  in  former  days — in  the  times  i 
of  Moses,  Joshua,  &c.  Most  of  the 
charges  in  this  chapter  are  against  the 
magistrates.  The  calamities  of  the 
nation  are  traced  to  their  unfaithful- 
ness and  corruption,  vs.  17-23.  God 
now  says  that  he  will  remove  this  cause 
of  their  calamity,  and  give  them  pure 
magistrates.  11  Thy  counsellors.  Thy 
advisers  ;  that  is,  those  occupying 
places  of  trust  and  responsibility. 
When  this  should  be,  the  prophet  does 
not  say.  The  Jewish  commentators 
suppose  that  he  refers  to  the  time  after 
the  return  from  captivity,  and  to  such 
men  as  Zorobabel,  Ezra,  and  Nehe- 
miah  ;  and  to  the  times  of  Hircanus 
and  Herod.  Jerome  supposes  that  the 
times  of  the  Messiah  are  referred  to. 
It  is  impossible  to  determine  which  is 
the  correct  opinion ;  though  as  the 
Babylonish  captivity  was  the  punish- 
ment of  those  national  sins  which  the 
prophet  was  denouncing,  it  is  more 
probable  that  he  refers  to  the  time  im- 
mediately succeeding  that  punishment, 
when  the  nation  would  be  restored.  I 
am  inclined  therefore  to  the  opinion, 
that  the  prophet  had  reference  solely 
tc  the  prosperity  of  the  Jewish  nation, 
under  a  succession  of  comparatively 
virtuous  princes,  after  the  Babylonish 
captivity.  IT  Thou  shalt  be  called,  &,c. 
The  principal  cause  of  your  wicked- 
ness and  calamity,  i.  e.  your  unfaithful 
rulers  being  removed  and  punished, 
you  shall  afterwards  be  distinguished 
as   a   city   of    righteousness.     1    The 


faithful  city.  That  is,  faithful  to  Je- 
hovah— faithful  in  keeping  his  laws, 
and  maintaining  the  rites  of  his  reli- 
gion as  formerly.  Comp.  ver.  21. 

27.  Zion.  See  Note,  ver.  8.  The 
word  Zion  here  is  used  to  designate 
the  whole  Jewish  people  to  whom  the 
prophet  had  reference  ;  that  is,  the  in- 
habitants of  Judah  and  Jerusalem,  ver. 
11  Shall  be  redeemed.  The  word 
used  here — rTlS — is  employed  in  two 
senses  in  the  Scriptures.  It  implies 
always  the  idea  of  deliverance,  as  from 
captivity,  danger,  punishment,  slavery, 
sin.  But  this  idea  occurs  (1)  some- 
times without  any  reference  to  a  price 
paid,  but  simply  denoting  to  deliver,  or 
to  set  at  liberty  ;  and  (2)  in  other  in- 
stances the  price  is  specified,  and  then 
the  word  occurs  under  the  strict  and 
proper  sense  of  redeem  ;  i.  e.  to  rescue, 
or  deliver,  by  a  ransom  price.  In- 
stances of  the  former  general  sense 
occur  often  ;  as  e  g  to  deliver  from 
slavery  without  mention  of  a  price. 
Deut.  vii.  8 :  "  The  Lord  loved  you, 
and  redeemed  you  out  of  the  house  of 
bondmen."  See  also  Jer.  xv.  21,  xxxi. 
11.  The  idea  of  delivering  in  any 
way  from  danger  occurs  often.  Job 
v.  20  :  "  In  famine  he  shall  redeem 
thee  from  death,  and  in  war  from  the 
power  of  the  sword."  1  Kings  i.  29  : 
"  As  Jehovah  liveth,  that  hath  redeem- 
ed my  soul  out  of  all  distress."  1  Sam. 
iv.  9.  But  the  word  often  occurs  in 
connection  with  the  mention  of  the 
price,  and  in  this  sense  the  words 
rendered  redeem  are  commonly  used 
in  the  New  Testament.  See  Ex.  xiii. 
13.  Num.  xviii.  15,  16,  17.  Comp. 
Gal.  iii.  13.  1  Pet.  i.  18.  Rev.  v.  9. 
Eph.  i.  17.  Matt.  xx.  28.  1  Tim. 
ii.  6.  In  these  last  places  the  blood 
of  Christ,  or  his  atoning  sacrifice,  is 
mentioned  as  the  price,  or  the  valuable 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


8T 


28  And  the  "destruction  of 
the  transgressors  and  of  the  sin- 
ners shall  be  together/  and  they 

8  breaking.        r  Ps.  125.  5.    Luk.  12.  45,  46. 


consideration,  by  which  deliverance 
from  sin  is  effected.  Comp.  Note  ch. 
xliii.  3.  In  the  case  now  before  us, 
however,  the  word  is  used  in  the  gene- 
ral sense,  to  denote  that  God  would 
rescue  and  save  his  people  from  the 
calamities  and  judgments  to  which 
they  were  to  be  subjected  on  account 
of  their  sins.  Though  they  were  to  be 
taken  captive  for  their  sins,  yet  they 
ehould  again  be  delivered  and  restored 
to  their  land.  The  Septuagint  evi- 
dently so  understands  it:  "  Her  cap- 
tixity  shall  be  saved  with  judgment 
and  with  mercy."  The  Chaldee  Para- 
phrase renders  it  in  a  manner  some- 
what similar  :  '  But  Zion,  when  judg- 
ment shall  have  been  accomplished  in 
her,  shall  be  redeemed  ;  and  they  who 
keep  the  law  shall  be  returned  to  it  in 
righteousness.'  IT  With  judgment.  In 
a  righteous,  just  manner.  That  is,  God 
shall  evince  his  justice  in  doing  it ;  his 
justice  to  a  people  to  whom  so  many 
promises  had  been  made,  and  his  jus- 
tice in  delivering  them  from  long  and 
grievous  oppression.  All  this  would 
be  attended  with  the  displays  of  judg- 
ment, in  effecting  their  deliverance. 
This  might  be  evinced  (1)  in  keeping 
his  promises  made  to  their  fathers  ;  (2) 
in  delivering  an  oppressed  people  from 
bondage  ;  and  (3)  in  the  displays  of 
judgment  on  the  nations  necessary  in 
accomplishing  the  deliverance  of  the 
Jews.  This  is  the  common  interpre- 
tation. It  may  be,  however,  that  the 
expression  does  not  refer  to  the  cha- 
racter of  God,  which  is  not  at  all  the 
subject  of  discourse,  but  to  the  charac- 
ter of  the  people  that  should  be  re- 
deemed. Before,  the  nation  was  cor- 
rupt ;  after  the  captivity,  they  would 
be  just.  Zion  should  be  redeemed — 
and  the  effect  of  that  redemption  would 
be,  that  the  people  would  be  reformed, 
and  holy,  and  just.  This  does  not 
refer,  properly,  to  redemption  by  the 
Lord  Jesus,  though  it  is  equally  true 


that  forsake 
consumed. 


the  Lord  shall  be 


t  Zeph.  1.  6. 


that  that  will  be  accomplished  with 
justice,  i.  e.  in  entire  consistency  wilh 
the  character  of  a  just  and  holy  God. 
IT  Her  converts.  This  is  an  unhappy 
translation.  The  Hebrew  here  means 
simply,  "  they  that  return  of  her " 
(marg.)  ;  that  is,  those  who  return  from 
captivity.  It  is  implied  that  all  would 
not  return — which  was  true — but  those 
who  did  return,  would  come  back  in 
righteousness.  IT  With  righteousness. 
This  refers  to  the  character  of  those 
who  shall  return.  The  prediction  is, 
that  the  character  of  the  nation  would 
be  reformed  (ver.  26)  ;  that  it  would 
be  done  by  means  of  this  very  captivity ; 
and  that  they  who  returned,  would 
come  back  with  a  different  character 
from  the  nation  at  the  time  that  Isaiah 
wrote.  They  would  be  a  reformed 
righteous  people.  The  character  of 
the  nation  was  greatly  improved  aftei 
the  captivity.  Their  propensity  to 
idolatry,  in  a  particular  manner,  was 
effectually  restrained  ;  and  probably 
the  character  of  the  people  after  the 
captivity,  for  morals  and  religion,  was 
not  inferior  to  the  best  periods  of  their 
history  before. 

28.  And  the  destruction.  Heb.  "I2ttj 
— the  breaking,  or  crushing,  i.  e.  the 
punishment  which  was  about  to  come 
upon  them.  Comp.  Lam.  ii.  11,  iii.  47. 
Prov.  xvi.  18.  IT  Of  the  transgressors. 
Revolters,  or  those  that  rebel  against 
God.  ^  And  of  the  sinners.  Of  all 
the  sinners  in  the  nation,  of  all  kinds 
and  degrees.  %  Together.  At  the 
same  time  with  the  redemption  of 
Zion.  1T  Shall  be  consumed.  I'^? 
from  <"!33  kala,  to  be  completed,  or 
finished  ;  to  be  consumed,  wasted 
away  ;  to  vanish,  or  disappear.  It 
denotes  complete  and  entire  extinc- 
tion ;  or  the  completing  of  any  thing. 
It  is  applied  to  a  cloud  of  smoke, 
that  entirely  dissolves  and  disap« 
pears : 


88 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


29  For  they  shall  be  ashamed    of  the  oaks   which  ye  have  da 


As  the  climil  is  consumed  and  vanisheth  away  ; 

So  he  Unit  trooth  down  to  the  grave  shall  come 

up  no  mure.  Job  vn.  y 

But  the  wicked  shall  periflh, 

And  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  shall  be  as  the  fut 

oflamba  i 
They  shall  consume. 
Into  smoke  shall  they  consume  away. 

Ps.  xxxvii.  20. 

It  is  applied  to  time,  as  vanishing  and 
disappearing  (Job  vii.  6)  ;  and  to  the 
destruction  or  perishing  of  men.  Jer. 
xvi.  4.  Ezek.  v.  13.  The  idea  is  that 
of  complete  and  entire  consumption 
and  destruction,  so  that  none  shall  be 
left.  Applied  to  future  punishment,  it 
means  that  the  destruction  of  sinners 
shall  be  total  and  complete.  There 
shall  be  no  sinner  who  shall  not  be 
destroyed ;  and  there  shall  be  none 
destroyed  whose  destruction  shall  not 
be  entire,  and  total.  The  expression 
here  refers  to  the  heavy  calamities 
which  were  about  to  come  upon  the 
guilty  nation,  but  it  is  as  descriptive 
of  the  future  punishment  that  shall 
come  upon  the  wicked. 

2!).  For  they  shall  be  ashamed.  That 
is,  when  they  see  the  punishment  that 
their  idolatry  has  brought  upon  them 
they  shall  be  ashamed  of  the  folly  and 
degradation  of  their  worship. — More- 
over, the  gods  in  which  they  trusted 
shall  yield  them  no  protection,  and  shall 
leave  them  to  the  disgrace  and  confu- 
sion of  being  forsaken  and  abandoned 
1  Of  the  oaks.  Groves  in  ancient 
times  were  the  favourite  places  of  idol- 
atrous worship.  In  the  city  of  Rome 
there  were  thirty-two  groves  consecrat- 
ed to  the  gods.  Those  were  commonly 
selected  which  were  on  hills,  or  high 
places  ;  and  they  were  usually  furnish- 
ed with  temples,  altars,  and  all  the 
implements  of  idolatrous  worship.  Dif- 
ferent kinds  of  groves  were  selected 
for  this  purpose,  by  different  people. 
The  Druids  of  the  ancient  Celtic  na- 
tions in  Gaul,  Britain,  and  Germany, 
offered  their  worship  in  groves  of  oak 
— hence  the  name  Druid,  derived  from 
Spiif  drus,  an  oak.  Frequent  mention 
is  made  in  the  Scriptures  of  groves 
and  high  places  ;  and  the  Jews  were 
■©rbidden  to  erect  them.  Deut.  xvi.  21. 


1  Kings  xvi.  23.  2  Kings  xvi.  4.  Ezek 
vi.  It,  xvi  16,  39.  Ex.  xxxiv.  13 
Judges  iii.  7.  1  Kings  xviii.  ID.  Isa, 
xvii.  8.  Micah  v.  14.  When,  there- 
fore, it  is  said  here  that  they  should  be 
ashamed  of  the  oaks,  it  means  that  they 
should  be  ashamed  of  their  idolatrous 
worship  to  which  they  were  much  ad- 
dicted, and  into  which,  under  their 
wicked  kings,  they  easily  fell.  Their 
calamities  were  coming  upon  them 
mainly  for  this  idolatry — It  is  not  cer- 
tainly known  what  species  of  tree  ia 
intended  by  the  word  translated  oaks. 
The   LXX   have    rendered    it   by   the 

Word     idols Itto     tcji/     tidutXotv     avruit/. 

The  Chaldee,  "  ye  shall  be  confounded 
by  the  groves  of  idols."  The  Syriac 
version  also  has  idols.  Most  critics 
concur  in  supposing  that  it  means  not 
the  oak,  but  the  terebinth  or  turpentine 
tree, — a  species  of  fir.  This  tree  is  the 
Piatacia  Tere.binth.us  of  Linnaeus,  or 
the  common  turpentine  tree,  whose 
rosin  or  juice  is  the  Chian  or  Cyprus 
turpentine,  used  in  medicine.  The  tree 
grows  to  a  great  age,  and  is  common 
in  Palestine  The  terebinth — now  call- 
ed in  Palestine  the  butm-tree — "  is  not 
an  evergreen  as  is  often  represented  ; 
but  its  small,  feathered,  lancet-shaped 
leaves  fall  in  the  autumn,  and  are  re- 
newed in  the  spring.  The  flowers  are 
small,  and  are  followed  by  small  oval 
berries,  hanging  in  clusters  from  two 
to  five  inches  long,  resembling  much 
the  clusters  of  the  vine  when  the  grapes 
are  just  set.  From  incisions  in  the 
trunk  there  is  said  to  flow  a  sort  of 
transparent  balsam,  constituting  a  very 
pure  and  fine  species  of  turpentine, 
with  an  agreeable  odour  like  citron  or 
jessamine,  and  a  mild  taste,  and  hard- 
ening gradually  into  a  transparent  gum. 
The  tree  is  found  also  in  Asia  Minor, 
Greece,  Italy,  the  south  of  Fiance,  and 
in  the  north  of  Africa,  and  is  described 
as  not  usually  rising  to  the  height  of 
more  than  twenty  feet."  Robinson's 
Bibli.  Research.  III.  15,  16.  It  pro- 
duces the  nuts  called  the  pistachio 
nuts.  They  have  a  pleasant,  unctuous 
taste,  resembling  that  of  almonds,  and 


.B.C.  7U0.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


89 


sired,  and  ye  shall  be  confounded     for   Me   gardens   that    ye    have 

chosen. 

they  yield  in  abundance  a  sweet   and  kind,  is  the  produce  of  this  tree      The 

pleasant  oil.     The  best  Venice  turpen-  '  following  cut  will  give  an   idea  of  the 

tine,  which,  when  it  can    be   obtained  appearance  of  the  tereiirth. 

pure,  is  superior  te  all  the  rest  of  its  ! 


Turpentine  Tree.     (Pistachio,  Terebinthus.) 


The  Hebrew  word  D"1?"^  elirn,  from 

'"l^.  el,  or  more  commonly  i"1^  eld, 
seems  to  be  used  sometimes  as  the 
Greek  <5oii$  is,  to  denote  any  large  tree, 
whether  evergreen  or  not ;  and  espe- 
cially any  large  tree,  or  cluster  of  trees 
where  the  worship  of  idols  was  cele- 
brated. IT  Which  ye  have  desired. 
The  Jews,  until  the  captivity  at  Baby- 
lon, as  all  their  history  shows,  easily 
relapsed  into  idolatry.  The  meaning 
of  the  prophet  is,  that  the  punishment 
at  Babylon  would  be  so  long  and  so 
severe  as  to  make  them  ashamed  of 
this,  and  turn  them  from  it  11  Shall 
be  confounded.     Another  word  mean- 


ing to  be  ashamed.  f  For  the  gar' 
dens.  The  places  planted  with  trees, 
&c,  in  which  idolatrous  worship  was 
practised.  "  In  the  language  of  the 
Hebrews,  every  place  where  plants 
and  trees  were  cultivated  with  greater 
care  than  in  the  open  field,  was  called 
a  garden.  The  idea  of  such  an  inclo- 
sure  was  certainly  borrowed  from  the 
garden  of  Eden,  which  the  bountiful 
Creator  planted  for  the  reception  of 
his  favourite  creature.  The  garden  of 
Hesperides,  in  eastern  fables,  was  pro- 
tected by  an  enormous  serpent  ;  and 
the  gardens  of  Adonis,  among  the 
Greeks,  may  be  traced  to  the  same 


90 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.7G0 


30  Tor  ye  shall  be  as  an  oak 
whose  leaf  fudeth,  and  as  a  gar- 
den thai  hath  no  water. 

31  And  the  strong  shall  be  as 


origin  ;  for  the  terms  horti  Adonidcs, 
the  gardens  of  Adonis,  were  used  by 
the  ancients  to  signify  gardens  of  plea- 
sure, which  corresponds  with  the  name 
o(  Paradise,  or  the  garden  of  Eden,  as 
horti  Adonis  answers  to  the  garden  of 
the  Lord.  Besides,  the  gardens  of 
primitive  nations  were  commonly,  if 
not  in  every  instance,  devoted  to  reli- 
gious purposes.  In  these  shady  re- 
treats were  celebrated,  for  a  long  suc- 
cession of  ages,  the  rites  of  pagan 
superstition. "  Paxton.  These  groves  or 
gardens  were  furnished  with  the  tem- 
ple of  the  god  that  was  worshipped, 
and  with  altars,  and  with  every  thing 
necessary  for  this  species  of  worship. 
They  were  usually,  also,  made  as 
shady  and  dark  as  possible,  to  inspire 
the  worshippers  with  religious  awe  and 
reverence  on  their  entrance.  Comp. 
Note  lxvi.  17. 

30.  For  ye,  &c.  The  mention  of 
the  tree  in  the  previous  verse,  gives 
the  prophet  occasion  for  the  beautiful 
image  in  this.  They  had  desired  the 
oak,  and  they  should  be  like  it.  That, 
when  the  frost  came,  was  divested  of 
its  beauty,  and  its  leaves  faded,  and 
fell  ;  so  should  their  beauty  and  privi- 
leges and  happiness  as  a  people,  fade 
away  at  the  anger  of  God.  IT  A  gar- 
den that  hath  no  water.  That  is  there- 
fore withered  and  parched  up  ;  where 
nothing  would  flourish,  but  where  all 
would  be  desolation — a  most  strik- 
ing image  of  the  approaching  desola- 
tion of  the  Jewish  nation.  In  Eastern 
countries  this  image  would  be  more 
striking  than  with  us.  In  those  hot 
regions,  a  constant  supply  of  water  is 
necessary  for  the  cultivation,  and  even 
for  the  very  existence  and  preservation 
of  a  garden.  Should  it  want  water  for 
a  few  days,  every  thing  in  it  would  be 
burnt  up  with  heat,  and  totally  de- 
stroyed. In  all  gardens,  therefore,  in 
those  regions,  there  must  be  a  constant 
jupply   of   water,   either    from   some 


tow,  and  the  maker  of  it  as  « 
spark,  and  they  shall  both  burn 
together,  and  none  shall  quench 
them. 

neighbouring  river,  or  from  some  foun- 
tain or  reservoir  within  it.  To  secure 
such  a  fountain  became  an  object  of 
indispensable  importance,  not  only  for 
the  coolness  and  pleasantness  of  the 
garden,  but  for  the  very  existence  of 
the  vegetation.  Dr.  Russell,  in  his 
Natural  History  of  Aleppo,  says,  that 
"  all  the  gardens  of  Aleppo  are  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  that  runs  by  that 
city,  or  on  the  sides  of  the  rill  that 
supplies  their  aqueduct;"  and  all  the 
rest  of  the  country  he  represents  as 
perfectly  burnt  up  in  the  summer 
months,  the  gardens  only  retaining 
their  verdure,  on  account  of  the  moist- 
ness  of  their  situation. 

31.  And  the  strong.  Those  who 
have  been  thought  to  be  strong,  on 
whom  the  people  relied  for  protection 
and  defence — their  rulers,  princes,  and 
the  commanders  of  their  armies.  H  As 
tow.  The  coarse  or  broken  part  of 
flax,  or  hemp.  It  means  here  that 
which  shall  be  easily  and  quickly  kin- 
dled, and  rapidly  consumed.  As  tow 
burns  and  is  destroyed  at  the  touch  of 
fire,  so  shall  the  rulers  of  the  people  be 
consumed  by  the  approaching  calami- 
ties. 1  And  the  maker  of  it.  This  is 
an  unhappy  translation.  The  word 
ibi'S  may  be  indeed  a  participle,  and 
be  rendered  "  its  maker,"  but  it  is 
more  commonly  a  noun,  and  means 
his  icork,  or  his  action.  This  is  its 
plain  meaning  here.  So  the  Latin 
Vulgate,  the  Septuagint,  and  the  Chal- 
dee.  It  means,  that  as  a  spark  enkin- 
dles tow,  so  the  toorks,  or  deeds  of  a 
wicked  nation  shall  be  the  occasion, 
or  cause  of  their  destruction.  The 
ambition  of  one  man  is  the  cause  of 
his  ruin  ;  the  sensuality  of  a  second 
is  the  cause  of  his  ;  the  avarice  of 
a  third  is  the  cause  of  his.  These 
passions,  insatiable  and  ungratifed, 
shall  be  the  occasion  of  the  deep 
and  eternal  sorrows  of  hell.  So  il 
means  here,  that  the  crimes  and  hypo- 


B.C. 160.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


91 


crisy  of  the  nation  would  be  the  real 
cause  of  all  the  calamities  that  would 
come  upon  them  as  a  people.  IT  Shall 
both  burn  together.  The  spark  and 
the  flame  from  the  kindled  flax  mingle, 
and  make  one  fire.  So  the  people  and 
their  works  would  be  enkindled  and 
destroyed  together.  They  would  burn 
so  rapidly,  that  nothing  could  extin- 
guish them  The  meaning  is,  that  the 
nation  would  be  punished  ;  and  that 
all  their  works  of  idolatry  and  monu- 
ments of  sin  would  be  the  occasion  of 
their  punishment,  and  would  perish  at 


the  same  time.  The  principle  involved 
in  this  passage  teaches  us  the  follow- 
ing things.  (1.)  That  the  wicked, 
however  mighty,  shall  be  destroyed. 
(2.)  That  their  works  will  be  the  cause 
of  their  ruin — a  cause  necessarily  lead- 
ing to  it.  (3.)  That  the  works  of  the 
wicked — all  that  they  do  and  all  on 
which  they  depend — shall  be  destroyed. 
(4.)  That  this  destruction  shall  be  final. 
Nothing  shall  stay  the  flame.  No  tears 
of  penitence,  no  power  of  men  or  devils 
shall  put  out  the  fires  which  the  works 
of  the  wicked  shall  enkindle. 


CHAPTER  H. 


ANALYSIS  OF    CHAPTERS  II,  III,  IV. 


The  prophecy  in  this  and  the  two  following  chapters  constitutes  one  continued  discourse.  At 
what  time  it  was  delivered  is  not  known,  and  cannot  be  ascertained  by  the  prophecy  itself  Bishop 
Lowth  supposes  that  it  was  in  the  time  of  Jotham,  or  Uzziah,  and  this  opinion  is  probably  correct ; 
for  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  in  collecting  the  prophecies,  those  would  be  placed  first  which  were 
first  delivered.  Besides,  the  prophecy  relates  to  a  time  of  prosperity,  when  the  fruits  of  commerce 
abounded,  and  did  much  to  corrupt  the  people  (see  ch.  ii.  7,  16,  20,  iii.  18—23),  an  I  this  accords  best 
with  the  time  of  Uzziah,  or  the  time  of  jotham.  Some  have  referred  it  to  the  return  from  Babylon, 
others  to  the  times  of  the  Messiah.  The  description  in  ch.  ii.  2—4,  and  iv.  5  6,  cannot  easUy  be  re- 
ferred to  any  other  times  than  those  of  the  Messiah. 

The  main  scope  of  the  prophecy  is,  to  denounce  the  crimes  which  prevailed  in  the  time  when  it 
was  delivered  ;  to  threaten  certain  punishment  for  those  crimes  ;  and  to  assure  the  nation  that  there 
would  be  happier  times  when  those  crimes  should  have  received  their  appropriate  punishment,  and 
when  the  nation  should  be  reformed.  The  prophecy  has  relation  solely  to  the  kingdom  ofjudah, 
ch  ii.  1.  The  prophet  opens  the  prophecy  (ch.  ii.  2)  by  a  brief  but  striking  statement  of  the  happy 
period  when  the  Messiah  should  come,  and  the  happy  influence  of  his  advent,  ch.  ii.  1  4.  It  would 
seem,  in  looking  at  the  entire  prophecy,  as  if  he  had  been  contemplating  the  sins  of  the  nation  which 
then  abounded,  until  his  heart  was  sickened,  and  he  involuntarily  cast  his  mind  forward  to  brighter 
and  happier  days  when  these  things  should  cease,  and  the  Messiah  should  reign  in  his  glory.  See 
Introduction,  §  7  The  future  times  of  the  Messiah  he  exhibits,  by  showing,  ch.  ii.  2,  that  the  bene 
tits  of  the  true  religion  would  be  extended  to  all  people,  and  would  be  so  conspicuous  as  to  attract 
their  attention,  as  if  the  temple,  the  place  of  the  worship  of  the  true  Gou,  should  oe  made  conspicuous 
in  the  sight  of  all  nations.  It  would  excite  a  deep  interest,  and  a  spirit  of  earnest  inquiry  every  where 
(ver.  3'.  and  the  effect  of  his  reign  would  be  to  put  an  end  to  wars,  and  to  introduce  ultimately  uni- 
versal i  eace  (ver  4/.  In  view  of  that,  the  prophet  (ver.  5)  exhorts  ail  the  people  to  turn  from  their 
sins,  a  d  to  walk  in  the  light  of  Jehovah.  This  leads  him  to  a  statement  of  the  crimes  which  he 
would  seem  to  have  been  contemplating,  and  the  pu*  ishment  which  must  follow  from  ther  preva- 
lence. The  statement  of  the  crimes  and  their  punishment  is  somewhat  intermingled,  but  they  may 
be  exhibited  so  as  to  be  contemplated  separately  and  distinctly. 


Crimes. 
Forsaking  Jehovah ; 
Patronage  of  soothsayers ; 
Alliance  with  strangers  (ver.  6). 
Accumulation  of  treasures  ; 
Preparation  of  war-chariots  (ver.  7). 
Universal,  and  debasing  idolatry  (vs.  8,9) 


Punishments. 

God  would  so  judge  them  as  to  produce  univer- 
sal consternation  (vs.  10). 

He  would  humble  their  pride,  and  bring  them 
low  (vs.  11,  12). 

He  would  smite  and  destroy  all  their  wealth, 
and  the  sources  of  national  corruption  and  depra- 
vity (vs.  13—17). 

He  would  entirely  destroy  the  idols  (ver.  13). 

He  would  produce  universal  terror  and  alarm 
(vs.  19-21). 

In  view  of  these  heavy  judgments,  the  prophet  calls  on  the  people  (ver.  22)  to  cease  to  trust  is 
men,  since  all  were  mortal,  and  unworthy  of  their  confidence. 

In  chapter  iii.  the  description  of  the  punishment  of  the  nation  is  continued  (vb.  1—15),  intermuv 
(led  with  the  account  of  their  sins. 


92 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760. 


Tvtre  wo'jld  he  calami  y,  the  removal  of  the  means  of  support,  and  the  remove  of  the  men  a 
whom  the  nation  had  reposed  confidence  (vs.  1—4). 

There  would  be  oppression,  and  a  violation  of,  and  disregard  of  all  the  proper  laws  of  social  lif 
(ver.  5). 

There  would  be  a  state  of  anarchy  and  calamity,  so  that  no  one  would  be  willing  to  be  a  leader,  o 
undertake  to  remove  tin  ■  difficulties  of  the  nation,  or  hold  an  office  of  trust  (vs.  6.  7). 

Jerusalem  would  be  ruim  d  (ver  8). 

The  cause  of  this  was  pride  and  hypocrisy  (vs.  s,  9). 

The  prophet  slates  the  principles  of  the  Divine  administration-  that  it  should  be  well  with  thi 
righteous,  but  ill  with  the  wicked  (vs.  is— 10. 

The  rulers  of  the-  nation  we're  corrupt  ami  oppressive  (vs   12—15). 

The  chapter  closes  (vs.  16—36)  with  e  rra  ihic  description  of  the  gayety,  pride,  and  folly  of  tht 
female  part  of  the  Jewish  community,  and  with  the  assurance  that  Ihey  would  be  involved  in  tin 
calamities  which  were  coming  upon  the  nation, 

1  Ihapter  iv.  is  a  continuation  of  the  same  prophecy.    It  contains  the  following  parts  1 

1.  A  statement  01  the  general  calamity  of  the  nation,  indicated  b'  the  fact  that  the  men  would  b« 
destroyed,  and  that  the  women  would  apply  to  the  few  that  remained  that  they  might  be  called  by 
their  name,  and  their  reproach  he  taken  away  (ver.  1). 

v.  At  thai  future  imie  there  would  bea  looking  to  the  Messiah ;  a  feeling  that  God  only  could 
interpose  and  save  them ;  and  a  high  estimate  placed  on  t lie  "  Branch  of  Jehovah,"  the  .Messiah,  to 
whom  alone  they  could  look  tor  deliverance  (ver.  2). 

:i  The  people  would  turn  to  Cod,  and  there  would  he  a  reformation  from  their  national  sins  (vs. 
3.  4).  'I'iie  judgments  of  Jehovah  would  be  effectual  to  the  removal  of  the  peculiar  crimes  which 
the  prophet  had  denounced,  and  the  nation  would  become  holy. 

God  would,  in  that  future  time,  be  tome  the  protector  of  his  people,  and  the  symbols  of  his  pre- 
sence and  protection  would  be  manifest  every  where  in  the  midst  of  them  (vs.  5,  6). 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  thai  this  prophecy  was  uttered  when  the  nation  was  proud,  haughty,  and 
hypocritical ;  when  they  had  been  successfully  engaged  in  commerce,  and  when  the  means  of  luxury 
abounded;  when  the  national  pride  and  vanitj  wore  manifested  in  dress,  and  luxury,  and  in  the  op- 
pressive acts  of  the  rulers,  when  general  disorder  and  anarchy  prevailed,  and  when  a  part  of  the 
nation  at  least  was  idolatrous.  The  entire  prophecy  may  be  regarded  as  a  condemnation  of  these 
tins,  and  a  solemn  declaration  that. for  these  sins,  wherever  they  prevail,  the  judgments  of  God  will 
be  [poured  out  on  a  people.  The  prophecy,  also,  contemplates  happier  and  purer  times,  and  contains 
the  assurance  that  the  series  of  judgments  which  God  would  bring  on  a  guilty  people  would  ulti- 
mately have  the  effect  to  purify  them,  aad  that  all  these  crimes  and  calamities  would  he  succeeded 
by  the  pure  and  peaceful  reign  of  the  Messiah.  It  is  in  accordance  with  the  manner  of  Isaiah,  when 
he  surveys  existing  crimes;  when  he  sees  the  degradation  of  his  countrymen,  and  is  deeply  dis- 
tressed ;  when  he  portrays  the  judgments  that  must  certainly  come  upon  them  ;  and  when,  as  if 
sickened  with  the  contemplation  of  their  crimes  and  calamities,  his  mind  seeks  repose  in  the  con 
temptation  of  the  purer  and  happier  period  when  the  Messiah  should  reign,  and  peace,  prosperity, 
and  purity  should  prevail. 

I  The   word   that   Isaiah   the  ;       2  And  '"it  shall  come  to  pass 
son    of   Amoz    saw    concerning    in  the  last  days,  that  the   moun 
Judah  and  Jerusalem.  w  Micah  4. 1,  &c. 


1.  The  word.  This  indicates  that 
this  is  the  commencement  of  a  new 
prophecy.  It  has  no  immediate  con- 
nection with  the  preceding.  It  was 
delivered  doubtless  at  a  different  time, 
and  with  reference  to  a  different  class 
of  events.  In  the  previous  chapter  the 
term  vision  is  used  (ver.  1),  but  the 
meaning  is  substantially  the  same. 
The  term  word  "'^  dabar,  denotes  a 
command,  a  promise,  a  doctrine,  an 
oracle,  a  revelation,  a  message,  a  thing, 
&c.  It  means  here,  that  Isaiah  fore- 
saw certain  future  events  or  things 
that  would  happen  in  regard  to  Judah 
and  Jerusalem.  IT  Judah,  &c.  See 
Notes,  ch.  i.  1. 

2.  In  the  last  days.  D^n  rVnnstS 
bedhharith  hdyyumim.  In  the  after 
days  ;  in  the  futurity  of  days  ;  i.  e.  in 
the  time  to  come.  This  is  an  expres- 
sion that  often  occurs  in  the  Old  Tes- 


tament. It  does  not  of  itself  refer  to 
any  particular  period,  and  especially 
not,  as  our  translation  would  seem  to 
indicate,  to  the  end  of  the  world.  The 
expression  properly  denotes  only  future 
time  in  general.  But  the  prophets  were 
accustomed  to  concentrate  all  their 
hopes  on  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 
They  saw  his  advent  as  giving  charac- 
ter, and  sublimity,  and  happiness  to  all 
coming  times.  Hence  the  expression 
came  to  denote,  by  way  of  eminence, 
the  times  of  the  Messiah,  and  is  fre- 
quently used  in  the  New  Testament, 
as  well  as  the  Old,  to  designate  those 
times.  See  Acts'  ii.  17.  Compare 
Joel  ii.  28.  Heb  i.  2.  1  Pet.  i.  5,20. 
1  John  ii.  13.  Gen.  xlix.  1,  and  Mi- 
cah iv.  1.  Deut  iv.  30.  Jer.  xlviii. 
47.  Dan.  xi.  28.  Tie  expressions 
which  follow  are  figurative,  and  can- 
not well  be  interpreted  as  relating  to 
any  other  events  than  the  times  of  ;he 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


93 


Jain  of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be 
'established  in  the  top  of  the 
mountains,  and  shall   be  exalted 

Messiah.  They  refer  to  that  future  pe- 
riod, then  remote,  which  would  con- 
stitute the  last  dispensation  of  things 
in  this  world — the  last  time — the  pe- 
riod, however  long  it  might  be,  in 
which  the  affairs  of  the  world  would 
be  closed.  The  patriarchal  times  had 
passed  away  ;  the  dispensation  under 
the  Mosaic  economy  would  pass  away  ; 
the  times  of  the  Messiah  would  be  the 
last  times,  or  the  last  dispensation, 
under  which  the  affairs  of  the  world 
would  be  consummated.  Thus  the 
phrase  is  evidently  used  in  the  New 
Testament,  as  denoting  the  last  time, 
though  without  implying  that  that  time 
would  be  short.  It  might  be  longer 
than  all  the  previous  periods  put  toge- 
ther, but  it  would  be  the  last,  economy, 
and  under  that  economy,  or  in  that 
time,  the  world  would  be  destroyed, 
Christ  would  come  to  judgment,  the 
dead  would  be  raised,  and  the  affairs 
of  the  world  would  be  wound  up. 
The  apostles  by  the  use  of  this  phrase 
never  intimate  that  the  time  would  be 
short,  or  that  the  day  of  judgment  was 
near,  but  only  that  in  that  time  the  great 
events  of  the  world's  history  would  be 
consummated  and  closed.  Compare 
2  Thess.  ii.  1-5. — This  prophecy  oc- 
curs in  Micah  (ch.  iv.  1-5)  with  scarcely 
any  variation.  It  is  not  known  whe- 
ther Isaiah  made  use  of  Micah,  or 
Micah  of  Isaiah,  or  both  of  an  older 
and  well-known  prophecy.  Hengsten- 
berg  (Chris,  i.  pp.  289,  290)  supposes 
that  Isaiah  copied  from  Micah,  and 
suggests  the  following  reasons.  1.  The 
prediction  of  Isaiah  is  disconnected 
with  what  goes  before,  and  yet  begins 
with  the  copulative  Vav  1 ,  and .  In 
Micah,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  connected 
with  what  precedes  and  follows.  2.  In 
the  discourses  of  the  prophets  the  pro- 
mise usually  follows  the  threatening. 
This  order  is  observed  by  Micah  ;  in 
Isaiah,  on  the  contrary,  the  promise 
contained  in  the  passage  precedes  the 
threatening,  and  another  promise  fol- 


above  the  hills  ;  and  all  ^nations 
shall  flow  unto  it. 


2  or,  prepared. 


y  Ps.  2.  8. 


lows.  Many  of  the  older  theologians 
supposed  that  the  passages  were  com- 
municated alike  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
both  writers.  But  there  is  no  impro- 
bability in  supposing  that  Isaiah  may 
have  availed  himself  of  language  used 
by  Micah  in  describing  the  same  event. 
1T  The  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house. 
The  temple  was  built  on  Mount  Mo- 
riah,  which  was  hence  called  the  moun- 
tain of  the  Lord's  house.  The  temple, 
or  the  mountain  on  which  it  was  rear- 
ed, would  be  the  object  which  would 
express  the  public  worship  of  the  true 
God.  And  hence,  to  say  that  that 
should  be  elevated  higher  than  all  other 
hills  or  mountains,  means,  that  the 
worship  of  the  true  God  would  become 
an  object  so  conspicuous  as  to  be  seen 
by  all  nations  ;  and  so  conspicuous 
that  all  nations  would  forsake  other 
objects  and  places  of  worship,  being 
attracted  by  the  glory  of  the.  worship 
of  the  true  God.  IT  Shall  be  establish- 
ed. Shall  be  fixed,  rendered  perma- 
nent. IT  In  the  top  of  the  mountains. 
To  be  in  the  top  of  the  mountains, 
would  be  to  be  conspicuous,  or  seen 
from  afar.  In  other  words,  the  true 
religion  would  he  made  known  to  all 
people.  1T  Shall  flow  unto  it.  This  is 
a  figurative  expression,  denoting  that 
they  would  be  converted  to  the  true 
religion.  It  indicates  that  they  would 
come  in  multitudes,  like  the  flowing  of 
a  mighty  river.  The  idea  of  the  flow- 
ing of  the  nations,  or  of  the  movement 
of  many  people  towards  an  object  like 
a  broad  stream,  is  one  that  is  very 
grand  and  sublime.  Comp.  Ps.  lxv.  7. 
This  cannot  be  understood  of  any 
period  previous  to  the  establishment 
of  the  gospel.  At  no  lime  of  the  Jew- 
ish history  did  any  events  occur  that 
would  be  a  comp'ete  fulfilment  of  this 
prophecy.  The  expressions  evidently 
refer  to  that  period  elsewhere  often 
predicted  by  this  prophet  (fsa.  xi.  10, 
xlii.  1.  6,  xlix.  22,  liv.  3,  lx.  3,  5,  10, 
lxii.  2,  lxvi.  12, 19),  when  the  Geniilet 


H 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  76b 


3  And  many  people  shall  go    and  we  will  walk  in  his   paths  , 

for  out  of  Zion6  shall  go  forth 
the  law,  and  the  word  of  the 
Lord  from  Jerusalem. 


and  say,  Come*  ye,  end  let  us  go 
up  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord, 
to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob  : 
and  he  will  teach  us  of  his  ways, 

Z  Jer.  81.  6.  50,  5.    Zech.  8.  21,  23. 

would  be  brought  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  true  religion.  In  Isa.  Ixvi.  12, 
there  occurs  a  passage  remarkably 
similar  and  which  may  serve  to  ex- 
plain this : 

"  Behold  I  will  extend  peace  to  her  [to  Zion]  us 

a  river ; 
And  the   glory  of  the  Gentiles  like  a  flowing 

stream." 

Under  the  Messiah,  through  the  preach- 
ing of  the  apostles  and  by  the  spread 
of  the  gospel,  this  prophecy  was  to 
receive  its  full  accomplishment. 

3.  And  many  people  shall  go.  This 
denotes  a  prevalent  desire  to  turn  to 
the  true  God  and  embrace  the  true 
religion.  It  is  remarkable  that  it 
speaks  of  an  inclination  among  them 
to  seek  God  — as  if  they  were  satisfied 
of  the  folly  and  danger  of  their  ways, 
and  felt  the  necessity  of  obtaining  a  bet- 
ter religion.  In  many  cases  this  has 
occurred.  Thus,  in  modern  times,  the 
people  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  threw 
away  their  gods  and  remained  without 
any  religion,  as  if  waiting  for  the  mes- 
sage of  life.  Thus,  too,  the  heathen 
not  unfrequently  come  from  a  consi- 
derable distance  at  missionary  stations 
to  be  instructed,  and  to  receive  the 
Bible  and  tracts.  Perhaps  this  is  to  be 
extensively  the  mode  in  which  Chris-  I 
tianity  is  to  be  spread.  God,  who  has 
all  power  over  human  hearts,  may  ex- 
cite the  heathen  to  anxious  inquiry  ; 
may  show  them  the  folly  of  their  reli- 
gion ;  and  may  lead  them  to  this  pre- 
paration to  embrace  the  gospel,  and 
this  disposition  to  go  and  seek  it.  He 
has  access  to  all  men.  By  a  secret 
influence  on  the  understanding,  the 
Jeart,  and  the  conscience  of  the  hea- 
Jien,  he  can  convince  them  of  the  folly 
of  idolatry  and  its  vices.  He  can 
soften  down  their  prejudices  in  favour 
of  their  long  established  systems  ;  can 
break  down  the  barriers  between  them 


b  Luke  24. 47. 


and  Christians  ;  and  can  dispose  then" 
to  receive  with  joy  the  messengers  of 
salvation.  He  can  raise  up,  among 
the  heathen  themselves,  reformers,  who 
shall  show  them  the  folly  of  their  sys- 
tems. It  cannot  be  doubted  that  the 
universal  triumph  of  the  gospel  will 
be  preceded  by  some  such  remarkable 
preparation  among  the  nations  ;  by  a 
secret,  silent,  but  most  mighty  influence 
from  God  on  the  heathen  generally, 
that  shall  loosen  their  hold  on  idolatry, 
and  dispose  them  to  welcome  the  gos- 
pel. And  the  probability  that  this  state 
of  things  exists  already,  and  will  more 
and  more,  should  be  an  inducement  to 
Christians  to  make  more  vigorous  ef- 
forts to  send  every  where  tht.  light  of 
life.  1T  He  icill  teach  us  of  his  ways. 
He  will  make  us  acquainted  with  his 
will,  and  with  the  doctrines  of  the  true 
religion.  IT  For  out  of  Zion.  These 
are  the  words  of  the  prophet,  not  of  the 
people.  The  prophet  declares  that  the 
law  would  go  from  Zion  ;  that  is,  Zion 
would  be  the  centre  from  which  it 
would  be  spread  abroad.  See  Note  ch. 
i.  8.  Zion  is  put  here  for  Jerusalem, 
and  means  that  the  message  of  mercy 
to  mankind  would  be  spread  from  Je- 
rusalem. Hence  the  Messiah  com- 
manded his  disciples  to  tarry  "  in 
Jerusalem  until  they  should  be  endued 
with  power  from  on  high."  Luke  xxiv. 
49.  Hence  also  he  said  that  repent- 
ance and  remission  of  sins  should  "  be 
preached  among  all  nations  beginning 
at  Jerusalem" — perhaps  referring  to 
this  very  passage  in  Isaiah.  Luke  xxiv. 
47.  T  The  law.  This  is  put  here  for  the 
doctrines  of  the  true  religion  in  gene- 
ral. The  law  or  will  of  God  under 
the  reign  of  the  Messiah  would  pro- 
ceed from  Zion.  II  The  word  of  the 
Lord.  The  message  of  his  mercy  to 
mankind  ;  that  which  he  has  spoken 
respecting  the  salvation  of  men. — The 


B.C.160.]  CHAPTER  II.  95 

4  And  he  shah  judge  among    the    nations,    and    shall   rebuke 


truth  which  is  here  taught  is,  that  Zion 
or  the  church  is  the  source  of  religious 
truth,  and  the  centre  of  religious  in- 
fluence in  the  icorld.  This  is  true  in 
the  following  respects.  1.  Zion  was 
the  source  of  religious  truth  to  the  an- 
cient world.  Knowledge  was  gained 
by  travel ;  and  it  is  capable  of  about 
as  clear  demonstration  as  any  fact  of 
ancient  history,  that  no  inconsiderable 
part  of  the  knowledge  pertaining  to 
God  in  ancient  Greece  was  obtained 
by  intercourse  with  the  sages  of  dis- 
tant lands,  and  that  the  truths  held  in 
Zion  or  Jerusalem  thus  radiated  from 
land  to  land,  and  mind  to  mind.  (2.) 
The  church  is  now  the  centre  of  re- 
ligious truth  to  the  world  around  it. 
(a)  The  world  by  its  philosophy  never 
originates  a  system  of  religion  which 
it  is  desirable  to  retain,  and  which 
conveys  any  just  view  of  God  or  the 
way  of  salvation,  (b)  The  most  crude, 
unsettled,  contradictory,  and  vague  opi- 
nions on  religion  prevail  in  this  com- 
munity called  "  the  world"  (c)  If  in 
this  community  there  are  any  opinions 
that  are  true  and  valuable,  they  can  in 
most  instances  be  traced  to  the  church. 
They  are  owing  to  the  influence  of  the 
pulpit  ;  or  to  an  early  training  in  the 
Bible  ;  or  to  early  teaching  in  the  Sab- 
bath school,  or  to  the  instructions  of  a 
pious  parent,  or  to  the  general  influ- 
ence which  Christianity  exerts  on  the 
community.  (3.)  The  church  holds 
the  power  of  reformation  in  her  hands, 
every  cause  of  morals  advancing  or 
retarding  as  she  enters  into  the  work, 
or  as  she  withdraws  from  it.  (4.)  The 
heathen  world  is  dependent  on  the 
church  for  the  knowledge  of  the  true 
religion.  There  are  no  systems  of 
truth  that  start  up  on  a  pagan  soil. 
There  is  no  elastic  energy  in  a  hea- 
then mind.  There  is  no  recuperative 
power  to  bring  it  back  to  God.  There 
is  no  advance  made  toward  the  truth 
in  any  heathen  community.  There 
is  no  well-spring  of  life  to  purify  the 
soul.  The  effect  of  time  is  only  to 
deepen  the  darkness,  and  to  drive  them 
farther  from  God.    They  only  worship 


mere  shapeless  blocks  ;  they  bow  down 
before  worse  looking  idols  ;  they  enter 
less  elegant  and  more  polluted  tem- 
ples. The  idols  of  the  heathen  are  not 
constructed  with  half  the  skill  and 
taste  evinced  two  thousand  years  ago  ; 
nor  are  their  temples  built  with  such 
exquisite  art.  No  idol  of  the  heathen 
world  now  can  compare  with  the  sta- 
tue of  Minerva  at  Athens  ;  no  temple 
can  be  likened  to  the  Parthenon  ;  no 
sentiment  of  heathenism  in  China, 
India,  or  Africa,  can  be  compared  with 
the  views  of  the  sages  of  Greece.  The 
heathen  world  is  becoming  worse  and 
worse,  and  if  ever  brought  to  better 
views,  it  must  be  by  a  foreign  influence  ; 
and  that  influence  will  not  go  forth 
from  philosophy  or  science,  but  from 
the  church.  If  light  is  ever  to  spread, 
it  is  to  go  forth  from  Zion  ;  and  the 
world  is  dependent  on  the  church  for 
any  just  knowledge  of  God  and  of  the 
way  to  life.  The  "  law  is  to  go  forth 
from  Zion,"  and  the  question  whether 
the  millions  of  the  human  family  are 
to  be  taught  the  way  to  heaven,  is  just 
a  question  whether  the  church  can  be 
roused  to  diffuse  abroad  the  light  which 
has  arisen  on  her. 

4.  And  he  shall  judge.  Or  he  shall 
exercise  the  office  of  a  judge,  or  um- 
pire. This  literally  refers  to  the  God 
of  Jacob  (ver.  3),  though  it  is  clear 
that  the  meaning  is,  that  he  will  do  it 
by  the  Messiah,  or  under  his  reign. 
One  office  of  a  judge  is  to  decide  con- 
troversies ;  to  put  an  end  to  litigations, 
and  thus  to  promote  peace.  The  con- 
nection shows  that  this  is  the  meaning 
here.  Nations  that  are  contending 
shall  be  brought  to  peace  by  the  influ- 
ence of  the  reign  of  the  Messiah,  and 
shall  beat  their  swords  into  plough- 
shares. In  other  words,  the  influence 
of  the  reign  of  the  Messiah  shall  put  a 
period  to  wars,  and  reduce  contending 
nations  to  peace.  IT  And  shall  rebuke 
Shall  reprove  them  for  their  conten- 
tions and  strifes. 

Loioth :  "  Shall  work  conviction  in  many  peo 

pies." 
froyet :   "  He  shall  be  ajudge  of  trie  nations, 
And  an  umpire  of  many  kingdoms." 


96 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760. 


many  people ;  and  they  «shall 
beat  their  swords  into  plough- 
shares ;     and    their   spears    into 


e  Ps.  46.  9.     Hos.  2.  18. 


He  shall  show  them  the  evil  of  war  ; 
and  by  reproving  them  for  those  wicked 
passions  which  cause  wars,  shall  pro- 
mote universal  peace.  This  the  gos- 
pel every  where  does ;  and  the  ten- 
dency of  it,  if  obeyed,  would  be  to  pro- 
duce universal  peace.  In  accordance 
witli  predictions  like  these,  the  Mes- 
siah is  called  the  Prince  of  Peace  (Isa. 
ix.  6)  ;  and  it  is  said  that  of  his  peace 
there  shall  be  no  end.  Isa.ix  7.  IT  Jind 
tlipy  shall  beat,  &c.  They  shall  change 
the  arts  of  war  to  those  of  peace  ;  or 
they  shall  abandon  the  pursuits  of  war 
for  the  mild  and  useful  arts  of  hus- 
bandry. Comp.  Ps.  xlvi.  9.  Hos.ii.20. 
A  similar  prophecy  is  found  in  Zech. 
ix.  10.  The  following  extracts  may 
serve  to  illustrate  this  passage  :  "  The 
Syrian  plough,  which  was  probably 
used  in  all  the  regions  around,  is  a 
very  simple  frame,  and  commonly  so 
light,  that  a  man  of  moderate  strength 
might  carry  it  in  one  hand.  Volney 
states  that  in  Syria  it  is  often  nothing 
else  than  the  branch  of  a  tree,  cut  below 
a  bifurcation,  and  used  without  wheels. 
The  ploughshare  is  a  piece  of  iron, 
broad  but  not  large,  which  tips  the  end 
of  the  shaft.  So  much  does  it  resem- 
ble the  short  sword  used  by  the  ancient 
warriors,  that  it  may,  with  very  little 
trouble,  be  converted  into  that  deadly 
weapon  ;  and  when  the  work  of  de- 
struction is  over,  reduced  again  to  its 
former  shape,  and  applied  to  the  pur- 
poses of  agriculture."  IT  Their  spears. 
Spears  were  much  used  in  war.  They 
were  made  of  wood  with  a  sharpened 
piece  of  iron  or  other  metal  attached  to 
the  end.  The  pruning-hook,  made  for 
cutting  the  limbs  of  vines  or  trees,  is, 
in  like  manner,  a  long  piece  of  wood 
with  a  crooked  knife  attached  to  it. 
Hence  it  was  easy  to  convert  the  one 
into  the  other.  IT  Prun i rig- hooks.  Hooks 
or  long  knives  for  trimming  vines. 
The  word  here,  however,  means  any 
\hing  employed  in  reaping  or  mowing, 


6pruning-hooks  :  nation  shall  not 
lift  up  sword  against  nation,  nei- 
ther shall  they  learn  war  anj 
more. 

6  or,  scythes. 

a  sickle,  or  a  scythe,  or  any  instrument 
to  cut  with,  as  well  as  a  pruning-hook. 
These  figures,  as  images  of  peace,  are 
often  used  by  the  prophets.  Micah 
(iv.  4)  has  added  to  this  description  of 
peace  in  Isaiah,  the  following  : 

But  they  shall  sit 

Every  man  under  his  vine, 

And  under  his  fig-tree  ; 

And  none  shall  make  them  afraid  : 

For  the  mouth  of  Jehovah  hath  spoken  it. 

Joel  (iii.  10)  has  reversed  the  figure, 
and  applied  it  to  war  prevailing  over 
peace  : 

Beat  j'oiir  ploughshares  info  swords  ; 
And  your  pruning  hooks  into  spears. 

The  same  emblems  to  represent  peace, 

which   are   here    used   by  Isaiah,  also 

occur  in  heathen  poets.    Thus  Martial, 

Epigr.  xiv.  34 : 

Falx  ex  ense. 
Pax  me  certa  ducis  placidos  conflavit  in  usus, 
Agricolae  nunc  sum,  militia  ante  fui. 

So  Virgil,  Georg.  1,  507: 

Squalen!  ahductis  arva  colonis, 
Et  curvae  rigidum  Calces  conflantur  in  ensero. 

So  also  Ovid,  Fast.  1,  699: 

Sarcula  cessubunt,  versique  in  pila  'igones. 

IT  Nation  shall  not  lift  up,  &c.  This 
is  a  remarkable  prediction  of  universal 
peace  under  the  gospel.  The  predic- 
tion is  positive  that  the  time  will  come 
when  it  shall  prevail.  But  it  has  not 
yet  been  fully  accomplished.  We  may 
remark,  however,  in  relation  to  this: 
(1.)  That  the  tendency  of  the  gospel  is 
to  promote  the  arts,  and  to  produce 
the  spirit  of  peace.  (2.)  It  will  dispose 
the  nations  to  do  right,  and  thus  to  avoid 
the  occasions  of  war.  (3.)  It  will  fill 
the  mind  with  horror  at  the  scenes  of 
cruelty  and  blood  that  war  produces. 
(4.)  It  will  diifuse  honour  around  the 
arts  of  peace,  and  teach  the  nations  to 
prize  the  endearments  of  home  and 
country,  and  the  sweet  scenes  of  do- 
mestic life.  (5.)  Just  so  far  as  it  has 
influence  over  princes  and  rulers,  it  will 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTKR  II. 


97 


5  O  house  of  Jacob,  come  ye, 
and  let  us  walk  ain  the  light  of 
the  Lord. 


a  Ephes.  5.  8. 


teach  them  to  lay  aside  the  passions  of 
ambition  and  revenge,  and  the  love  of 
conquest  and  , "  glory,"  and  indispose 
Ihem  to  war.  (6.)  The  tendency  of 
things  now  is  towards  peace.  The 
laws  of  nations  have  been  established 
under  the  gospel.  Difficulties  can  even 
now  be  adjusted  by  negotiation,  and 
without  a  resort  to  arms.  (7.)  Wars 
are  far  less  barbarous  than  they  were 
formerly.  The  gospel  has  produced 
humanity,  mildness,  and  some  degree 
of  justice  even  in  war.  It  has  put  an  end 
to  the  unmerciful  treatment  of  prisoners  ; 
has  prevented  their  being  sold  as  slaves ; 
has  taught  even  belligerents  not  to 
murder  women  and  children.  (8) 
Nothing  remains  to  be  done  to  make 
peace  universal  but  to  send  the  gospel 
abroad  through  every  land.  When  that 
is  done,  the  nations  will  be  disposed  to 
peace,  and  the  prophet,  therefore,  has 
predicted  the  universal  prevalence  of 
peace  only  when  all  nations  shall  be 
brought  under  the  influence  of  the 
gospel 

5.  O  house  of  Jacob.  This  is  a  direct 
address,  or  exhortation,  of  the  prophet 
to  the  Jews.  It  is  made  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  God  had  gracious  purposes 
towards  them.  He  intended  to  distin- 
guish them  by  making  them  the  source 
of  blessings  to  all  nations.  As  this 
was  to  be  their  high  destiny,  he  exhorts 
them  to  devote  themselves  to  him,  and 
to  live  to  his  honour.  The  word  house 
here  means  the  family,  or  nation.  The 
phrase  is  applied  to  the  Jews  because 
their  tribes  were  descended  from  the 
twelve  sons  of  Jacob.  IT  Let  us  walk. 
Let  us  live.  The  word  icalk  is  often 
used  to  denote  human  life  or  conduct. 
Comp  ver  3.  Rom.  vi.  4,  viii.  1.  1  Cor. 
v.  7.  Gal.  vi.  16,  &c.  IT  In  the  light 
of  the  Lord.  The  sense  of  this  is: 
Let  us  obey  the  commandments  of  Je- 
hovah ;  or,  as  the  Chaldee  expresses  it, 
"  Let  us  walk  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
<aw  of  the  Lord."  The  idea  may  be 
5 


6  Therefore  thou  hast  forsaken 
thy  people,  the  house  of  Jacob,  be- 
cause they  be   replenished  'from 


1  or,  more  than. 


thus  expressed :  '  Let  us  not  walk  in 
the  darkness  and  error  of  sin  and 
idolatry,  but  ,n  the  light  or  instruction 
which  God  sheds  upon  us  by  his  law. 
He  teaches  us  what  we  should  do,  and 
let  us  obey  him.'  Light  is  often  in  the 
Scriptures  thus  put  for  instruction,  or 
teaching.  Comp.  Note  Matt.  iv.  16. 
John  i.  4  ;  also  Ephes.  v.  8. 

6.  Therefore.  The  prophet  proceeds 
in  this,  and  the  following  verses,  to 
state  the  reasons  of  their  calamities, 
and  of  the  judgments  that  had  come 
upon  them.  Those  judgments  he  traces 
to  the  crimes  which  he  enumerates — 
crimes  growing  chiefly  out  of  great 
commercial  prosperity,  producing  pride, 
luxury,  and  idolatry.  H  Thou  hast  for- 
saken. The  address  is  changed  from 
the  exhortation  to  the  house  of  Jacob 
(ver.  5)  to  God,  as  is  frequently  the 
case  in  the  writings  of  Isaiah.  It  indi- 
cates a  state  where  the  mind  is  full  of 
the  subject,  and  where  it  expresses  it- 
self in  a  rapid  and  hurried  manner. 
IT  Hast  forsaken.  Hast  withdrawn 
thy  protection,  and  given  them  over  to 
the  calamities  and  judgments  which 
had  come  upon  them.  IT  They  be  re- 
plenished. Heb.  They  are  full.  That 
is,  these  things  abound.  IT  From  the 
East.  Marg.  More  than  the  East. 
The  meaning  of  the  expression  it  is  not 
easy  to  determine.  The  word  trans- 
lated East,  E7.I5  denotes  also  antiquity, 
or  that  which  is  of  old,  as  well  as  the 
East.  Hence  the  LXX  render  it,  '  their 
land  is,  as  of  old,  filled."  The  Chaldee, 
'  their  land  is  filled  with  idols  as  at  the 
beginning-'  Either  idea  will  suit  the 
passage  ;  though  our  translation  more 
nearly  accords  with  the  Hebrew  than 
the  others.  The  East,  i.  e.  Arabia, 
Persia,  Chaldee,  &.c,  was  the  country 
where  astrology,  soothsaying,  and  divi- 
nation particularly  abounded.  See  Dan. 
ii  2  Deut.  xviii.  9-11.  IT  And  are 
soothsayers  Our  word  soothsayers 
means  foretellers,  prognosticators,  per- 


9S 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


the  east,  and  are  soothsayers6 
like  the  Philistines,  and  they 
please3  themselves  in  the  chil- 
dren of  Grangers. 


b  Deut.  IS.  14.      ■  3  or,  abound  with, 
c  Nell.  13.  23. 


eons  who  pretend  to  predict  future 
events  without  inspiration,  differing  in 
this  from  true  prophets.  What  the 
Hebrew  word  means  it  is  not  so  easy  to 
determine.  The  word  D"1?^  oi.Cuim 
may  he  derived  from  "33."  ahSm,  a 
cloud — and  then  would  denote  those 
who  augur  from  the  appearance  of  the 
clouds,  a  species  of  divination  from 
certain  changes  observed  in  the  sky. 
Comp  Lev.  xix.  26:  "Neither  shall 
ye — olserre  times."  2  Kings  xxi.  6. 
This  species  of  divination  was  expressly 
forbidden.  See  Deut.  xviii.  10.  11,  12: 
"  There  shall  not  be  found  among  you 
any  one  that  useth  divination,  or  an 
observer  of  times,  or  an  enchanter,"  &c. 
Or  the  word  may  be  derived  from  T& 
ain,  an  eye,  and  then  it  will  denote 
those  who  fascinate,  enchant,  or  be- 
witch by  the  eye.  It  is  probable  that 
the  word  includes  augury,  necromancy, 
and  witch  craft,  in  general — all  which 
were  expressly  forbidden  by  the  law 
of  Moses.  Deut.  xviii.  10,  11,  12. 
%  Like  the  Philistines.  The  Philis- 
tines occupied  the  land  in  the  south- 
west part  of  Palestine.  The  LXX  use 
the  word  foreigners  here,  as  they  do 
generally,  instead  of  the  Philis- 
tines. If  And  they  please  themselves. 
The  word  here  used— p£~ — means 
laterality  to  clap  the  hands  in  token  of 
joy.  It  may  also  mean,  to  join  the 
hands,  to  shake  hands,  and  then  it  will 
signify  that  they  joined  hands  with 
foreigners  ;  that  is,  they  made  compacts 
or  entered  into  alliances  with  them  con- 
trary to  the  law  of  Moses.  The  LXX 
seem  to  understand  it  of  unlawful  mar- 
riages with  the  women  of  surrounding 
nations — rexva  n-uXXa  <i->i'iy<\\u  lyeuriBti 
j  f.  Comp  Neh.  xiii  23.  It  means 
probably,  in  general,  that  they  entered 
into  improper  alliances,  whether  they 
were  military,  matrimonial,  or  commer- 


7  Their  d  land  also  is  full  oi 
silver  and  gold,  neither  is  there 
any  end  of  their  treasures  ;  their 
land  is  also  full  of  horses,  neither 
is  there  any  end  of  their  chariots : 
d  Deut.  17.  l". 

I  , — ■ —^ , 

cial,with  the  surrounding  nations.  The 
words  children  of  strangers  may  mean, 
with  the  descendants  of  the  foreigners 

'.  with  whom  Moses  forbade  any  alliances. 
The  Jews  were  to  be  a  separate  and 
peculiar  people,  and  in  order  o  this,  it 
was  necessary  to  forbid  all  sucn  fOreigjrj 
alliances  Ex.  xxiii.  .'11,32,  xxxiv  12- 
15.  Ps.  cvi  3,  5.  Ezra  ix. 

7.  Their  land  also  is  full  of  silver 
and  cold.  This  gold  was  brought 
chiefly  from  Ophir.     Solomon  imported 

)  vast  quantities  of  silver  and  gold  from 
foreign  places.     2  Chron.  viii.   1*,  ix. 

'  10.  1  Chron.  xxix.  4   Comp    Job  x.wiii. 

'  16  1  Kings  x.  21,  27.  2  Chron.  ix.  20. 
"  And  the  king  made  silver  to  be  in 
Jerusalem  as  stones  "  "  It  was  nothing 
accounted  of  in  the  days  of  Solomon." 
From  these  expressions  we  see  the 
force  of  the  language  of  Isaiah,  "  their 
land  is  full"  &c.  This  accumulation 
of  silver  and  gold  was  expressly  forbid- 
den by  the  law  of  Moses.  Deut.  xvii. 
17  :  "  Neither  shall  he  [the  king  of 
Israel]  sreatly  multiply  to  himself  silver 
and  gold."  The  reason  of  this  prohi- 
bition was,  that  it  tended  to  produce 
luxury,  effeminacy,  profligacy,  the  ne- 

J  gleet  of  religion,  and  vice  It  is  on 
this  account  that  it  is  brought  by  the 
prophet  as  an  accusation  against  them 
that  their  land  was  thus  filled.  If 
Treasures  Wealth  of  all  kinds  ;  but 
chiefly  silver,  gold,  precious  stones,  Lrar- 
ments,  &c.  Comp.  Note  Matt  vi.  19 
IT  Their  land  also  is  full  of  horses. 
This  was  also  forbidden  in  the  law  of 
MoseS.  Deut.  xvii.  16:  "But  he  shall 
not  multiply  horses  to  himself,  nor  cause 
the  people  to  return  to  Egypt,  to  the 
end  that  he  should  multiply  torses." 
This  law,  however,  was  grossly  violated 
by  Solomon.  1  Kings  x.  26 :  "  And 
Solomon  gathered  together  chariots  and 
horsemen  ;  he  had  a  thousand  and  four 
hundred  chariots,  and  twelve  thousand 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


99 


8  Their  land  also  is  full  of 
idols  ;  ''they  worship  the  work 
of  their   own    hands,    the   work 


horsemen  "  It  is  not  quite  clear  why 
the  use  of  horses  was  forbidden  to  the 
Jews.  Perhaps  several  reasons  might 
have  concurred.  (1  )  Egypt  was  dis- 
tinguished for  producing  fine  horses, 
and  the  Eyptians  used  them  much  in 
war  (Deut.  xvii.  16)  ;  and  one  design 
of  God  was  to  make  the  Jews  distin- 
guished in  all  respects  from  the  Egyp- 
tians, and  to  keep  them  from  commerce 
with  them.  (2.)  Horses  were  chiefly 
used  in  war,  and  the  tendency  of  keep- 
ing them  would  be  to  produce  the  love 
of  war  and  conquest.  (3.)  The  ten- 
dency of  keeping  them  would  be  to 
lead  them  to  put  trust  in  them  rather 
than  in  God  for  protection.  This  is 
hinted  at  in  Ps.  xx.  7  :  "Some  trust  in 
chariots,  and  some  in  horses  ;  but  we 
will  remember  the  name  of  Jehovah 
our  God."  (4  )  Horses  were  regarded 
as  consecrated  to  the  sun.  See  Univ. 
Hist.  Anc.  P.  vol.  x.  177.  Ed.  178(1. 
They  were  sacrificed  in  various  nations 
to  the  sun,  their  swiftness  being  supposed 
to  render  them  an  appropriate  o tiering  to 
that  luminary.  There  is  no  evidence, 
however,  that  they  were  used  for  sacri- 
fice among  the  Hebrews.  They  were 
probably  employed  to  draw  the  chariots 
in  the  solemn  processions  in  the  worship 
of  the  sun.  The  ancient  Persians,  who 
were  sun-worshippers,  dedicated  white 
horses  and  chariots  to  the  sun,  and  it  is 
supposed  that  other  nations  derived  the 
practice  from  them.  The  sun  was 
supposed  to  be  drawn  daily  in  a  chariot 
by  four  wondrous  coursers,  and  the  fate 
of  Phaeton,  who  undertook  to  guide 
that  chariot  and  to  control  those 
coursers,  is  known  to  all.  The  use  of 
horses,  therefore,  among  the  Hebrews 
in  the  time  of  Ahaz  when  Isaiah  lived 
(see  2  Kings  xxxiii.  11)  was  connected 
with  idolatry,  and  it  was  mainly  on  this 
account  that  the  prophet  rebuked  their 
use  with  so  much  severity.  2  Kings  xxiii. 
1 1.  It  may  be  added,  that  in  a  country 
like  Judea,  abounding  in  hills  and  moun- 
tains, cavalry  could  not  be  well  employ- 


which  their    own    fingers    have 
made : 


ed  even  in  war.  On  the  plains  of  Egypt 
it  could  be  employed  to  advantage  ;  or 
in  predatory  excursions,  as  among  the 
Arabs,  horses  could  be  used  with  great 
success  and  effect,  and  Egypt  and 
Arabia  therefore  abounded  with  them. 
Indeed  these  may  be  regarded  as  the 
native  countries  of  the  horse.  As  it 
was  the  design  of  God  to  separate,  as 
much  as  possible,  the  Jews  from  the 
surrounding  nations,  the  use  of  horses 
was  forbidden.  IT  Chariots.  Chariots 
were  chiefly  used  in  war,  though  they 
were  sometimes  used  for  pleasure.  Of 
those  intended  for  war  there  were  two 
kinds,  one  for  the  generals  and  princes 
to  ride  in,  the  other  to  break  the 
enemy's  ranks.  These  last  were  com- 
monly armed  with  hooks  or  scythes. 
They  were  much  used  by  the  ancients. 
Josh.  xi.  4.  Judges  i.  19.  The  Philis- 
tines in  their  war  against  Saul  had 
30,000  chariots,  and  tiOOO  horsemen. 
1  Sam.  xiii.  5.  There  is  no  evidence, 
however,  that  the  Jews  used  chariots 
for  war.  Solomon  had  many  of  them 
(1  Kings  x.  26),  but  they  do  not  ap- 
pear to  have  been  used  in  any  military 
expedition,  but  to  have  been  kept  for 
display  and  pleasure.  Judea  was  a  moun- 
tainous country,  and  chariots  would 
have  been  of  little  or  no  use  in  war. 

8.  Their  land  also  is  full  of  idols. 
Comp.  Hos.  viii.  4,  x.  1.  Vitringa 
supposes  that  Isaiah  here  refers  to  idols 
that  were  kept  in  private  houses,  as 
Uzziah  and  Jotham  were  worshippers 
of  the  true  God,  and  in  their  reign 
idolatry  was  not  publicly  practised.  It 
is  certain,  however,  that  though  Uzziah 
himself  did  right,  and  was  disposed -to 
worship  the  true  God,  yet  he  did  not 
effectually  remove  idolatry  from  the 
land.  The  high  places  were  not  re- 
moved, and  the  people  still  sacrificed 
and  burnt  incense  on  them.  2  Kings 
xv.  4.  It  was  customary  with  the 
heathen  to  keep  in  their  houses  Penates 
or  household  gods — small  images,  which 
they   regarded   as    protectors,  and    ta 


100 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


9  And  the  mean  man  be-weth 
down,  and  the  great  man  hum- 
bleth  himself;  therefore  forgive 
them  not. 

10  Enter'  into  the   rock,  and 

l  ver.  19.21,  Rev.  6.  16.  16. 

which  they  paid  homage.  Comp.  Gen. 
xxx.  19.  Judg.  xvii.  5.  1  Sam.  xix.  13. 
Hos.  iii.  4.  "  This  is  a  true  and  literal 
description  of  India.  The  traveller 
cannot  proceed  a  mile  through  an  in- 
habited country  without  seeing  idols, 
and  vestiges  of  idolatry  in  every  direc- 
tion. See  their  vessels,  their  imple- 
ments of  husbandry,  their  houses,  their 
furniture,  their  ornaments,  their  sacred 
trees,  their  domestic  and  public  tem- 
ples ;  and  they  all  declare  that  the  land 
is  full  of  idols." — Huberts.  IT  The  work 
of  their  own  hands,  &c.  Idols.  It  is 
often  brought  as  proof  of  their  great 
folly  and  degradation  that  they  paid 
homage  to  what  they  had  themselves 
made.  See  this  severely  satirized  in 
Isa.  xl.  18-20,  xli.  67,  xliv.  9-17. 

9.  And  the  mean  man.  That  is,  the 
man  in  humble  life,  the  poor,  the  low 
in  rank — for  this  is  all  that  the  Hebrew 
word  here — E*IX — implies.  The  dis- 
tinction between  the  two  words  here 
used — E^X  as  denoting  a  man  of  hum- 
ble rank,  and1^"^  as  denoting  one  of 
elevated  rank — is  one  that  constantly 
occurs  in  the  Scriptures.  Our  word 
mean  conveys  an  idea  of  moral  base- 
ness and  degradation  which  is  not  im- 
plied in  the  Hebrew.  IT  Boweth  down. 
That  is,  before  idols.  Some  commen- 
tators, however,  have  understood  this 
of  bowing  down  in  affliction,  but  the 
other  is  probably  the  true  interpretation, 
f  And  the  great  man.  The  men  in 
elevated  rank  in  life.  The  expressions 
together  mean  the  same  as  all  ranks 
of  people.  It  was  a  common  or  univer- 
sal thing  No  rank  was  exempt  from 
the  prevailing  idolatry.  IT  Therefore 
forgive  them  not.  The  Hebrew  is 
julurr—nftb  N^n-biO.  Thou  wilt 
not  bear  for  them  ;  that  is,  thou  wilt 
not  bear  away  then  sins  [by  an  atone- 
ment], or  '  thou  wilt  not  forgive  them  ;' 


hide  thee  in  the  dust,  for  fear  of 
the  Lord,  and  for  the  glory  of  hia 
majesty. 

11  The  lofty  looks"*  of  man 
shall  be  humbled,  and  the  haughti- 

tn  Ps.  13.  27.  ver.  17.  c.  5  16. 

— but  agreeable  to  a  common  Hebrew 
construction,  it  has  the  force  of  the  im- 
perative. It  involves  a  threatening  of 
the  prophet,  in  the  form  of  an  address 
to  God.  '  So  great  is  their  sin,  that 
thou  Lord  wilt  not  pardon  them.'  The 
prophet  then  proceeds  in  the  following 
verses  to  denounce  the  certainty  and 
severity  of  the  judgment  that  was 
coming  upon  them. 

10.  Enter  into  the  rock.  That  is, 
into  the  holes  or  caverns  in  the  rocks, 
as  a  place  of  refuge  and  safe.-'.  Comp. 
ver.  19,  and  Rev.  vi.  15,  16.  In  limes 
of  invasion  by  an  enemy,  it  was  natu- 
ral to  flee  to  the  fastnesses  or  to  the 
caverns  of  rocks  for  refuge.  This  ex- 
pression is  highly  figurative  and  poetic. 
The  prophet  warns  them  to  flee  from 
danger.  The  sense  is,  that  such  were 
their  crimes  that  they  would  certainly 
be  punished  ;  and  he  advises  them  to 
flee  to  a  place  of  safety.  1T  And  hide 
thee  in  the  dust.  In  ver.  19  this  is 
"  caves  of  the  dust."  It  is  parallel  to 
the  former,  and  probably  has  a  similar 
meaning.  But  may  there  not  be  refer- 
ence here  to  the  mode  prevailing  in 
the  East  of  avoiding  the  monsoon  or 
poisonous  heated  wind  that  passes  over 
the  desert  ?  Travellers  there,  in  order 
to  be  safe,  are  obliged  to  throw  them- 
selves down,  and  to  place  their  mouths 
close  to  the  earth  until  it  has  passed. 
IT  For  fear  of  the  Lord.  Heb.  '  From 
the  face  of  the  terror  of  the  Lord.' 
That  is,  the  punishment  which  God 
will  inflict  will  sweep  over  the  land, 
producing  fear  and  terror.  V  And  for 
the  glory,  &c.  That  is,  the  honour  or 
splendour  which  will  attend  him  when 
he  comes  forth  to  inflict  judgment  on 
the  people.   Vs.  19,  20. 

11.  The  lofty  looks.  Heb.  '  Tho 
eyes  of  pride,'  i  e.  the  proud  eyes  or 
looks  Pride  commonly  evinces  itself 
in  a  lofty  carriage  and  supercilious  as 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  It. 


1.01 


nessof  men  shall  be  bowed  down  ; 
and  the  Lord  alone  shall  be  ex- 
alted in  that  nday. 

12  For  the  day  of  the  Lord 
of  hosts  shall  be  upon  every  one 
that  is  proud  and  lofty,  and  upon 

nZep.  3.  11.  16.  Zee.  9.  16. 

pect.  Ps  xviii.  27.  IT  Shall  be  hum- 
bled. By  the  calamities  that  shall 
sweep  over  the  land.  This  does  not 
mean  that  he  shall  be  brought  to  be 
humble,  or  to  have  a  humble  heart,  but 
that  that  on  which  he  so  much  prided 
himself  would  be  taken  away.  IT  The 
Lord  alone,  &c.  God  will  so  deal 
with  them  as  to  vindicate  his  honour  ; 
to  turn  the  attention  entirely  on  him- 
self, and  to  secure  the  reverence  of  all 
the  people  So  terrible  shall  be  his 
judgments,  and  so  manifestly  shall  they 
come  from  him,  that  they  shall  look 
away  from  every  thing  else  to  him 
alone,  f  //;  that  day.  In  the  day  of 
which  the  prophet  speaks  when  God 
would  punish  them  for  their  sins.  Re- 
ference is  probably  made  to  the  cap- 
tivity at  Babylon. — It  maybe  remarked 
that  one  design  of  punishment  is  to  lead 
men  to  regard  and  honour  God.  He  will 
humble  the  pride  of  men,  and  so  pass 
before  them  in  his  judgments,  that  they 
shall  be  compelled  to  acknowledge  him 
as  their  just  Sovereign  and  Judge. 

12.  The  day,  &c.  This  expression 
evidently  denotes  that  the  Lord  would 
inflict  severe  punishment  upon  every 
one  that  was  lofty.  Such  a  severe  in- 
fliction is  called  the  day  of  the  Lord 
of  hosts,  because,  it  would  be  a  time 
when  he  would  particularly  manifest 
himself,  and  when  he  would  be  recog- 
nised as  the  inflictor  of  that  punish- 
ment. His  coming  forth  in  this  man- 
ner would  give  character  to  that  time, 
and  would  be  the  prominent  event. 
The  punishment  of  the  wicked  is  thus 
frequently  called  the  day  of  the  Lord. 
Isa.  xiii.  6,  9  :  "  Behold  the  day  of  the 
Lord  cometh,  cruel  both  with  wrath 
and  fierce  anger,"  &c.  Jer.  xlvi.  10  : 
"  The  day  of  the  Lord  God  of  hosts,  a 
day  of  vengeance."  Ezek.  xxx.  3. 
Zeph.  i.  7,  14.  Joel  ii.  31.     See  also 


every  one  that  is  lifted  ».p,  aud 
he  shall  be  brought  low  ; 

13  And  upon  all  the  ^cedars 
of  Lebanon,  that  are  high  and 
lifted  up,  and  upon  all  the  oaks 
of  Bashan, 

p  Eze.  31.  3.    Zee.  11.  1,  2. 

in  the  New  Testament,  1  Thess.  v. 
2.  2  Pet.  iii.  10.  f  Every  one  that  is 
proud  and  lofty.  Or,  rather,  every  thing 
that  is  high  and  lofty.  The  phrase  is 
not  restricted  to  persons,  though  it  em- 
braces them.  But  though  the  language 
here  is  general,  the  reference  is  doubt- 
less, mainly,  to  the  princes,  magistrates 
and  nobility  of  the  nation  ;  and  is  de- 
signed not  only  to  designate  them  as 
men  of  rank  and  power,  but  as  men 
who  were  haughty  in  their  demeanor 
and  feelings.  At  the  same  time,  thera 
is  included  in  the  language,  as  the  sub- 
sequent verses  show,  all  on  which  the 
nation  prided  itself. 

13.  And  upon  all  the  cedars  of  Le- 
banon. This  is  a  beautiful  specimen 
of  the  poetic  manner  of  writing  so 
common  among  the  Hebrews,  where 
spiritual  and  moral  subjects  are  repre- 
sented by  grand  or  beautiful  imagery 
taken  from  objects  of  nature.  Mount 
Lebanon  bounded  Palestine  on  the 
north.  It  was  formerly  much  cele- 
brated for  its  large  and  lofty  cedars. 
These  cedars  were  from  thirty-five  to 
forty  feet  in  girth,  and  very  high.  They 
were  magnificent  trees,  and  were  va- 
luable for  ceiling,  statues,  or  roofs,  that 
required  durable  and  beautiful  timber. 
The  roof  of  the  temple  of  Diana  of 
Ephesus,  according  to  Pliny,  was  of 
cedar,  and  no  small  part  of  the  temple 
of  Solomon  was  of  this  wood.  A  few 
lofty  trees  of  this  description  are  still 
remaining  on  Mount  Lebanon.  "  After 
three  hours  of  laborious  travelling,"  says 
D'Arvieux,  "  we  arrived  at  the  famous 
cedars  about  eleven  o'clock.  We 
counted  twenty-three  of  them.  The 
circumference  of  these  trees  is  thirty- 
six  feet.  The  bark  of  the  cedar  re- 
sembles that  of  the  pine  ;  the  leaves 
and  cone  also  bear  considerable  resem- 
blance.    The  stem  is  upright,  the  wood 


102  ISAIAH.  [B.C.im 

14    And    upon    all    the    high    mountains,  and  upon  all  the  hills 


is  bard,  and  has  the  reputation  of  heing 
incorruptible.  The  leaves  are  long, 
narrow,  rough,  very  green,  ranged  in 
tufts  almig  the  branches  ;  they  shoot  in 
F|>nnL,r,  and  tall  in  the  beginning  of 
winter.  Its  flowers  and  fruit  resemble 
tin 'sc  of  the  pine.  From  the  full  grown 
trees,  a  fluid  trickles  naturally,  and 
without  incision  ;  this  is  clear,  transpa- 
rent, whitish,  and  after  a  time  dries  and 
hardens  ;  it  is  supposed  to  possess  great 
viitucs.  The  place  where  these  great 
trees  are  stationed,  is  in  a  plain  of 
nearly  a  league  in  circumference,  on  the 
summit  of  a  mount  which  is  environed 
on  almost  all  sides  by  other  mounts,  so 
high  that  their  summits  are  always  cover- 
ed with  snow.  This  plain  is  level,  the 
air  is  pure,  the  heavens  always  serene." 
JYlauudrell  found  only  sixteen  cedars 
of  large  growth,  and  a  natural  planta- 
tion of  smaller  ones  which  were  very 
numerous.  One  of  the  largest  was 
twelve  yards  six  inches  in  girth,  and 
thirty-seven  yards  in  the  spread  of  its 
Doughs.  At  six  yards  from  the  ground, 
it  was  divided  into  five  limbs,  each 
equal  to  a  great  tree.  Dr.  Richardson 
visited  them  in  1818,  and  found  a  small 
clump  of  large,  tall,  and  beautiful  trees, 
which  he  pronounces  the  most  pictu- 
resque productions  of  the  vegetable 
world  that  he  had  ever  seen.  In  this 
clump  are  two  generations  of  trees  ;  the 
oldest  are  large  and  massy, rearing  their 
heads  to  an  enormous  height,  and 
spreading  their  branches  to  a  great  ex- 
tent. He  measured  one,  not  the  largest 
in  the  clump,  and  found  it  thirty-two 
feet  in  circumference.  Seven  of  these 
trees  appeared  to  be  very  old,  the  rest 
younger,  though,  for  want  of  space, 
their  branches  are  not  so  spreading. 
— Bush's  Illustrations  of  Scripture. 
"  The  celebra  ted  cedar-grove  of  Leba- 
non," says  Dr.  Robinson, "  is  at  least 
two  days' journey  from  Beirut,  near  the 
northern,  and  perhaps  the  highest  sum- 
mit of  the  mountain.  It  has  been 
often  and  sufficiently  described  by  tra- 
vellers for  the  last  three  centuries  ;  but 
they  all  differ  as  to  the  number  of  the 


oldest  trees,  inasmuch  as  in  counting, 
some  have  included  more  and  some  lesn 
of  the  younger  ones  At  present  the 
number  of  trees  appears  to  be  on  the 
increase,  and  amounts  in  all  to  several 
hundred.  This  grove  was  long  held  to 
be  the  only  remnant  of  the  ancient 
cedars  of  Lebanon.  But  Seetzen,  in 
1805,  discovered  two  other  groves  of 
greater  extent,  and  the  American  .Mis- 
sionaries, in  travelling  through  the 
mountains,  have  also  found  many  cedars 
in  other  places.  The  trees  are  of  all 
sizes,  old  and  young  .  but  none  so  an- 
cient and  venerable  as  those  usually 
visited  " — Bibli.  Research.  III.  440, 
441.  The  cedar,  so  large,  lofty,  and 
grand,  is  used  in  the  Scriptures  to  re- 
present kings,  princes,  and  nobles. 
Comp.  Ezek.  xxxi.  3.  Dan.  iv.  20-22. 
Zech.  xi.  1,  2.  Isa.  xiv.  8.  Here  it 
means  the  princes  and  nobles  of  the 
land  of  Israel.  The  Chaldee  renders 
it,  "  upon  all  the  strong  and  mighty 
kings  of  the  people."  IT  And  upon  all 
the  oaks  of  Bashan.  Bashan  was 
east  of  the  river  Jordan,  in  the  limits 
of  the  half  tribe  of  Manasseh.  It  was 
bounded  on  the  north  and  east  by 
Gilead,  south  by  the  river  Jabbok,  and 
west  by  the  Jordan.  It  was  celebrated 
for  pasturage,  and  for  producing  tine 
cattle.  Num.  xxi.  33,  xxxii.  33.  Ps. 
xxii.  12  Ezek.  xxxix.  18.  Amos.  iv.l. 
Micah  vii.  14.  Its  lofty  oaks  are  also 
particularly  celebrated.  Ezek.  xxvii  6. 
Amos  ii.  9.  Zech.  xi.  2.  The  sense 
here  is  not  different  from  the  former 
member  of  the  sentence — denoting  the 
princes  and  nobles  of  the  land. 

14.  And  upon  all  the  high  moun- 
tains. Judea  abounded  in  lofty  moun- 
tains, which  added  much  to  the  gran- 
deur of  its  natural  scenery.  Lowth 
supposes  that  by  mountains  and  hills, 
are  meant  here,  "  kingdoms,  republics, 
states,  cities  ;"  but  there  are  probably 
no  parallel  places  where  they  have  this 
meaning  The  meaning  is  probably 
this  :  High  mountains  and  hills  would 
not  only  be  objects  of  beauty  or  gran- 
deur, but  also  places  of  defence,  and 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


10S 


that  are  lifted  up, 

15  And  upon  every  high 
tower,  and  upon  every  fenced 
wall, 

protection.  In  the  caverns  and  fast- 
nesses of  such  hills,  it  would  be  easy 
for  the  people  to  find  refuge  when  the 
land  was  invaded.  The  meaning  of 
the  prophet  then  is,  that  the  day  of 
God's  vengeance  should  be  upon  the 
places  of  refuge  and  strength  ;  the 
strongly  fortified  places,  or  places  of 
sure  retreat  in  cases  of  invasion.  Comp. 
Notes  on  ver.  19.  IT  Hills  that  are 
lifted  up.  That  is,  high,  elevated  hills. 
15  Every  high  tower.  Towers,  or 
fortresses,  were  erected  for  defence  and 
protection.  They  were  made  on  the 
walls  of  cities,  for  places  of  observa- 
tion (comp.  Note  ch.  xxi  5),  or  in 
places  of  strength,  to  be  a  refuge  for  an 
army,  and  to  be  a  point  from  which 
they  might  sally  out  to  attack  their 
enemies.  They  were  high  to  afford  a 
defence  against  being  scaled  by  an 
enemy,  and  also  that  from  the  top  they 
might  look  abroad  for  observation ;  and 
also  to  annoy  an  enemy  from  the  top, 
when  the  foe  approached  the  walls  of  a 
city.  IT  Every  fenced  wall.  Cuain 
rn?X3.    The  word  'fenced,*?}***  betz- 

iira,  is  from  "'^  hatzar  to  make  in- 
accessible, and  hence  to  fortify.  It  de- 
notes a  wall  that  is  inaccessible,  or 
strongly  fortified.  Cities  were  com- 
monly surrounded  by  high  and  strong 
walls  to  defend  them  from  enemies. 
The  sense  is,  God  would  overturn  all 
their  strong  places  of  refuge  and 
defence. 

16.  And  upon  all  the  ships  of  Tar- 
shish. Ships  of  Tarshish  are  often 
mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament,  but 
the  meaning  of  the  expression  is  not 
quite  obvious.  See  1  Kings  x.  22.  2 
Chron.  ix.  21,  xx.  36,  37  Ps.  xlviii.  7, 
&c.  It  is  evident  that  Tarshish  was 
some  distant  land  from  which  was  im- 
ported silver,  iron,  lead,  tin,  &c.  It  is 
now  generally  agreed  that  Tartessus 
u  Spain  is  referred  to  by  the  Tarshish 
>f  Scripture.   Bruce,  however,  supposes 


16  And  upon  all  the  ships  of 
Tarshish,  and  upon  all  9pleasant 
pictures. 

9  pictures  of  desire. 

that  it  was  in  Africa,  south  of  Abyssinia. 

See  Note  on  ch.  Ix.  9.     That  it  was  in 

the  icest  is  evident  from  Gen.  x.  4. 
Comp.  Ps.  lxxxii.  10.  In  Ezek..xxviii. 
13, it  is  mentioned  as  an  important  place 
of  trade  ;  in  Jer.  x.  9,  it  is  said  that 
silver  was  procured  there  ;  a:  d  in 
Ezek.  xxviii.  12,  it  is  said  that  iron, 
lead,  silver,  and  tin,  were  imported 
from  it.  In  2  Chron  ix.  21,  it  is  said 
that  the  ships  of  Tarshish  returned 
every  three  years  bringing  gold  and 
silver,  ivory,  apes  and  peacocks.  These 
are  productions  chiefly  of  India,  but 
they  might  have  been  obtained  in  trade 
during  the  voyage.  In  Isa.  xxiii.  1,  lx.  9, 
the  phrase  "  ships  of  Tarshish,"  seems 
to  denote  ships  that  were  bound  on 
long  voyages,  and  it  is  probable  that 
they  came  to  denote  a  particular  kind 
of  ships  adapted  to  long  voyages,  in 
the  same  way  as  the  word  Indiaman 
does  with  us.  The  precise  situation  of 
Tarshish  is  not  necessary  to  be  known 

!  in  order  to  understand  the  passage 
here.  The  phrase,  "  ships  of  Tarshish," 
denotes  clearly  ships  employed  in  for- 
eign trade,  and  in  introducing  articles 

;  of  commerce,  and  particularly  of  luxury. 
The  meaning  is,  that  God  would  em- 
barrass, and  destroy  this  commerce  ; 
that  his  judgments  would  be  on  their 
articles  of  luxury.  The  LXX  render 
it, "  and  upon  every  ship  of  the  sea,  and 
upon  every  beautiful  appearance  of 
ships."  .  The  Targum,  "  And  upon 
those  who  dwell  in  the  isles  of  the  sea, 
and  upon  those  who  dwell  in  beautiful 
palaces."  1i  And  upon  all  pleasant 
pictures.  Margin,  "  pictures  of  desire  ;" 
that  is,  such  as  it  should  be  esteemed 
desirable  to  possess,  and  gaze  upon  ; 
pictures  of  value  or  beauty.     Targum, 

.  "  costly  palaces."     The  word  rendered 

j  "  pictures,"  HT'DTIJ ;  denotes  properly 
sights,  or  objects  to  be  looked  at  ;  and 
does  not  designate  paintings  particu- 
larly, but  every  thing  that  was  designed 
for  ornament,  or  luxury.     Whether  the 


104 


ISAIAH. 


[#.C.760 


17  And  "the  loftiness  of  man 
shall  be  bowed  down,  and  the 
haughtiness  of  men  shall  be  laid 
low  :  and  the  Lord  alone  shall 
be  exalted  in  that  day. 

18  And  the  idols  3he  shall  ut- 
terly abolish. 

s  ver.  11.         3  or,  shall  utterly  pass  away. 

art  of  painting  was  much  known  among 
the  Hebrews,  it  is  not  now  possible  to 
determine.  To  a  certain  extent  it  may 
be  presumed  to  have  been  practised  ; 
but  the  meaning  of  this  place  is,  that 
the  Divine  judgment  should  rest  on  all 
that  was  designed  for  mere  ornament 
and  luxury  ;  and,  from  the  description 
in  the  previous  verses,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  such  ornaments  would 
abound. 

17.  And.  the  loftiness,  &c.  See  Note 
ver.  11.  Therepetitionofthismak.es  it 
strongly  emphatic. 

18.  And  the  idols.  Note  ver.  8. 
IT  Abolish.  Heb.  '  Cause  to  pass  away 
or  disappear.'  He  shall  entirely  cause 
their  worship  to  cease.  This  predic- 
tion was  most  remarkably  fulfilled. 
Before  the  captivity  at  Babylon,  the 
Jews  were  exceedingly  prone  to  idola- 
try. It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  no 
such  propensity  was  ever  evinced  after 
that.  In  their  own  land  they  were  en- 
tirely free  from  it ;  and  scattered  as 
they  have  been  into  all  lands,  they  have 
in  every  age  since  kept  clear  from 
idolatry.  Not  an  instance,  probably, 
has  been  known  of  their  relapsing  into 
this  sin  ;  and  no  temptation,  or  torture, 
has  been  sufficient  to  induce  them  to 
bow  down  and  worship  an  idol.  This 
is  one  of  the  few  instances  that  have 
occurred  where  affliction  and  punish- 
ment have  completely  answered  their 
design. 

19.  And  they  shall  go.  That  is,  the 
worshippers  of  idols,  IT  Into  the  holes 
of  the  rocks.  Judea  was  a  moun- 
tainous country,  and  the  mountains 
abounded  with  caves  that  offered  a  safe 
retreat  for  those  who  were  in  danger. 
Many  of  those  caverns  were  very  spa- 
cious. At  Engedi,  in  particular,  a 
cave  is  mentioned  where  David  with 


19  And  they  shall  go  into  the 
holes  of  the  rocks,  and  into  the 
caves  of  the  •'earth,  for  fear  of 
the  Lord,  and  for  the  glory  of  his 
majesty,  when  he  ariseth  to  shake 
terribly  'the  earth 

4  or  diist.  I  Hag.  2,  6,  21.     He.  12,  26,  27. 


six  hundred  men  hid  himself  from  Saul 
in  the  sides  of  it  1  Sam.  xxiv.  Some- 
times caves  or  dens  were  artificially 
constructed  for  refuge  or  defence  in 
danger  Judges  vi  2.  1  Sam.  xiii.  6. 
Thus,"  because  of  the  Midinnites,  the 
children  of  Israel  made  them  the  dens 
which  are  in  the  mountains,  and  caves, 
and  strong  holds."  Judges  vi.  2.  To 
these  they  fled  in  times  of  hostile  inva- 
sion. "  When  the  men  of  Israel  saw 
that  they  were  in  a  strait  (for  the  peo- 
ple were  distressed),  then  the  people  did 
hide  themselves  in  caves,  and  in  thick- 
ets, and  in  rocks,  and  in  high  placesi 
and  in  pits."  1  Sam.  .xiii.  6.  Comp. 
Jer.  xli.  9.  Mahomet  speaks  of  a  tribe 
of  Arabians,  the  tribe  of  Thamud,  who 
"  hewed  houses  out  of  the  mountains  to 
secure  themselves."  Koran  ch.  xv.  and 
xxvi.  Grots  or  rooms  hewed  out  of 
rocks  for  various  purposes  are  often 
mentioned  by  travellers  in  Oriental  re- 
gions. See  Maundrell,  p.  118,  and 
Burckhardt's  Travels  in  Syria,  and  par- 
ticularly Laborde's  Journey  to  Arabia 
Petrea.  Such  caves  are  often  men- 
tioned by  Josephus  as  affording  plates 
of  refuge  for  banditti  and  robbers.  Ant. 
B.  xiv.  ch.  15,  and  Jewish  Wars,  B.  i. 
ch.  16.  To  enter  into  the  caves  and 
dens,  therefore,  as  places  of  refuge,  was 
a  very  natural  image  to  denote  con- 
sternation. The  meaning  here  is,  that 
the  worshippers  of  idols  should  be  so 
alarmed  as  to  seek  for  a  place  of  secu- 
rity and  refuge.  Comp.  ver.  10.  If 
When  he  ariseth.  This  is  an  expres- 
sion often  used  in  the  Scriptures  to  de- 
note the  commencement  of  doing  any 
thing.  It  is  here  derived,  perhaps,  front 
the  image  of  one  who  has  been  in  re- 
pose— as  of  a  lion  or  warrior,  rousing 
up  suddenly,  and  putting  forth  mighty 
efforts.     H  To  shake,  terribly  the  earth 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


105 


20  In  that  day  a  man  shall 
cast  6his  idols  of  silver,  and  his 
idols  of  gold,  which  they  made 

6  the  idols  of  his  silver. 


An  image  denoting  the  presence  of 
God,  for  judgment  or  punishment.  One 
of  the  magnificent  images  which  the 
sacred  writers  often  use  to  denote  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  is,  that  the  earth 
shakes  and  trembles  ;  the  mountains 
bow  and  are  convulsed  2  Sam  xxii. 
8  :  "  Then  the  earth  shook  and  trem- 
bled ;  the  foundations  of  heaven  moved, 
because  he  was  wroth."  See  also  vs. 
9-16.  Judges  v.  4.  Hab.  iii.  6-10: 
"  The  mountains  saw  thee  and  trem- 
bled ."  Heb.  xii.  26  :  "  Whose  voice 
then  shook  the  earth"  The  image 
here  denotes  that  he  would  come  forth 
in  such  wrath  that  the  very  earth 
should  tremble,  as  if  alarmed  at  his 
presence.  The  mind  cannot  conceive 
more  sublime  images  than  are  thus 
used  by  the  sacred  writers. 

20.  In  that  day.  That  is,  in  the 
time  when  God  would  come  forth  to 
inflict  punishment.  Probably  the  day 
to  which  the  prophet  refers  here  was 
the  time  of  the  captivity  at  Babylon. 
IT  A  man  shall,  cast,  &c.  That  is,  all 
who  have  idols,  or  who  have  been 
trusting  in  them.  Valuable  as  they 
may  be — made  of  gold  and  silver  ;  and 
much  as  he  may  now  rely  on  them  or 
worship  them,  yet  he  shall  then  see 
their  vanity,  and  shall  cast  them  into 
dark,  obscure  places,  or  holes  where 
are  moles  and  bats.  V  To  the  moles. 
rvhB  ">2nb.  Probably  this  should  be 
read  as  a  single  word,  and  it  is  usually 
interpreted  moles.  Jerome  interprets 
it  mice,  or  moles,  from  "^SH  khdphdr, 
to  dig.  The  word  is  formed  by  doub- 
ling the  radical  letters  to  give  inten- 
sity. Similar  instances  of  words  being 
divided  in  the  Hebrew,  which  are  nev- 
ertheless to  be  read  as  one,  occur  in 
2  Chron.  xxiv  6  Jer.  xlvi.  SO!  Lam. 
iv.  3.  Ezek.  xxvii.  6.  The  mole  is  a 
well  known  animal,  with  exceedingly 
small  eyes,  that  burrows  under  ground, 
lives  in  the  dark,  and  subsists  on  roots. 
The  bat  lives  in  old  ruins,  and  behind 
5* 


8each  one  for  himself  to  worship, 
to  the  moles  and  to  the  bats ; 
21   To  go  into  the  clefts  of  the 


8  or,  for  him. 


the  bark  of  trees,  and  flies  only  in  the 
night.  They  resemble  each  other,  and 
are  used  here  in  connection,  because 
both  dwell  amidst  ruins  and  in  obscure 
places  ;  both  are  regarded  as  animals 
of  the  lowest  order  ;  both  are  of  the 
same  genus,  and  both  are  almost  blind. 
The  sense  is,  therefore,  that  the  idols 
which  had  before  been  so  highly  vene- 
rated, would  now  be  despised,  and  cast 
into  obscure  places,  and  amidst  ruins, 
as  worthless.  See  Bochart's  Hieroz. 
p.  1,  Lib.  iii.  p.  1032,  Ed.  1663. 
IT  And  to  the  bats  "  The  East  may 
be  termed  the  country  of  bats  ;  they 
hang  by  hundreds  and  thousands  in 
caves,  ruins,  and  under  the  roofs  of 
large  buildings.  To  enter  such  places, 
especially  after  rain,  is  most  offensive. 
I  have  lived  in  rooms  where  it  was 
sickening  to  remain,  on  account  of  the 
smell  produced  by  those  creatures,  and 
whence  it  was  almost  impossible  to 
expel  them.  What  from  the  appear- 
ance of  the  creature,  its  sunken  dimi- 
nutive eye,  its  short  legs,  (with  which 
it  cannot  walk,)  its  leather-like  wings, 
its  half-hairy,  oily  skin,  its  offensive 
ordure  ever  and  anon  dropping  on  the 
ground,  its  time  for  food  and  sport, 
darkness,  makes  it  one  of  the  most  dis- 
gusting creatures  to  the  people  of  the 
East.  No  wonder,  then,  that  its  name 
is  used  by  the  Hindoos  (as  by  the 
prophet)  for  an  epithet  of  contempt. 
When  a  house  ceases  to  please  the 
inhabitants,  on  account  of  being  haunt- 
ed, they  say,  give  it  to  the  bats. 
'  Alas  !  alas  !  my  wife  and  children 
are  dead  ;  my  houses,  my  buildings 
are  all  given  to  the  bats.'  People  ask, 
when  passing  a  tenantless  house, '  Why 
is  this  habitation  given  to  the  bats  V  " 
Roberts.  The  meaning  is,  that  the 
man  would  throw  his  idols  into  such 
places  as  the  bats  occupy — he  would 
so  see  their  vanity,  and  so  despise 
them,  as  to  throw  them  into  old  ruins 
and  dark  places. 

21.   To  go.     That  is,  that  he  may 


100 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  700. 


rocks,   and   into  the  tops  of  the  j  shake  terribly  the  earth, 
ragged    rocks,    for    fear    of  the  ]       22  Cease"  ye  from  man,  whose 
Lord,  and  for  the  glory  of  his    breath    is    in    his    nostrils  ;     foi 
majesty,     when     lie    ariseth     to    wherein  is  he  to  be  accounted  of  ? 

u  Ps.  146.  3. 4.  Jer.  17.  5. 

go.  IT  Clefts  of  the  rocks.  See  Note 
onver.  1!).  H  Into  the  tops,  &c.  The 
tops  of  such  rocks  were  not  easily  ac- 
cessible, and  were  therefore  deemed 
places  of  safety,.  We  may  remark 
here,  how  vain  were  the  refuges  to 
which  they  would  resort — as  if  they 
were  safe  from  God,  when  they  had 
fled  to  the  places  in  which  they  sought 
safety  from  man.  The  image  lure  is, 
however,  one  that  is  very  sublime. 
The  earth  shaking  ;  the  consternation 
and  alarm  of  the  people  ;  their  re- 
riouncirfg  confidence  in  all  to  which 
they  had  trusted  ;  their  rapid  flight  ; 
and  their  appearing  on  the  high  pro- 
jecting cliffs,  are  all  sublime  and  terri- 
ble images.  They  denote  the  severity 
of  God's  justice,  and  the  image  is  a 
faint  representation  of  the  consterna- 
tion of  men  when  Christ  shall  come  to 
judge  the  earth.     Rev.  vi    15,  16,  17. 

21.  Cease  ye  from  man.  That  is, 
cease  to  confide  in  or  trust  in  him. 
The  prophet  had  just  said  (vs.  11,17), 
that  the  proud  and  lofty  men  would  be 
brought  low — that  is,  the  kings,  princes 
and  nobles  would  be  humbled.  They 
in  whom  the  people  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  confide  should  show  their 
insufficiency  to  afford  protection.  And 
he  calls  on  the  people  to  cease  to  put 
their  reliance  on  any  of  the  devices 
and  refuges  of  men,  implying  that  trust 
should  be  placed  in  the  Lord  only.  See 
Ps.  cxlvi.  3,4.  Jer.  xvii  5.  11  Whose 
breath  is  in  his  nostrils.  That  is,  who 
ia  weak  and  short-lived,  and  who  has 
Do  control  ov*}r  his  life.     All  his  power 


exists  only  while  he  breathes,  and  his 
breath  is  in  his  nostrils.  It  may  soon 
cease,  and  we  should  not  confide  in  so 
frail  and  fragile  a  thing  as  the  breath 
of  man.     See  Ps.  cxlvi.  3,  4,  5  : 

Put  not  your  trust  in  prince*, 

Nor  in  tlic  son  of  man  in  whom  there  is  no  help. 

llis  breath  goe'th  forth  hereturnetn  to nis  earth; 

In  that  very  day  his  thoughts  perish. 

Happy  is  he  that  hath  the  Uud  of  Jacob  for  tin 

help, 

Whose  hope  is  in  the  Lord  his  God. 

The  Chaldee  has  translated  this  verse, 
"  Be  not  subject  to  man  when  he  is 
terrible,  whose  breath  is  in  his  nostrils  ; 
because  to-day  he  lives  and  to-morrow 
he  is  not,  and  shall  be  reputed  as  no- 
thing." It  is  remarkable  that  this 
verse  is  omitted  by  the  LXX,  as  Vi- 
tringa  supposes,  because  it  might  seem 
to  exhort  people  not  to  put  confidence 
in  their  rulers.  H  For  wherein,  &c. 
That  is,  he  is  unable  to  afford  the 
assistance  which  is  needed.  When 
God  shall  come  to  judge  men,  what 
can  man  do,  who  is  weak,  and  frail, 
and  mortal  ?  Refuge  should  be  sought 
in  God.  The  exhortation  of  the  pro- 
phet here  had  respect  to  a  particular 
time,  but  it  may  be  applied  in  general 
to  teach  us  not  to  confide  in  weak, 
frail,  and  dying  man.  For  life  and 
health,  for  food  and  raiment,  for  home 
and  friends,  and  especially  for  salva- 
tion, we  are  dependent  on  God.  Tie 
alone  can  save  the  sinner  ;  and  though 
we  should  treat  men  with  all  due  res- 
pect, yet  we  should  remember  that  God 
alone  can  save  us  from  the  great  dajf 
of  wrath 


B.C.  700.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


101 


CHAPTER  III. 


1  For,  behold,  the  Lord,  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  doth  take  away 
"from  Jerusalem,  and  from  Ju- 
dah,  the  stay  and  the  '"staff"  the 
whole   stay    of  bread,    and    the 

V  ch.  36.  12.   Jer.  38.  9.        W  Lev    26.  26. 


1.  For.  This  is  a  continuation  of 
the  previous  chapter.  The  same  pro- 
phecy is  continued,  and  the  force  of 
the  argument  of  the  prophet  will  not 
be  seen  unless  the  chapters  are  read 
together.  See  the  Analysis  prefixed 
to  ch.  ii.  In  the  close  of  the  sec- 
ond chapter  (ver.  22),  the  prophet 
had  cautioned  his  countrymen  against 
confiding  in  man.  In  this  chapter  .a 
reason  is  given  here  why  they  should 
cease  to  do  it — to  wit,  that  God  would 
soon  take  away  their  kings  and  princes. 
11  The  Lord.  Tftjjft*  See  Note  on 
ch.  i.  24.  H  The  Lord  of  hosts.  See 
Note  ch.  i  9.  The  prophet  calls  the 
attention  of  the  Jews  particularly  to 
the  fact  that  this  was  about  to  be  done 
by  Jehovah  of  hosts — a  title,  which  he 
gives  to  God  when  he  designs  to  indi- 
cate that  that  which  is  to  be  done 
implies  peculiar  strength,  power  and 
majesty.  As  the  work  which  was  now 
to  be  done  was  the  removal  of  the 
mighty  men  on  which  the  nation  was 
depending,  it  is  implied  that  it  was  a 
work  of  power  which  belonged  pecu- 
liarly to  the  God  of  armies  ;  the  Al- 
mighty. IT  Doth  take  away.  Is  about 
to  remove.  In  the  Hebrew  the  word 
hpre  is  a  participle,  and  does  not  mark 
the  precise  time.  It  has  reference 
here,  however,  to  the  future.  IT  From 
Jerusalem,  &c.  Note  ch.  i.  1.  IT  The 
stay.  In  the  Hebrew  the  words  trans- 
lated stay  and  staff  are  the  same,  with 
the  exception  that  the  former  is  in  the 
masculine,  and  the  latter  in  the  femi- 
nine gender.  The  meaning  is,  that 
God  would  remove  all  kinds  of  sup- 
port, or  every  thing  on  which  they  re- 
lied.    The  reference  is  undoubtedly  to 


whole  stay  of  water. 

2  The  mighty  ^man,  and  the 
man  of  war,  the  judge,  and  the 
prophet,  and  the  prudent,  and 
the  ancient. 


y  2  Kings  24.  14. 


the  princes  and  mighty  men  on  whose 
counsels  and  aid  the  nation  was  resting 
for  defence.  See  vs.  2,  3.  IT  The 
xchole  stay  of  bread.  We  use  a  similar 
expression  when  we  say  that  bread  is 
the  staff  of  life.  The  Hebrews  often 
expressed  the  same  idea,  representing 
the  heart  in  man  as  being  supported, 
or  upheld  by  bread.  Gen.  xviii.  5 
{margin).  Judges  xix.  5  (margin).  Lev. 
xxvi.  26.  Ps  cv.  16.  IT  Stay  of  water. 
He  would  reduce  them  from  their  luxu- 
ries introduced  by  commerce  (ch.  ii), 
to  absolute  want  This  often  occurred 
in  the  sieges  and  wars  of  the  nation  ; 
and  in  the  famines  which  were  the 
consequence  of  the  wars  The  refer- 
ence here  is  probably  to  the  invasion 
of  the  land  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  The 
famine  consequent  on  that  invasion  is 
described  in  Jer.  xxxviii.  21,  xxxviii. 
9.  Lam',  iv.  4:  "The  tongue  of  the 
sucking  child  cleaveth  to  the  roof  of 
his  mouth  for  thirst;  the  young  chil- 
dren ask  bread,  and  no  man  breaketh 
it  unto  them." 

2.  The  mighty  man.  The  hero. 
The  idea  expressed  is  not  simply  that 
of  personal  strength  and  prowess,  but 
the  higher  one  of  military  eminence 
or  heroism.  Prof.  Alexander.  This 
was  fully  accomplished  in  the  time  of 
Nebuchadnezzar.  2  Kings  xxiv.  14. 
IT  And  the  prudent.  This  word  in  the 
original — CDp — properly  means  a  di- 
viner, or  a  soothsayer.  But  it  is  some- 
times used  in  a  good  sense.  See  Prov. 
xvi  10,  margin.  The  Clm'tfee  under 
stands  it  of  a  man  who  is  consulted,  or 
whose  opinion  is  asked,  in  times  of  per- 
plexity or  danger.  The  word  was  origi- 
nally applied  to  false  prophets,  diviners, 


108 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


3  The  captain  of  fifty,  and 
the  3honourable  man,  and  the 
counsellor,  and  the  cunning  arti- 
ficer, and  the  5eloquent  orator. 


and  soothsayers  who  claimed  the  power 
of  looking  into  futurity.  It  came  how- 
ever to  denote  also  the  man  of  sagacity, 
the  statesman,  the  experienced  coun- 
sellor, who  from  the  records  of  the  past 
could  judge  of  the  future,  and  to  whom, 
therefore,  the  nation  could  look  in 
times  of  perplexity  and  danger.  Vi- 
tringa  supposes  that  it  may  refer  here 
to  the  false  prophets  on  whose  advice 
the  nation  might  be  relying.  11  The 
ancient.  The  old  man.  Such  men, 
especially  among  the  Hebrews,  were 
deemed  particularly  qualified  to  give 
advice.  They  had  experience ;  they 
kept  the  traditions  of  their  fathers  ; 
they  had  conversed  with  the  wise  of 
the  preceding  generation ;  and  in  a 
land  where  there  were  few  books,  and 
knowledge  was  to  be  gained  mainly  by 
conversation  and  experience,  great  re- 
spect was  shown  them.  See  Lev.  xix. 
3"J  2  Chron.  xxxi.  17.  1  Kings  xii. 
6,8. 

3.  The  captain  of  fifty.  By  this 
was  probably  denoted  an  officer  in  the 
army.  The  idea  is,  that  the  com- 
manders of  the  various  divisions  of  the 
army  should  be  taken  away.  H  The 
honourable  man.  Heb.  B^SQ  iO'wi 
ncsu  panim.  The  man  of  elevated 
countenance.  That  is,  the  man  high 
in  office.  He  was  so  called  from  the 
aspect  of  dignity  which  a  man  in  office 
would  assume.  In  the  previous  chap- 
ter, the  phrase  is  used  to  denote  rather 
the  pride  which  attended  such  officers, 
than  the  dignity  of  the  office  itself. 
IT  And  the  counsellor.  Note  ch.  i.  26. 
H  The  cunning  artificer.  Heb.  The 
man  wise  in  mechanic  arts  ;  skilled  in 
architecture,  &c.  IT  And  the  eloquent 
orator.  T-1-J  *p23  nebhon  luhhash. 
Literally,  skilled  or  learned  in  whis- 
pering, in  conjuration,  in  persuasion. 
The  word  ^fl?  Idhhdsh  denotes  proper- 
ly a  whispering,  sighing,  or  calling  for 
help.   (Isa.  xxvi.  16,  "  they  have  poured 


4  And  I  will  give  children 
"Id  be  the.  r  princes,  and  babes 
shall  rule  over  them. 

3  a  man  cmimnt  in  countenance. 

5  or,  skilful  of  speech-  a  Eccl.  10.  16. 


out  a  prayer,"  ^nb — a  secret  speech,  a 
feeble  sigh  for  aid.)  It  is  applied  to 
the  charm  of  the  serpent — the  secret 
breathing  or  gentle  noise  by  which  the 
charm  is  supposed  to  be  effecte'd.  Ps. 
lviii.  6.  Jer.  viii.  17.  Eccl.  x.  11.  In 
ver.  20  of  this  chapter  it  denotes  a 
charm,  or  amulet  worn  by  females. 
See  Note  on  that  verse.  It  is  also 
applied  to  magic,  or  conjuration — be- 
cause this  was  usually  done  by  gen- 
tle whispering,  or  incantation.  See 
Note  ch.  viii.  19.  From  this  use  of  the 
word  it  comes  to  denote  one  that  influ- 
ences another  ;  one  who  persuades  him 
in  any  way,  as  an  orator  does  by  argu- 
ment and  entreaty.  Ancient  orators 
also  probably  sometimes  used  a  species 
of  recitative,  or  measured  cadence,  not 
unlike  that  employed  by  those  who 
practised  incantations.  Jerome  says 
that  it  means  here,  "  a  man  who  is 
learned,  and  acquainted  with  the  law, 
and  the  prophets."  Chaldee,  "  The 
prudent  in  council."  It  may  be  used 
in  a  good  sense  here  ;  but  if  so,  it  is 
probably  the  only  place  where  the 
word  is  so  used  in  the  Old  Testament 
A  prophecy  similar  to  this  occurs  in 
Hos.  iii.  4  :  "  For  the  children  of  Is- 
rael shall  abide  many  days  without  a 
king,  and  without  a  prince,  and  without 
a  sacrifice,  and  without  an  image,  and 
without  an  ephod,  and  without  tera- 
phim." 

4  And  I  will  give  children  Not 
children  in  respect  to  age  so  much  as 
in  regard  to  talent  for  governing  I 
will  commit  the  land  to  the  govern- 
ment of  weak  and  imbecile  princes 
This  would  naturally  occur  when  the 
wise  and  great  were  removed  Coinp. 
Eccl.  x.  16:  "Wo  to  thee,  O  land, 
when  thy  king  is  a  child."  Comp.  Isa. 
iii.  12.  11  And  babes  shall  rule,  &c. 
That  is,  babes  in  experience  and  know- 
ledge. This  vvns  fully  accomplished 
in  the  succession  of  weak  and  wicked 
princes  that  succeeded  Isaiah,  until  the 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


10S 


5  And  the  people  shall  be 
oppressed,  every  one  by  another, 
and  every  one  by  his  neighbour  : 
the  child  shall  behave  himself 
proudly  against  the  ancient,  and 
the  base  against  the  honourable. 

time  of  Zedekiah,  the  last  of  them, 
when  the  temple  was  taken  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar.    Lowth. 

5.  And  the  people  shall  be  oppressed. 
This  describes  the  state  of  anarchy 
and  confusion  which  would  exist  under 
the  reign  of  children  and  babes  (ver. 
4),  when  all  law  would  be  powerless 
and  all  rights  violated,  and  when  the 
feeble  would  be  oppressed  and  borne 
down  by  the  strong.  The  word  used 
here,  properly  denotes  that  unjust  ex- 
actions or  demands  would  be  made,  or 
that  the  people  would  be  urged  to  fulfil 
them.  11  Every  one  by  another.  In 
turn  they  shall  oppress  and  vex  one  an- 
other. Heb.  "  man  by  man  ;  and  man 
by  his  neighbour" — a  strong  mode  of 
expression,  denoting  that  there  would 
be  a  state  of  mutual  strife,  and  viola- 
tion of  rights.  Comp.  1  Kings  xx.  20. 
V  The  child,  &c.  All  ranks  of  society 
shall  be  broken  up.  All  respect  due 
from  one  rank  in  life  to  another  shall 
be  violated.  If  Shall  behive  himself 
proudly  The  word  here  used  means 
rather  to  urge,  or  press  on.  The  child 
shall  crowd  on  the  old  man.  This 
was  particularly  descriptive  of  a  stata 
of  anarchy  and  disorder,  from  the  fact 
that  the  Jews  inculcated  so  much  re- 
spect and  deference  for  age.  See  Note 
on  ver.  2  IT  The  ancient.  The  old 
man.  IT  And  the  base.  The  man  of 
low  rank  in  life.  The  word  properly 
means  the  man  that  is  despised,  the 
vile,  the  ignoble.  1  Sam.  xviii.  23. 
Prov.  xii.  9.  IT  The  honourable.  All 
the  forms  of  respect  in  life  would  be 
broken  up  ;  all  the  proper  rules  of  de- 
ference between  man  and  man  would 
be  violated.  Neither  dignity,  age,  nor 
honour  would  be  respected. 

6.  When  a  man  shall  take  hold,  &c. 
In  this  verse,  and  the  following  verses, 
the  prophet  continues  to  describe  the 
calamitous  and  ruined  state  that  would 


6  When  a  man  shall  take  hold 
of  his  brother,  of  the  house  of  his 
father,  saying,  Thou  hast  cloth- 
ing, be  thou  our  ruler,  and  lei 
this  ruin  be  under  thy  hand  : 


come  upon  the  Jews — when  there 
would  be  such  a  want  of  wealth  and 
men,  that  they  would  seize  upon  any 
one  that  they  thought  able  to  defend 
them.  The  act  of  tc4cing  hold  here 
denotes  supplication  and  entreaty,  as 
when  one  in  danger  or  distress  clings 
to  that  which  is  near,  or  which  may  be 
likely   to    aid    hi.n.     Comp.  ch.  iv.  1. 

1  Sam.  xv.  27.  f  His  brother.  His 
kinsmen,  or  one  of  the  same  tribe  and 
family — claiming  protection  because 
they  belonged  to  the  same  family. 
11  Of  the  house  of  his  father.  De- 
scended from  the  same  paternal  ances- 
tors as  himself.  Probably  this  refers 
to  one  of  an  ancient  and  opulent  family 
— a  man  who  had  kept  himself  from 
the  civil  broils  and  tumults  of  the  na- 
tion, and  who  had  retained  his  pro- 
perty safe  in  the  midst  of  the  surround- 
ing desolation.  In  the  previous  verse, 
the  prophet  had  said  that  one  charac- 
teristic of  the  times  would  be  a  want 
of  respect  for  the  aged  and  the  honour- 
able. He  here  says  that  such  would 
be  the  distress,  that  a  man  would  be 
compelled  to  show  respect  to  rank  ;  he 
would  look  to  the  ancient  and  wealthy 
families  for  protection.  H  Thou  hast 
clothing.  In  ancient  times  wealth 
consisted  very  much  in  changes  of 
garments  ;  and  the  expression  "  thou 
hast  clothing,"  is  the  same  as  '  you  are 
rich,  you  are  able  to  assist  us.'  See 
Ex.   xii    34,  xx.  26.     Gen.   xlv.   22 

2  Kings  v.  5.  IT  And  let  this  ruin,  &c. 
This    is    an    expression    of    entreaty 

'  Give  us  assistance,  or  defence.  Wj 
commit  our  ruined  and  dilapidated 
affairs  to  thee,  and  implore  thy  help. 
The  LXX  read  this,  "  and  let  uij 
food,"  i.  e.  my  support,  "  be  undei 
thee" — do  thou  furnish  me  food.  There 
are  some  other  unimportant  variations 
in  the  ancient  versions,  but  the  sense 
is  substantially  given  in  our  translation. 


110 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


7  In  thai  day  shall  he  9swear, 
saying,  I  will  not  he  an  4healer ; 
for  in  my  house  is  neither  bread 
nor    clothing :    make    me  not  a 

ruler  of  the  people. 

2  lift  up  the  hand,  Gen.  14.  22.       4  binder  up. 

It  is  expressive  of  great  distress  and 
anarchy — when  there  would  be  no 
ruler,  and  every  man  would  seek  one 
for  himself.  The  whole  deportment 
evinced  here  by  the  suppliant  is  one  of 
submission,  distress,  and  humility. 

7.  In  that  day  shall  he  swear.  He- 
brew, $&]  '  Shall  he  lift  up'— i.  e. 
the  voice,  or  the  hand.  To  lift  up  the 
band  was  one  of  the  modes  of  taking 
an  oath.  Perhaps  it  means  only  that 
he  should  lift  up  the  voice — i.  e.  should 
answer.  Comp.  Num.  xiv.  1.  The 
Vulgate,  the  LXX,  and  the  Chaldee, 
read  it  simply  "  he  shall  answer."  IT  / 
will  not  be  an  healer.  Heb.  "  a  binder 
up,"  ch.  i.  6.  The  Vulgate  renders  it, 
"  I  am  not  a  physician."  The  LXX 
and  the  Chaldee,  "  I  am  not  sufficient 
to  be  a  leader."  The  meaning  is,  that 
the  state  of  affairs  was  so  ruinous  and 
calamitous  that  he  would  not  attempt 
to  restore  them — as  if  in  the  body,  dis- 
ease should  have  so  far  progressed 
that  he  would  not  undertake  to  restore 
the  person,  and  ha''e  him  die  under 
his  hands,  so  as  to  expose  himself  to 
the  reproach  of  being  an  unsuccessful 
and  unskilful  physician.  IT  Is  neither 
bread  nor  clothing.  I  am  not  rich.  I 
have  not  the  means  of  providing  for 
the  wants  of  the  people,  or  to  main- 
tain the  rank  of  a  ruler.  "  It  is  cus- 
tomary," says  Sir  John  Chardin,  "  to 
gather  together  an  immense  quantity 
of  clothes,  for  their  fashions  never  al- 
ter." "  The  kings  of  Persia  have 
great  wardrobes,  where  they  have  al- 
ways many  hundreds  of  habits  ready, 
designed  for  presents,  and  sorted." 
Lnwth.  The  description  here  is  one 
of  very  great  calamity  and  anarchy. 
So  great  would  be  the  ruin  and  danger 
that  men  would  be  unwilling  to  be 
chosen  to  the  office  of  princes  and 
rulers,  and  none  could  be  found  who 
would  desire  to  possess  the  highest  ho- 


8  For  Jerusalem  is  ruined; 
'and  Judah  is  fallen  ;  because 
•'their  tongue  and  their  doing! 
are  against  the  Lord,  to  provoke 
the  ^eyes  of  his  glory. 

e  Mic.  3.  18.     /  Lam.  5.  16,  17.     g  1  Cor.  10.  22 

nours  of  the  nation.  Generally  men  as- 
pire to  office  ;  here  they  were  unwilling,' 
on  account  of  the  disordered  and  ruined 
state  of  affairs,  even  to  accept  of  it. 

8.  For.  Jerusalem,  &c.  The  prophet 
proceeds  to  show  the  cause  of  this  state 
of  things.  "  These  are  the  words  of 
the  prophet,  and  not  of  him  who  was 
chosen  leader."  Jerome.  IT  Is  ruined. 
It  would  be  so  ruined,  and  the  pros- 
pect of  preserving  it  would  be  so  com- 
pletely taken  away,  that  no  one  could 
be  induced  to  undertake  to  defend  and 
protect  it.  IT  Judah.  The  kingdom 
of  Judah,  of  which  Jerusalem  was  the 
capital.  Note  ch.  i.  1.  IT  Is  fallen. 
Heb.  falls ;  i.  e.  is  about  to  fall — as  a 
tower  or  a  tree  falls  to  ruin.  If  the 
capital  fell  and  was  ruined,  the  king- 
dom would  also  fall  as  a  matter  of 
course.  IT  Because  their  tongue,  &c. 
This  is  the  reason  why  Judah  was 
ruined.  By  word  and  deed — that  is, 
in  every  way  they  opposed  God.  The 
tongue  here  represents  their  language, 
their  manner  of  speaking  It  was  proud, 
haughty,  rebellious,  perhaps  blasphem- 
ous. IT  To  provoke.  To  irritate  ;  to 
offend.  IT  The  eyes  of  his  glory.  This 
is  a  Hebrew  expression  to  denote  A  is 
glorious  eyes.  The  eye  quickly  ex- 
presses anger  or  indignation.  We 
perceive  these  passions  in  the  flashing 
of  the  eye  sooner  than  in  any  other 
part  of  the  countenance.  Hence,  to 
provoke  the  eyes,  is  an  expression  sig- 
nifying simply  to  excite  to  anger,  oi 
to  excite  him  to  punish  them.  Lowlh 
proposes  to  render  this  "  to  provoke 
the  cloud  of  his  glory" — referring  to 
the  Shekinah  or  cloud  that  rested  over 
the  ark  in  the  temple.  By  a  slight 
variation  of  the  Hebrew  text,  reading 
")3S  instead  of  "l3?  (  it  may  be  so  read, 
and  the  Syriac  so  translates  it ;  but 
the  change  in  the  Hebrew  text  does 
not  seem  to  be  authorized. 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


11 


9  The  show  of  their  counte- 
nance* doth  witness  against  them, 
and  they  declare  their  sin  as  So- 
dom, they  hide  it  not.  Wo  unto 
their  soul  !  for  they  have  re- 
warded evil  unto  themselves. 

10  Say   ye   to  the   righteous, 

i  Jcr.  3.  3. 

9.  The  show  of  their  countenance. 
The  word  rendered  the  show  is  pro- 
bably derived  from  a  word  signifying 
to  know,  or  to  recognize,  and  here 
denotes  impudence  or  pride.  LXX, 
"  The  sKame  of  their  face."  1T  Duth 
witness  against  them.  Answers  to 
them  ;  or  responds  to  them  (""^r^)- 
There  is  a  correspondence  between 
the  feelings  of  the  heart  and  the  looks, 
an  answering  of  the  countenance  to 
the  purposes  of  the  soul  that  shows 
their  true  character,  and  betrays  their 
plans  The  prophet  refers  here  to  the 
great  law  in  physiology  that  the  emo- 
tions of  the  heart  will  be  usually  ex- 
pressed in  the  countenance  ;  and  that 
by  the  marks  of  pride,  vanity,  and  ma- 
Jice  there  depicted,  we  may  judge  of 
the  heart  ;  or  as  it  is  expressed  in  our 
translation,  that  the  expression  of  the 
face  will  witness  against  a  wicked 
man.  IT  They  declare,  &.c.  By  their 
deeds.  Their  crimes  are  open  and 
bold.  There  is  no  attempt  at  conceal- 
ment. IT  As  Sodom.  See  Gen.  xix.  5. 
Comp.  Note  Isa.  i.  1/0.  ^  Wo  unto 
their  soul.  They  shall  bring  wo  upon 
themselves  ;  they  deserve  punishment. 
This  is  an  expression  denoting  the  high- 
est abhorrence  of  their  crimes.  IT  They 
have  rewarded  evil,  &c.  They  have 
brought  the  punishment  upon  them- 
selves by  their  own  sins. 

10.  Say  ye  to  the  righteous.  The 
meaning  of  this  verse  and  the  follow- 
ing is  sufficiently  plain,  though  expo- 
sitors have  given  some  variety  of  in- 
terpretation. They  declare  a  great 
principle  of  the  Divine  administration 
similar  to  what  is  stated  in  ch.  i.  19, 
20.  Lowth  reads  it,  "  Pronounce  ye 
a  blessing  on  the  just ;  verily  good 
( shall  Dc  to  him)."     IT  That  it  shall  be 


that  kit  shall  be  well  with  him  : 
for  they  shall  eat  the  fruit  of 
their  doings. 

1 1  Wo  unto  the  wicked  !  il 
shall  be  ill  with  him  :  for  the  re- 
ward of  his  hands  shall  be  5given 
him. 

k  Eccl.  8.  12,  13.  5  done  to. 

well,  &lc.  The  word  -endered  "well," 
means  '  good.'  The  sense  evidently 
is,  that  in  the  Divine  administration 
it  shall  be  well  to  be  righteous.  The 
LXX  have  rendered  this  in  a  remark- 
able manner,  connecting  it  with  the 
previous  verse.  "  Wo  unto  their  soul„ 
for  they  take  evil  counsel  among  them- 
selves, saying  let  us  bind  the  righteous, 
for  he  is  troublesome  unto  us,  there- 
fore they  shall  eat  the  fruit  of  their 
doings."  T  They  shall  eat,  &c.  That 
is,  they  shall  receive  the  appropriate 
reward  of  their  works,  and  that  reward 
shall  be  happiness.  As  a  husbandman 
who  sows  his  field  and  cultivates  his 
farm,  eats  the  fruit  of  his  labour,  so 
shall  it  be  with  the  righteous.  A 
similar  expression  is  found  in  Prov. 
i.  31: 

Therefore  shall  they  eat  of  the  fruit  of  their  own 

way. 
And  be  filled  with  their  own  devices. 

Also  Jer.  vi.  19 :  "I  will  bring  evil 
upon  this  people,  even  the  fruit  of  their 
thoughts."  Comp.  Gal.  vi.  8. 

11.  Wo  unto  the  wicked.  To  all 
the  wicked — but  here  having  particu- 
lar reference  to  the  Jews  whom  Isaiah 
was  addressing,  f  It  shall  be  ill  with 
him.  The  word  ill  is  the  only  word 
here  in  the  original.  It  is  an  empha- 
tic mode  of  speaking — expressing  deep 
abhorrence  and  suddenness  of  denun- 
ciation. '  Wo  to  the  impious  !  Ill !' 
IT  For  the  reward  of  his  hands  Of  his 
conduct.  The  hands  are  the  instru- 
ments by  which  we  accomplish  any 
thing,  and  hence  they  are  put  for  the 
whole  man.  IT  Shall  be  given  him. 
That  is,  shall  be  repaid  to  him  ;  or  he 
shall  be  justly  recompensed  for  his 
crimes  This  is  the  principle  on  which 
God  rules  the  world.     It  shall  be  welJ 


112 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760. 


12  As  for  my  people,  children 
are  their  oppressors,  and  women 
rule  over  them.  O  my  people, 
they  which  6lead  thee  cause  thee 
to  err,  and  'destroy  the  way  of 
thy  paths. 

13  The  Lord  standeth  up  to 
"plead,  and  standeth  to  judge  the 
people. 

6  or,  call  thee  blessed.        7  swallow  up. 
o  .Mu-ah  6.  2. 

here,  and  hereafter,  with  those  who 
obey  God  ;  it  shall  be  ill  here,  and  for 
ever,  with  those  who  disobey  him. 

12.  As  for  my  people,  children  are 
their  oppressors.  This  refers  doubt- 
less to  their  civil  rulers.  They  who 
ought  to  have  been  their  protectors, 
oppressed  thorn  by  grievous  taxes  and 
burdens.  But  whether  this  means  that 
the  rulers  of  the  people  were  literally 
minors,  or  that  they  were  so  in  dispo- 
sition and  character,  has  been  a  ques- 
tion. The  original  word  is  in  the 
singular  number  (J?"1"^?),  and  means 
a  child,  or  an  infant.  It  may  however 
be  taken  collectively  as  a  noun  of 
multitude,  or  as  denoting  more  than 
one.  To  whom  reference  is  made  here 
cannot  easily  be  determined,  but  pos- 
sibly to  Ahaz,  who  began  to  reign 
when  he  was  twenty  years  old.  2  Kin. 
xvi.  2.  Or  it  may  mean  that  the  cha- 
racter of  the  princes  and  rulers  was 
that  of  inexperienced  children,  unqua-  j 
lifted  for  government  IT  Are  their  I 
oppressors.  Literally,  "  are  their  ex-  j 
actors,"  or  their  taxers — the  collectors 
of  the  revenue.  1  And  women  rule 
over  them.  This  is  not  to  be  taken 
literally,  but  it  means  either  that  the 
rulers  were  under  the  influence  of  the 
harem,  or  the  females  of  the  court ;  or 
that  they  were  effeminate  and  desti- 
tute of  vigour  and  manliness  in  coun- 
sel. The  LXX  and  the  Chaldee  ren- 
der this  verse  substantially  alike  : 
"  Thy  exactors  strip  my  people  as  they 
who  gather  the  grapes  strip  the  vine- 
yard." IT  They  which  lead  thee.  Hob. 
They  who  bless  thrp,  or  call  thee  blessed. 
(See  margin.)     This   refers  doubtless 


14  The  Lord  will  enter  into 
judgment  with  the  ancients  of 
his  people,  and  the  princes  there- 
of: for  ye  have  eaten8  up  the 
vineyard  ;«  the  spoil  of  the  poor 
is  in  your  houses. 

15  What  mean  ye  that-  y* 
beaf  my  people  to  pieces,  and 
grind  the  faces  of  the  poor  ?  saith 
the  Lord  God  of  hosts. 

8  or,  burnt.       q  Matt.  21.  33.       r  ch.  58.  4. 

to  the  public  teachers,  and  the  falsa 
prophets,  who  blessed  or  flattered  the 
people,  and  who  promised  them  Six/ety 
in  their  sins.  IT  Cause  thee  to  err. 
Lead  you  astray  ;  or  lead  you  into  sin 
and  danger,  IT  And  destroy.  Heb. 
Swallow  up. 

13.  The  Lord  standeth  up.  To 
stand  up  may  mean  the  same  as  to 
arise.  God  would  not  sit  in  silence 
and  see  their  wicked  conduct ;  but  he 
would  come  forth  to  inflict  on  them 
exemplary  and  deserved  chastisement. 
1T  To  plead.  To  litigate,  to  contend  with, 
i.  e.  to  condemn,  to  inflict  punishment. 

14.  With  the  ancients,  &c.  With 
the  old  men,  the  counsellors.  1  Ye 
have  eaten  up  the  vineyard.  Heb. 
"  Ye  have  burnt  up" — that  is,  you  have 
consumed  or  destroyed  it.  By  the 
vineyard  is  represented  the  Jewish  re- 
public or  people.  Ps.  lxxx.  9-13.  Com- 
pare Notes  Isa.  v  1-7.  The  princes 
and  rulers  had  by  their  exactions  and 
oppressions  ruined  the  people,  and  de- 
stroyed the  country.  IT  The  spoil  of 
the  poor.  The  plunder  of  the  poor  ; 
or  that  which  you  have  taken  from  the 
poor  by  exactions  and  oppressions. 
The  word  spoil  commonly  means  the 
plunder  or  booty  which  is  obtained  in 
war. 

15.  What  mean  ye.  What  is  your 
object?  Or,  What  advan  age  is  it  to 
you  I  Or,  By  what  right  or  pretence 
do  you  do  this  1  IT  Beat  my  people  to 
pieces.  That  is,  that  you  trample  on 
them ;  or  cruelly  oppress  them.  Ps. 
xciv.  5.  IT  And  grind  the  faces  of  the 
poor.  This  is  an  expression  also  de- 
noting great  oppression.     It  is    aken 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


113 


16  Moreover,  the  Lord  saith, 
Because  the   daughters  of  Zion 


from  the  act  of  grinding  a  substance 
on  a  stone  until  it  is  worn  away  and 
nothing  is  left.  So,  by  their  cruel  ex- 
actions, oy  their  injustice  to  the  poor, 
they  exhausted  their  little  property  un- 
til nothing  was  left.  The  word  faces 
here  is  synonymous  with  persons — or 
with  the  poor  themselves.  The  word 
face  is  often  used  in  the  sense  of  per- 
son. Ex.  xxxiii.  14.  2  Sam.xviii.  11. 
A  similar  description,  though  in  still 
stronger  language,  is  found  in  Micah 
iii.  2,  3 : 

Who  pluck  off  their  skin  from  off  them, 

And  their  flesh  from  oft'  their  bones  ; 

Who  also  eat  the  flesh  of  my  people, 

And  flay  their  skin  from  off  them  ; 

And  they  break  their  bones,  and  chop  them  in 

pieces, 
As  for  the  pot,  and  as  flesh  within  the  caldron. 

16.  Moreover,  the  Lord  saith.  In 
the  previous  parts  of  this  prophecy  the 
prophet  had  rebuked  the  princes,  ma- 
gistrates, and  the  people  generally.  In 
the  remainder  of  this  chapter  he  re- 
proves with  great  severity  the  pride, 
luxury,  and  effeminacy  of  the  female 
part  of  the  Jewish  community.  Some 
interpreters  have  understood  this  as 
designed  to  reprove  the  pride  and  lux- 
ury of  the  cities  and  towns  of  Judah, 
regarded  as  daughters  of  Zion.  See 
Note  ch.  i.  8.  But  this  interpretation 
is  far-fetched  and  absurd.  On  this 
principle  every  thing  in  the  Bible  might 
be  turned  into  allegory.  IT  The  daugh- 
ters of  Zion.  Jewish  females  ;  they 
who  dwelt  in  Zion.  Perhaps  he  means 
particularly  those  who  dwelt  in  Zion, 
the  capital — or  the  females  connected 
with  the  court.  It  is  probable  that  the 
prophet  here  refers  to  the  prosperous 
reign  of  Uzziah  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  5,  &c), 
when  by  successful  commerce  luxury 
would  naturally  abound.  IT  Are  haugh- 
ty. Are  proud.  IT  And  walk  with 
stretched-forth  necks.  Displaying  the 
neck  ostentatiously  ;  elevating  or  ex- 
tending it  as  far  as  possible  Septua- 
gint,  in//r)XcJ  rpa^rjXro,  with  elevated  or 
exalted  neck  ;  i.  e.  with  that  indication 
of   pride    and   haughtiness    which   is 


are  haughty,  and  walk  with 
stretched-forth  necks,  and  'wan. 

1  deceiving  vrith  their  eyes. 

evinced  by  a  lofty  demeanour.  "  When 
the  females  dance  [in  India],  they 
stretch  forth  their  necks,  and  hold  them 
away,  as  if  their  heads  were  about  to 
fall  from  their  shoulders."  Roberts. 
1T  And  wanton  eyes.  n^"'?  ri'i"ll?^,?!'. 
The  word  *i|?^  sh&qar,  usually  means 
to  lie,  to  deceive,  and  may  here  refer 
to  the  at  of  alluring  by  a  wanton  or 
fascinating  glance  of  the  eye.  There 
has  been  great  diversity  of  opinion 
about  the  meaning  of  this  expression. 
Lowth  proposes  to  read  it,  "  and  false- 
ly setting  off  their  eyes  with  paint" — 
in  allusion  to  a  custom  known  to  pre- 
vail at  the  East  of  colouring  the  eye- 
lids with  stibium,  or  the  powder  of 
lead  ore.  This  was  done  the  better  to 
exhibit  the  white  of  the  eye,  and  was 
supposed  by  many  to  contribute  to  the 
healthful  action  of  the  eye  itself.  This 
practice  is  known  to  prevail  exten- 
sively now  ;  but  it  is  not  clear  that  the 
prophet  here  has  reference  to  it.  The 
expression  is  usually  interpreted  to 
mean  "  deceiving  with  the  eyes,"  that 
is,  alluring  or  enticing  by  the  motion 
of  the  eyes.  The  motion  of  the  eyes 
is  mentioned  (Prov.  vi.  13, 14),  as  one 
mode  of  deceiving  a  person : 

He  winketh  with  his  eyes, 
He  speaketh  with  his  feet, 
He  teac.heth  with  his  fingers  j 
Frowardness  is  in  his  heart, 
He  deviseth  mischief  continually. 

Comp.  Notes  on  Job  xlii.  14.  The 
meaning  here,  doubtless,  is,  that  they 
attempted  to  entice  by  the  motion  or 
glance  of  the  eye.  The  Chaldee  seems 
to  have  understood  this  of  staining  the 
eyes  with  stibium.  1T  Mincing  as  they 
go.  Margin,  "  Tripping  nicely  ;"  that 
is,  walking  with  an  affected  gait — a 
mode  which,  unhappily,  is  too  well 
known  in  all  ages  to  need  a  more  par- 
ticular description.  Roberts,  speaking 
of  the  dance  in  India,  says:  "Some 
parts  of  the  dance  consist  of  a  tripping 
or  mincing  step,  which  they  call  tatte- 
tattee.  The  left  foot  is  put  first,  and 
the  inside  of  the  right  keeps  folic  wing 


114 


ISAIAH. 


[£.o.  766 


tun  eyes,  walking  and  2mincing 
as  they  go,  and  making  a  tink- 
ling with  their  feet. 

17  Therefore  the   Lord   will 
smite  with  a  scab  the   crown  of 

2  tripping  nicely. 


the  heel  of  the  former."  IT  And  mak- 
ing a  tinkling  with  their  feet.  That 
is,  they  adorn  themselves  with  ankle 
rings,  and  make  a  tinkling  or  noise 
with  them  to  attract  attention.  The 
custom  of  wearing  rings  on  the  fingers 
and  wrists  has  been  common  every 
where.  In  addition  to  this,  Oriental 
females  often  wore  them  on  the  ankles 
— a  custom  in  itself  not  more  unrea- 
sonable or  absurd.  The  custom  is 
mentioned  by  travellers  in  Eastern 
countries  in  more  modern  times  Thus 
Miehaelis  says :  "  In  Syria  and  the 
neighbouring  provinces,  the  more  opu- 
lent females  bind  ligaments  around 
their  feet,  like  chains,  or  bracelets, 
united  by  small  chains  of  silver  and 
gold,  and  exhibit  them  by  their  sound 
as  they  walk."  And  Pliny  (Nat.  Hist. 
Lib.  xxiii.  ch.  12)  says:  "Silver  has 
succeeded  to  gold  in  the  luxury  of  the 
females  who  form  bracelets  for  their 
feet  of  that,  since  an  ancient  custom 
forbids  them  to  wear  gold."  Frequent 
mention  is  made  of  these  ornaments, 
says  RosenmUller,  in  the  Arabic  and 
Persian  poems.  Roberts,  speaking  of 
the  ornaments  on  the  feet  of  females 
in  India,  says  :  "  The  first  is  a  large 
silver  curb  like  that  which  is  attached 
to  a  bridle  ;  the  second  is  of  the  same 
kind,  but  surrounded  by  a  great  num- 
ber of  small  bells  ;  the  third  resem- 
bles a  bracelet  ;  and  the  fourth  is 
a  convex  hoop,  about  two  inches 
deep." 

17.  Therefore  the  Lord  will  smite 
with  a  scab.  There  is  some  diversity 
of  rendering  to  this  expression.  The 
LXX  read  it,  "  The  Lord  will  humble 
the  principal  daughters  of  Zion" — 
inose  who  belong  to  the  court,  or  to 
the  families  of  the. princes.  The  Chal- 
dee,  "  The  Lord  will  prostrate  the 
glory  of  the  daughters  of  Zion."  The 
Svriac   is   the    same.      The    Hebrew 


the  head  of  the  daughters  of 
Zion,  and  the  Lord  will  disco- 
ver6 their  secret  parts. 

18  In  that  day  the  Lord  will 
take  away   the  bravery  of  their 

5  make  naked. 

word  riDu)  sippahh,  translated  "  will 
smite  with  a  scab,"  means  to  make 
lalil,  particularly  to  make  the  hair  fall 
off  by  sickness  Our  translation  ct  n- 
\'\s  the  idea  essentially,  that  is,  that 
God  would  visit  them  with  disease 
that  would  remove  the  hair  which  they 
regarded  as  so  great  an  ornament,  and 
on  which  they  so  much  prided  them- 
selves. Few  things  would  be  so  de- 
grading and  humiliating  as  being  thus 
made  bald  The  description  in  this 
verse  means,  that  God  would  humble, 
and  punish  them  ;  that  they  who  so 
adorned  themselves,  and  who  were  so 
proud  of  their  ornaments,  would  be 
divested  of  their  gay  attire,  and  be 
borne  naked  into  captivity  in  a  foreign 
land. 

18.  In  that  day.  That  is,  in  the  time 
when  he  would  inflict  this  exemplary 
punishment  on  them — probably  the 
calamitous  times  of  the  Babylonish 
captivity.  IT  The  Lord  icill  take  away. 
By  the  agents  that  he  shall  choose  to 
employ  in  this  work. — The  prophet 
proceeds  to  specify  the  various  orna- 
ments that  composed  the  female  ap- 
parel in  his  time.  It  is  not  easy  to 
describe  them  particularly,  nor  is  it 
necessary.  The  general  meaning  of 
the  passage  is  plain :  and  it  is  clear 
from  this,  that  they  greatly  abounded 
in  ornaments.  TT  The  bravery.  This 
word  we  apply  to  valour  or  courage. 
The  word  here  used,  however,  means 
ornament,  adorning,  or  glory.  IT  Of 
their  tinkling  ornaments.  This  is  the 
same  word  which  is  used  in  ver.  lfi, 
and  refers  to  the  chains  or  clasps  with 
which  they  ornamented  their  ket  and 
ankles,  and  which  made  a  lir.kling 
noise  as  they  wa'ted.  IT  And  the 
ranis.  Margin,  "  net  works."  The 
LXX  is  the  saint.  It  is  commonly 
supposed  to  mean  caps  of  net-work 
worp    on    the    head.      According    to 


B.C.  760. 


UIAPTER  III. 


115 


/< 


tinkling    ornaments   about    their 
eet,  and  their  8cauls,  and   their 
round  tires  like  the  moon,    . 

others,  the  word  refers  -to  small  .suns 
or  spangles  worn  on  the  hair,  answer- 
ing to  the  following  word  moons. 
"  The  caul  is  a  strap,  or  girdle,  about 
four  inches  long,  which  is  placed  on 
tho  top  of  the  head,  and  which  extends 
to  the  brow,  in  a  line  with  the  nose. 
The  one  I  have  examined  is  made  of 
gold,  tuul  has  many  joints  ;  it  contains 
forty-five  rubies,  and  nine  pearls,  which 
give  it  a  net-work  appearance  "  Rob- 
erts. IT  Their  round  tires  like  the. 
moon.  Heb.  moons.  This  refers  to 
small  ornaments  in  the  shape  of  cres- 
cents, or  half-moons,  commonly  worn 
on  the  neck.     They  were   also  some- 


19  The  7chains,  and  the  brace- 
lets, and  the  8mufflers, 

6  or,  net  works.  7  or,  sweet  hills. 

8  or,  spang-led  ornaments. 


times  worn  by  men,  and  even  by  cam- 
els. Judges  viii.  21,  (margin,)  26.  It 
is  probable  that  these  ornaments  might 
originally  have  had  some  reference  to 
the  moon  as  an  object  of  worship,  but 
it  does  not  appear  that  they  were  so 
worn  by  the  females  of  Judea. — They 
are  still  worn  by  the  females  of  Ara- 
bia. RosenmUller..  Roberts  says  of 
such  ornaments  in  India  :  "  The  cres- 
cent is  worn  by  Parvati  and  Siva,  from 
whom  proceed  the  Lingam,  and  the 
principal  impurities  of  the  system.  No 
dancing  girl  is  in  full  dress  without  her 
round  tires  like  the  moon."  This  or- 
nament is  still  found  in  the  form  which 


The  Chumarah. 


the  annexed  engraving  exhibits — under 
the  name  of  chumarah.  "  The  chu- 
marah, which  signifies  moon,  is  a 
splendid  ornament  worn  by  the  women 
of  western  Asia  in  front  of  their  head- 
dresses. It  is  usually  made  of  gold, 
set  with  precious  stones  and  pearls. 
They  are  sometimes  made  of  the  cres- 
cent form,  but  the  most  common  are 
such  as  the  engraving  represents.  They 
often  have  Arabic  characters  inscribed 
upon  them,  and  sometimes  a  sentence 
from  the  Koran  is  used  by  the  Mahom- 
etan women  of  Arabia  Felix." 

19.  The  chains.  Margin,  sireet 
halls.  The  word  used  here  is  derived 
from  the  verb  £p 3  natdph,  to  drop,  to 


fall  in  drops,  or  to  distil,  as  juice  from 
a  plant.  Hence  it  means  that  which 
resembles  drops — as  pearls,  or  precious 
stones,  used  as  ornaments  for  the  neck 
or  ears.  We  retain  a  similar  word  as 
applicable  to  the  ornaments  of  the  ear, 
by  calling  them  drops.  The  Chaldee 
renders  this  chains,  and  so  also  tho 
Vulgate.  The  LXX  understand  it  of 
a  hanging  or  pendant  ornament — and 
this  is  its  undoubted  meaning — an  or- 
nament pendant  like  gum  distilling 
from  a  plant.  "  These  consist,  first, 
of  one  most  beautifully  worked,  with  a 
pendant  ornament  for  the  neck  ;  there 
is  also  a  profusion  of  others  which  go 
round  the  same  part,  and  rest  on  th« 


116  ISAIAH.  [B.C.  760 

20  The  bonnets,  and  the  orna-     ments  of  the  legs,  and  the  head. 


bosom.  In  making  curious  chains,  the 
goldsmiths  of  England  do  not  surpass 
those  of  the  East."  Roberts.  IT  And 
the  bracelets.  For  the  wrists.  The 
Chaldee  translates  it  "  bracelets  for  the 
hands."  These  ornaments  were  very 
ancient.  See  Gen.  xxiv.  22.  Num.  xxi. 
50 — Mahomet  promises  to  those  who 
shall  follow  hiin,  gold  and  silver  brace- 
lets. "  The  bracelets  are  large  orna- 
ments for  the  wrists,  in  which  are 
sometimes  inclosed  small  bells."  Rob- 
erts. 11  Mufflers.  Margin,  spangled 
ornaments.  The  word  used  here  is 
derived  from  a  verb,  to  tremble,  to 
shake — ??^  rd'dl — and  the  name  is 
given  to  the  ornament,  whatever  it 
was,  probably  from  its  tremulous  mo- 
tion Perhaps  it  means  a  light,  thin 
veil,  or  possibly,  as  in  the  margin, 
spangled  ornaments,  producing  a  trem- 
ulous, changing  aspect.  In  Zech.  xii. 
2,  the  word  is  used  to  denote  "  trem- 
bling"— giddiness,  or  intoxication.  It 
was  early  customary,  and  is  still 
common  in  Oriental  countries,  for  the 
females  to  wear  veils.  No  female 
ventures  abroad  without  her  veil. — 
That  which  is  supposed  to  be  in- 
tended here,  is  described  by  the  Ara- 
bian scholiast  Safieri,  quoted  by  Gese- 
nius.  It  is  drawn  tight  over  the  upper 
part  of  the  head,  but  the  part  around 
the  eyes  is  open,  and  a  space  left  to 
Bee  through,  and  the  lower  part  is  left 
loose  and  flowing,  and  thus  produces 
the  tremulous  appearance  indicated  in 

I 


this  place.     See  the   Notes  and   illus- 
trations on  ver.  24. 

20.  The  bonnets.  The  tiara,  head- 
dress, or  turban.  The  word  comes 
from  the  verb  to  adorn.  The  turban 
is  almost  universally  worn  in  the  Eas* 
It  was  worn  by  the  priests,  Ex.  xxxix. 
28  ;  by  the  bridegroom,  Isa.  lxi.  10. 
Ezek.  xxiv.  17  ;  and  by  women.  Its 
form  is  well  known.  IT  And  the  orna- 
ments for  the  legs.  The  word  used 
here  is  derived  from  a  verb  signifying 
to  walk,  to  go,  particularly  to  walk  in 
a  stately  and  formal  foamier — with  a 
measured  step,  nnSSJil  ,  from  "^?2£  ; 
and  thus  refers  to  a  proud  and  lofty 
gait.  The  ornament  which  is  here 
referred  to  is  supposed  to  have  been  a 
short  chain  extending  from  one  foot  to 
the  other,  worn  by  the  Eastern  women 
to  give  them  a  measured  and  stately 
gait.  Gesenius.  This  chain  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  attached  by  hooks 
or  clasps  to  the  "  tinkling  ornaments" 
mentioned  in  ver.  16.  Safieri  mentions 
these  ornaments,  and  thus  describes 
them :  "  The  word  denotes  a  small 
chain,  with  which  females  when  they 
walk  connect  their  feet,  in  order  to 
make  their  steps  equal."  Happily 
these  ornaments  are  unknown  in  mod- 
ern times,  at  least  in  Western  coun- 
tries. They  are  still  retained  in  the 
East.  IT  And  the  head-bands.  This 
word  means  girdles  of  any  kind,  st;ll 
commonly  worn  on  the  head.  T^i 
following  cut  will  illustrate  one  of  'h». 


Head-Band. 


usual  forms  of  the  head-band.  IT  And 
the  tablets.  The  Hebrew  is,  as  in  the 
margin, "  the  houses  of  the  soul"  The 
word  translated  soul  means  also  the 
Weath—  and  hence  as  one  of  its  mean- 


ings, that  which  is  breathed,  or  whicU 
is  smelled  ;  scent,  fragrancy,  odour. 
Tbe  word  houses  lure  may  denote  also 
boxes — as  boxes  of  perfumes.  The 
phrase  here  means,  undoubtedly,  smell- 


B.C.760.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


117 


bands,  and  the   tablets,1   and  the 
ear-rings, 


ing  boxes  or  bottles  containing  per- 
fumes or  fragrant  odours.  The  word 
tablets  has  no  meaning  here.  IT  And 
the  ear-rings.  It  is  by  no  means  cer- 
tain that  the  original  means  ear-rings. 
The  word  S^Unb  is  derived  from  the 
verb  !^ri;3  signifying  to  whisper,  and 
then  to  conjure,  to  charm  (see  Note 
on  ver.  3) — and  here  probably  denotes 
precious  stones  worn  by  the  females  as 
amulets  or  charms.  The  word  is  often 
used  to  denote  charming  serpents — 
from  their  hissing — and  it  has  been 
supposed  probable  that  these  amulets 
were  small  images  of  serpents.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  such  ornaments  were 
worn  by  Oriental  females.  "  These 
ornaments  seem  to  have  been  amulets, 
often  gems  and  precious  stones,  or 
plates  of  gold  and  silver  on  which  cer- 
tain magic  formulas  were  inscribed, 
which  were  worn  suspended  from  the 
neck  or  ears  by  Oriental  females." 
Gesenius.  The  following  extract  will 
furnish  an  explanation  of  these  orna- 
ments :  "  Besides  ornamental  rings  in 
the  nose  and  the  ears,  they  [Oriental 
females]  wore  others  round  the  legs, 
which  made  a  tinkling  as  they  went. 
This  custom  has  also  descended  to  the 
present  times,  for  Rauwolf  met  with  a 
number  of  Arabian  women  on  the  Eu- 
phrates, whose  ankles  and  wrists  were 
adorned  with  rings,  sometimes  a  good 
many  together,  which,  moving  up  and 
down  as  they  walked,  made  a  great 
noise.  Chardin  attests  the  existence 
of  the  same  custom  in  Persia,  in  Ara- 
bia, and  in  very  hot  countries,  where 
they  commonly  go  without  stockings, 
but  ascribes  the  tinkling  sound  to  little 
bells  fastened  to  those  rings.  In  the 
East  Indies,  golden  bells  adorned  the 
feet  and  ankles  of  the  ladies  from  the 
earliest  times  ;  they  placed  them  in  the 
flowing  tresses  of  their  hair  ;  they  sus- 
pended them  round  their  necks,  and  to 
the  golden  rings  which  they  wore  on 
their  fingers,  to  announce  their  superior 
rank,  and  extort  the  homage  which 
they  had  a  right  to  expect  from  the 


21  The  rings,  and  nose-jewels. 

1  houses  of  the  soul. 

lower  orders  ;  and  from  the  banks  of 
the  Indus,  it  is  probable  the  custom 
was  introduced  into  the  other  countries 
of  Asia.  The  Arabian  females  in 
Palestine  and  Syria  delight  in  the 
same  ornaments,  and,  according  to  the 
statements  of  Dr.  Clarke,  seem  to 
claim  the  honour  of  leading  the  fashion. 
"  Their  bodies  are  covered  with  a  long 
blue  tunic  ;  upon  their  heads  they  wear 
two  handkerchiefs,  one  as  a  hood,  and 
the  other  bound  over  it,  as  a  fillet 
across  the  temples.  Just  above  the 
right  nostril,  they  place  a  small  button, 
sometimes  studded  with  pearl,  a  piece 
of  glass,  or  any  other  glittering  sub- 
stance ;  this  is  fastened  by  a  plug, 
thrust  through  the  cartilage  of  the  nose. 
Sometimes  they  have  the  cartilaginous 
separation  between  the  nostrils  bored 
for  a  ring,  as  large  as  those  ordinarily 
used  in  Europe  for  hanging  curtains  ; 
and  this  pendant  in  the  upper  lip  covers 
the  mouth  ;  so  that,  in  order  to  eat,  it 
is  necessary  to  raise  it.  Their  faces, 
hands  and  arms  are  tatooed,  and  cov- 
ered with  hideous  scars ;  their  eye- 
lashes and  eyes  being  always  painted, 
or  rather  dirtied,  with  some  dingy 
black  or  blue  powder.  Their  lips  are 
dyed  of  a  deep  and  dusky  blue,  as  if 
they  had  been  eating  blackberries. 
Their  teeth  are  jet  black  ;  their  nails 
and  fingers  brick  red  ;  their  wrists,  as 
well  as  their  ankles,  are  laden  with 
large  metal  cinctures,  studded  with 
sharp  pyramidical  knobs  and  bits  of 
glass.  Very  ponderous  rings  are  also 
placed  in  their  ears."     Faxton. 

21.  The  rings.  Usually  worn  on 
the  fingers.  IT  And  nose-jewels.  The 
custom  of  wearing  jewels  in  the  7iose 
has  generally  prevailed  in  savage 
tribes,  and  was  common,  and  is  still, 
in  Eastern  nations — among  the  Arabi- 
ans, Persians,  &c.  Sir  John  Chardin 
says:  "  It  is  the  custom  in  almost  all  the 
East  for  the  women  to  wear  rings  in 
their  noses,  in  the  left  nostril,  which  is 
bored  low  down  in  the  middle.  These 
rings  are  of  gold,  and  have  commonly 


118 


ISAIAH. 


[J5.C.760. 


22  The  changeable  suits  of 
apparel,  and  the  mantles,  and  the 
wimples,  and  the  crisping-pins, 

iwo  pearls  and  one  ruby  between, 
placed  in  the  ring.  I  never  saw  a 
girl  or  young  woman  in  Arabia,  or  in 
all  Persia,  who  did  not  wear  a  ring  in 


23  The  glasses,  and  thb  fine 
linen,  and  the  hoods,  and  the 
veils. 

this  manner  in  her  nostrils."  Har- 
mer's  Obs.,  iv.  p.  318.  The  annexed 
cut  will  illustrate  the  usual  form  of  this 
ornament  in  the  East. 


The  Khizam,  ok  Nose-Jewel  of  Modern  Egypt. 


22.  The  articles  which  are  mentioned 
In  the  remaining  part  of  this  descrip- 
tion, are  entire  articles  of  apparel — 
those  which  had  preceded  were  chiefly 
single  ornaments.  H  The  changeable 
suits  of  apparel.  The  word  which  is 
used  here  in  the  original  comes  from  a 
verb  signifying  to  pull  off- — as  a  shoe  ; 
to  unclothe  one's  self;  and  it  here  de- 
notes the  more  costly  or  valuable  gar- 
ments, which  are  not  worn  on  common 
occasions,  and  which  are  laid  aside  in 
ordinary  employments.  This  does  not 
refer  to  any  particular  article  of  dress, 
but  to  splendid  and  costly  articles  in 
general  "  The  Eastern  ladies  take 
great  pride  in  having  many  changes  of 
apparel,  because  their  fashions  never 
alter.  Thus  the  net  brocades  worn  by 
their  grandmothers  are  equally  fashion- 
able for  themselves."  Roberts.  IT  And 
the  mantles.  From  the  verb  to  cover, 
or  to  clothe.  The  word  mantle  does 
not  quite  express  the  force  of  the  ori- 
ginal. It  means  the  fuller  tunic  which 
was  worn  over  the  common  one,  with 
sleeves,  and  which  reached  down  to  the 
feet.  "  A  loose  iobe,"  says  Roberts, 
"  which  is  gracefully  crossed  on  the 
bosom."  IT  And  the  wimples.  Our 
word  wimple  means  a  hood,  or  veil,  bat 
this  is  not  the  meaning  of  the  Hebrew 


word  in  this  place.  It  means  a  wide, 
broad  garment,  which  could  be  thrown 
over  the  whole — and  in  which  the  in- 
dividual usually  slept.  "  Probably  the 
fine  muslin  which  is  sometimes  thrown 
over  the.  head  and  body."  Roberts. 
IT  And  the  crisping-pins.  This  phrase 
with  us  would  denote  curling-irons. 
But  the  Hebrew  here  denotes  a  very 
different  article.  It  means  nioifey-bags, 
or  purses.  These  were  often  made 
very  large,  and  were  highly  ornament- 
ed. Comp.  2  Kings  v.  23.  Frequently 
they  were  attached  to  the  girdle. 

23.  The  glasses.  There  is  a  great 
variety  of  opinion  about  the  expression 
used  here.  That  the  ancient  Jews 
had  looking-glasses  or  mirrors,  is  mani- 
fest from  the  account  in  Ex.  xxxviii.  8. 
These  mirrors  were  made  of  polished 
plates  of  brass.  The  Vulgate  and 
Chaldee  understand  this  of  mirrors 
The  LXX  understand  by  it  a  thin, 
transparent  covering  like  gauze — per- 
haps like  silk.  The  word  is  derived  from 
the  verb  to  reveal,  to  make  apparent, 
&c,  and  applies  either  to  mirrors  or  to 
a  splendid,  shining  garment.  It  is  pro- 
bable that  their  excessive  vanity  was 
evinced  by  carrying  small  mirrors  in 
their  hands — that  they  might  examine 
and  adjust  their  dress  as  might  be  ne 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


119 


24  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
that  instead  of  sweet  smell,  there 

cessary.  This  is  now  done  by  females 
of  Eastern  nations.  Shaw  informs  us 
that,  "  In  the  Levant  looking-glasses 
are  a  part  of  female  dress.  The  Moor- 
ish women  in  Barbary  are  so  fond  of 
their  ornaments,  and  particularly  of 
their  looking-glasses,  which  they  hang 
upon  their  breasts,  that  they  will  not 
lay  them  aside,  even  when,  after  the 
drudgery  of  the  day,  they  are  obliged 
to  go  two  or  three  miles  with  a  pitcher 
or  a  goat-skin  to  fetch  water."  Bur- 
der.  In  Egypt,  the  mirror  was  made 
of  mixed  metal,  chiefly  of  copper,  and 
this  metal  was  so,  highly  polished  that 
in  some  of  the  mirrors  discovered  at 
Thebes  the  lustre  has  been  partially 
restored,  though  they  have  been  buried 
in  the  earth  for  many  centuries.  The 
mirror  was  nearly  round,  inserted  in  a 
handle  of  wood,  stone,  or  metal,  whose 
form  varied  according  to  the  taste  of 
the  owner.  The  cuts  on  the  following 
page  will  give  an  idea  of  the  ancient 
form  of  the  mirror,  and  will  show  that 
they  might  be  easily  carried  abroad  as 
an  ornament  in  public.  Comp.  Wilkin- 
son's Manners  and  Customs  of  the  An- 
cient Egyptians,  vol.  iii.  p.  384-386. 
1T  And  the  fine  linen.  Anciently  the 
most  delicate  and  fine  garments  were 
made  from  linen  which  was  obtained 
chiefly  from  Egypt.  See  Note  Luke  xvi. 
19.  IT  And  the  hoods.  Or,  turbans. 
TT  And  the  veils.  This  does  not  differ 
probably  from  the  veils  worn  now,  ex- 
cept that  those  worn  by  Eastern  females 
are  large  and  made  so  as  to  cover  the 
head  and  the  shoulders — so  that  they 
may  be  drawn  closely  round  the  body, 
and  effectually  conceal  the  person. 
Comp.  Gen.  xxiv.  65. 

24.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass.  The 
prophet  proceeds  to  denounce  the  judg- 
ment or  punishment  that  would  come 
upon  them  for  their  pride  and  vanity. 
In  the  calamities  that  would  befall  the 
nation,  all  their  ornaments  of  pride 
»nd  vainglory  would  be  stripped  off; 
and  instead  of  them  they  would  exhi- 
bit the  marks,  and  wear  the  badges  of 


shall  be  stink  ; 
girdle,   a  rent 


and  instead  of  a 
and   instead   of 


calamity  and  grief.  IT  Instead  of  sweet 
smell.  Hebrew  DttJ3  bosem,  aroma- 
tics,  perfumes,  spicy  fragrance  ;  such 
as  they  used  on  their  garments  and 
persons.  "  No  one  ever  enters  a  com- 
pany without  being  well  perfumed,  and 
in  addition  to  various  scents  and  oils, 
they  are  adorned  with  numerous  gar- 
lands, made  of  the  most  odoriferous 
flowers."  Roberts.  "  The  persons  of 
the  Assyrian  ladies  are  elegantly  cloth- 
ed and  scented  with  the  richest  oils 
and  perfumes.  When  a  queen  was  to 
be  chosen  to  the  king  of  Persia,  in- 
stead of  Vashti,  the  virgins  collected 
at  Susana,  the  capital,  underwent  a 
purification  of  twelve  months  duration, 
to  wit :  '  six  months  with  oil  of  myrrh, 
and  six  months  with  sweet  odours.' 
The  general  use  of  such  precious  oil 
and  fragrant  perfumes  among  the  an- 
cient Romans,  particularly  among  the 
ladies  of  rank  and  fashion,  may  be  in- 
ferred from  these  words  of  Virgil : 

Ambrosiaeque  comae  divinura  vertice  otlorem 
Spiravere  :—  At n.  i.  403. 

'  From  her  head  the  ambrosial  locks 
breathed  divine  fragrance.'"  Paxton. 
If  A  slink.  This  word  properly  means 
the  fetor,  or  offensive  smell  which  at- 
tends the  decomposition  of  a  deceas- 
ed body.  It  means  that  the  bodies 
which  they  so  carefully  adorned,  and 
which  they  so  assiduously  endeavoured 
to  preserve  in  beauty  by  unguents  and 
perfumes,  would  die  <md  turn  to  cor- 
ruption. 1T  And  instead  of  a  girdle. 
Girdles  were  an  indispensable  part  of 
an  Oriental  dress.  Their  garments 
were  loose  and  flowing,  and  it  became 
necessary  to  gird  them  up  when  they 
ran,  or  danced,  or  laboured.  IT  A  rent. 
There  has  been  a  great  variety  of  opi- 
nion about  the  meaning  of  this  word. 
The  most  probable  signification  is  that 
which  is  derived  from  a  verb  meaning 
to  go  around,  encompass,  and  hence 
that  it  denotes  a  cord.  Instead  of  the 
beautiful  girdle  with  which  they  girded 
themselves,  there  shall  be  a  cord — an 
emblem  of  poverty,  as  the  poor  had 


120 


ISAIAH. 


[B  C  760. 


Metal  Mirrors. 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


12i 


well-set  hair,  baldness  }*  and  in- 
stead of  a  stomacher,  a  girding 

x  Micah  1.  16. 

nothing  else  with  which  to  gird  up 
their  clothes — a  humiliating  descrip- 
tion of  the  calamities  which  were  to 
come  upon  proud  and  vain  females  of 
the  court.  1i  And  instead  of  well-set 
hair.  Hair  that  was  curiously  braided 
Lnd  adorned.  "  No  ladies  pay  more 
attention  to  the  dressing  of  the  hair 
I  inn  these  [the  dancing  girls  of  India]  ; 
1  >r  as  they  never  wir  :aps,  they  take 
f,reat  delight  in  fnis  their  natural  orna- 
ment." Huberts.  Miss  Pardoe,  in  "  the 
city  of  the  Sultan,"  says,  that  after 
taking  a  bath  the  slaves  who  attended 
her  spent  an  hour  and  a  half  in  dress- 
ing and  adorning  her  hair.  Comp. 
1  l'et  iii.  3.  ^  Instead  of  a  stomacher. 
It  is  not  certainly  known  what  is  meant 
by  this,  but  it  probably  means  some 
»ort  of  girdle,  or  a  plaited,  or  stiffened 
ornament  worn  on  the  breast.  "  I  once 
saw  a  dress   beautifully    plaited    and 


of  sackcloth  :    and 
stead  of  beauty. 


burning   in 


stiffened  for  the  front,  but  I  do  not 
think  it  common."  Roberts.  T  A  gird- 
ing of  sackcloth.  This  is  a  coarse 
cloth  that  was  commonly  worn  in 
times  of  affliction,  as  emblematic  of 
grief.  2  Sam.  iii.  31.  1  Kings  xx.  31. 
xxi.  27.  Job  xvi.  15.  Isa.  xxxii.  11. 
It  And  burning.  The  word  here  used 
does  not  occur  elsewhere.  It  seems 
to  denote  a  brand,  a  mark  burnt  in,  a 
stigma  ;  perhaps  a  sun-burnt  counte- 
nance, indicating  exposure  in  the  long 
and  wearisome  journey  of  a  captivity 
over  burning  sands  and  beneath  a 
scorching  sun.  If  Instead  of  beauty. 
Instead  of  a  fair  and  delicate  complex- 
ion, cherished  and  nourished  with  care. 
Some  of  the  articles  of  dress  here  re- 
ferred to  may  be  illustrated  by  the  fol- 
lowing cuts  exhibiting  several  varieties 
of  the  costume  of  an  Oriental  female. 


WW! 

•  % 

b 


Sttfa  Atirt  Turban. 


122 


ISAIAH. 


[JB.C.760 


.  " 


B.C.luO.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


123 


25  Thy  men  shall  fall  by  the  ment  and  mourn  ;  and  she.  being 
sword,  and  thy  4mighty  in  the  ,  'desolate,  shall  sit  upon  *the 
war.  j  ground. 

26  And     *her     gates    shall    la-  ,  4  might,    z  Lam.  1.4.     7  cleansed,  or  emptied. 

°  b  Lam.  2.  !0. 


To  what  particular  time  the  prophet 
refers  in  this  chapter  is  not  known, 
perhaps,  however,  to  the  captivity  at 
Babylon.  To  whatever  he  refers, 
it  is  one  of  the  most  striking  re- 
proofs of  vanity  and  pride — especially 
the  pride  of  female  ornament,  any 
where  to  be  found.  And  although 
he  had  particular  reference  to  the 
Jewish  females,  yet  there  is  no  im- 
propriety in  regarding  it  as  applica- 
ble to  all  such  ornaments  wherever 
they  may  be  found.  They  indicate 
the  same  state  of  the  heart,  and  they 
must  meet  substantially  the  same  re- 
buke from  God.  The  body,  however 
delicately  pampered  and  adorned,  must 
become  the  prey  of  corruption.  "  The 
worm  shall  feed  sweetly  on  it,  and  the 
earth-worm  shall  be  its  covering." 
Comp.  Isa.  xiv  2.  Job  xxiv.  20.  The 
single  thought  that  the  body  must  die 
— that  it  must  lie  and  moulder  in  the 
grave — shouM  check  the  love  of  gay 
adorning,  and  turn  the  mind  to  a  far 
more  important  matter,  the  salvation 
of  the  soul  which  cannot  die  ;  to  "  the 
ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit, 
which  is  in  the  sight  of  God  of  great 
price."   1  Pet.  iii.  4.* 

*  On  this  portion  of  Isaiah  (iii.  16—24),  the  fol- 
lowing works  may  be  consulted  N  G.  Schroe- 
deri  eomm.  Philo.  Cnt.  de  vestitu  mnlierum  He- 
nraeorum,  1715  4to.  Disserta  Philolo.  Polyrarpi 
Lyceri.  ad  Esa.  iii.  16— IS  illnstrandum,  in  The- 
3<ui.  Antiq  Usolini.  Tom.  XXIX.  pp  43S— 4.52; 
llso  Bynaeus.  de  Calceis  Hebrtu>,.  ch.  viii.  The- 
S*u.  Antiq.  Saer.,  Tom.  XXIX.  p-  756  seq. 


25.  Thy  men.  This  is  an  address 
to  Jerusalem  itself — by  a  change  not 
uncommon  in  the  writings  of  Isaiah. 
In  the  calamities  coming  on  them, 
their  strong  men  should  be  overcome, 
and  fall  in  battle. 

2G.  And  her  gates.  Cities  were 
surrounded  with  walls,  and  were  en- 
tered through  gates  opening  into  the 
principal  streets.  Those  gates  became 
of  course  the  places  of  chief  confluence 
and  of  business  ;  and  the  expression 
here  means  that  in  all  the  places  of 
confluence,  or  amidst  the  assembled 
people,  there  should  be  lamentation  on 
account  of  the  slain  in  battle  and  the 
loss  of  their  mighty  men  in  war.  IT  And 
she.  Jerusalem  is  often  represented 
as  a  female  distinguished  for  beauty. 
It  is  here  represented  as  a  female  sit- 
ting in  a  posture  of  grief.  IT  Being 
desolate  shall  sit  upon  the  ground. 
To  sit  on  the  ground,  or  in  the  dust, 
was  the  usual  posture  of  grief  and 
mourning — denoting  great  depression 
and  humiliation.  Lam.  ii.  H),  iii.  28. 
Jer  xv.  17  Job  iii.  13.  Ezra  ix.  3-5. 
It  is  a  remarkable  coincidence  that  in 
the  medals  which  were  made  by  the 
Romans  to  commemorate  the  captivity 
of  Judea  and  Jerusalem,  Judea  is  re- 
presented under  the  figure  of  a  female 
sitting  in  a  posture  of  grief  under  a 
palm  tree,  with  this  inscription : — Judea 
cdpta — in  the  form  which  is  exhibitt'4 
in  the  annexed  engraving. 


"•ta.llMUIIIui-'"' 


124 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


The  passage  here  however  refers  not  to 
the  captivity  by  the  Romans,  but  to 
the  first  destruction  by  Nebuchadnez- 
zar. It  is  a  tender  and  most  affecting 
image  of  desolation.     During  the  cap- 


tivity at  Babylon  it  was  completely 
fulfilled  ;  and  for  ages  since  Judea 
might  be  appropriately  represented  by 
a  captive  female  sitting  pensively  on 
the  ground. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


[For  an  analysis  of  this  chapter,  see  eh.  ri.J 


1  And  in  that  clay  seven  wo- 
men shall  take  hold  of  one  man, 
saying,  We  will  eat  our  own 
bread,  and  wear  our  own   appa- 

1  thy  name  be  called,  upon  us. 

1.  In  that  day.  The  time  of  cala- 
mity referred  to  in  the  close  of  the 
previous  chapter.  This  is  a  continua- 
tion of  that  prophecy,  and  there  was 
no  reason  why  these  six  verses  should 
have  been  made  a  separate  chapter. 
That  the  passage  refers  to  the  Messiah 
is  apparent  from  what  has  been  stated 
in  the  Notes  on  the  commencement  of 
the  prophecy  (ch.  ii.  1-4),  and  from 
the  expressions  which  occur  in  the 
chapter  itself.  See  Notes  on  ver.  2,  5, 
6.  IT  Seven  women.  The  number  seven 
is  used  often  to  denote  a  large  though 
indefinite  number.  Lev.  xxvi.  28. 
Prov.  xxiv.  16.  Zech.  iii.  9.  It  means 
that  so  great  should  be  the  calamity, 
bo  many  men  would  fall  in  battle,  that 
many  women  would,  contrary  to  their 
natural  modesty,  become  suitors  to  a 
Bingle  man  to  obtain  him  as  a  husband 
and  protector.  T  Shall  take  hold. 
Shall  apply  to.  The  expression,  "  shall 
take  hold,"  denotes  the  earnestness  of 
their  application.  1T  We  will  eat  ovr 
own  bread,  &c.  We  do  not  ask  this 
in  order  to  be  maintained.  We  will 
forego  that  which  the  law  (Ex.  xxi.  10) 
enjoins  as  the  duty  of  the  husband  in 
case  he  has  more  than  one  wife.  If  On- 
ly let  us  be  called  by  thy  name.     Let 


rel  ;  only  let  'us  be  called  by 
thy  name,  to  2take  away  our  re- 
proach. 

2  In  that  day  shall  the  branch* 


2  or,  take  thou  away. 
12,  13. 


6Jer.  23.  5,  6.  Zee*. 


us   be    regarded    as    thy   wives.     The 

wife  then,  as  now,  assumed   the   name 

of  the  husband.    A  remarkably  similar 

expression  occurs  in  Lucan  (B.  ii.  342). 

Marcia  there  presents  a  similar  request 

to  Cato  : 

Da  tantum  nomen  inane 

Connuliii;  lictat  tumulo  scripsisse,  Catonis 

Marcia. 

"  Indulge  me  only  with  the  empty  title 
of  wife.  Let  there  only  be  inscribed 
on  my  tomb, '  Marcia,  wife  of  Cato.' " 
V  To  take  away  my  reproach.  The 
reproach  of  being  unmarried.  Comp. 
Gen.  xxx.  23.  1  Sam.  i.  6. 

2.  The  branch  of  the  Lord.  rr:S 
i~lii"P  .  The  sprout  of  Jehovah  This 
expression,  and  this  verse,  have  had  a 
great  variety  of  interpretation.  The 
LXX  read  it,  "  In  that  day  God  shall 
shine  in  counsel  with  glory  upon  the 
earth,  to  exalt,  and  to  glorify  the  rem. 
riant  of  Israel."  The  Chaldee  renders 
it,  "  In  that  day,  the  Messiah  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  for  joy  and  glory,  and  the 
doers  of  the  law  for  praise  and  honour 
to  those  of  Israel  who  are  delivered." 
It  is  clear  that  the  passage  is  designed 
to  denote  some  signal  blessing  that 
was  to  succeed  the  calamity  pre- 
dicted  in    the    previous  verses.     The 


B.  C.760.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


125 


of  the  Lord  be  *  beautiful  and  glo- 
rious, and  the  fruit  of  the  earth 

4  b<  auty  and  glory. 

Dnly  question  is,  to  what  has  the  pro- 
phet reference  \     The  word  "  branch" 
^maX)  is  derived  from  the  verb  (n"?^ 
izaniahh)  signifying  to  sprout,  to  spring 
vp,  spoken  of  plants.     Hence  the  word 
branch  means  properly  that  which  shoots 
up,  or  sprouts  from  the  root  of  a  tree, 
or  from  a  decayed  tree.     Conip.    Job 
xiv.  7,  8,  9.     The  Messiah  is  thus  said 
to  be  "  a  root  of  Jesse,"  Rom.  xi.  12. 
Comp.   Note  Isa.  xi.   1,   10,  and  "  the 
root  and  offspring  of  David,"  Rev.  xxii. 
16,  as  being  a  descendant  of  Jesse  ;  i. 
e.  as  if  Jesse  should  fall  like  an  aged 
tree,  yet  the  root  would  sprout  up  and 
live.     The  word  "  branch"  occurs  se- 
veral times  in  the  Old  Testament,  and 
in  most,  if  not  all,  with  express  refer- 
ence  to   the   Messiah.     Jer.   xxiii.    5 : 
"  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord, 
that  I  will  raise  unto  David  a  righteous 
branch,  and  a  king  shall  reign."     Jer. 
xxxiii.  15  :  "  In  those  days,  and  at  that 
time,  will  I  cause  the  branch  of  right- 
eousness to  grow  up  unto  David."  Zech. 
iii.  8,  vi.  12.     In  all  these  places  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  there  is  reference 
to    him  who   was   to  spring   up  from 
David  as  a  sprout  does  from  a  decayed 
and  fallen  tree,  and  who  is  therefore 
called    a    root,  a    branch  of  the  royal 
stock.     There   is,    besides,  a  peculiar 
beauty  in  the  figure.     The  family  of 
David,  when  the  Messiah  was  to  come, 
would  be  fallen  into  decay  and  almost 
extinct;     Joseph,  the  husband  of  Mary, 
though  of  the    royal   family   of   David 
(Matt,  i   20.  Luke  ii  4),  was  poor,  and 
the  family  had    lost  all  claims  to  the 
throne.      In  this  state,  as  from  the  de- 
cayed root  of  a  fallen  tree,  a  sprout  or 
branch   was   to  come  forth  with  more 
than  the  magnificence  of  David,  and 
succeed  him  on  the  throne.     The  name 
"  branch,"   therefore,  came  to  be  signi- 
ficant of  the  Messiah,  and  to  be  synony- 
mous with   "  the  son  of  David."     It  is 
so  used,  doubtless,  in  this  place,  as  de- 
noting that  the  coming  of  the  Messiah 
would  be  a  joy  and  honour  in  the  days 
of  calamity  to  thr  Tews.     Interpreters 


shall  be  excellent  and  comely  foi 
5them  that  are  escaped  of  Israel. 

5  the  escaping  of  Israel. 

have  not  been  agreed,  however,  in  the 
meaning  of  this  passage.    Grotius  sup- 
posed that  it  referred  to  Ezra  or  Nehe- 
miah,    but  "  mystically   to  Christ  and 
Christians.''      Vogellius  understood  it 
of  the  remnant  that  should  return  from 
the   Babylonish  captivity.       Michaelis 
supposed  that  it  refers  to  the  Jews  who 
should  be  a  reformed  people  after  their 
captivity,  and   who  should   spring  up 
with    a   new  spirit.     Others  have   re- 
garded it  as  a  poetic  description  of  the 
extraordinary  fertility  of  the  earth  in  fu- 
ture times.     The  reasons  for  referring 
it  to  the  Messiah  are  plain.     (1.)   The 
word  has  this  reference  in  other  places, 
and  the  representation  of  the   Messiah 
under  the  image  of  a  branch  or  shoot, 
is,  as  we   have   seen,  common  in   the 
Scriptures.     Thus,  also,  in  ch.  liii.  2, 
he  is  called  also  ^~}P  shoresh,  root,  and 
p31n  ydneq,  a   tender  plant,  a  sucker, 
sprout,  shoot,  as  of   a    decayed    iree. 
Comp.    Job   viii.   16,    xiv.  7,  xv.   30. 
Ezek.  xvii.  22      And  in  reference  to 
the  same  idea,  perhaps,  it  is  said,  Isa. 
liii.  8,  that  he  was  "n}3  nighzdr,  cut 
off— as  a  branch,  sucker,  or  shoot  is  cut 
off  by  the  vine-dresser  or  farmer  from 
the  root  of  a  decayed  tree.     And  thus 
in  Rev.  v.  5,  he  is  called  pi(a  Aup\<5 — 
the  root  of  David.     (2.)    This  interpre- 
tation accords  best  with  the  magnifi- 
cence of  the  description,  vs.  5,  6  ;  and 
(3)  it  was  so  understood  by  the  Chaldee 
interpreter,  and   doubtless  by  the  an- 
cient Jews.     IT  Shall  be  beautiful  and 
glorious.     Heb.  "  Shall  be  beauty  and 
glory  ;"  that  is,  shall  be  the  chief  orna- 
ment or  honour  of  the  land  ;  shall  be 
that  which  gives  to  the  nation  its  chief 
distinction  and  glory.     In  such  times 
of  calamity  his  coming  shall  be  an  ob- 
ject of  desire,  and  his  approach  shall 
shed  a  rich  splendour  on  that  period 
of  the  world.      If  And  the  fruit  of  the 
earth   ^"^'"J   "'"JB    correctly    rendered 
fruit  of  the  earth,  or  of  the  land.    The 
word  "  earth"  is  often  in  the  Scriptures 
used  to  denote  the  land  of  Judea,  and 


126 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. 160 


3  And  it   shall  come  to  pass, 
that  he  that  is  left  in  Zion,  and 

perhaps  the  article  here  is  intended  to 
denote  that  that  land  is  particularly  in- 
tended. This  is  the  parallel  expression 
to  the  former  part  of  the  verse,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  laws  of  Hebrew 
poetry,  by  which  one  member  of  a  sen- 
tence expresses  substantially  the  same 
meaning  as  the  former.  See  Introduc- 
tion §  8.  If  the  former  expression  re- 
ferred to  the  Messiah,  this  does  also. 
The  "  fiuitof  the  earth"  is  that  which 
the  earth  produces,  and  is  here  not  dif- 
ferent in  signification  from  the  branch 
which  springs  out  of  the  ground.  Vi- 
tringa  supposes  that  by  this  phrase  the 
Messiah,  according  to  his  human 
nature,  is  meant.  So  Hengstenherg 
(Christol.  in  loc  )  understands  it ;  and 
supposes  that  as  the  phrase  "  branch 
of  Jehovah"  refers  to  his  divine  origin 
as  proceeding  from  Jehovah,  so  this  re- 
fers to  his  human  origin  as  proceeding 
from  the  earth.  But  the  objections  to 
this  are  obvious.  (1.)  The  second 
phrase,  according  to  the  laws  of  He- 
brew parallelism,  is  most  naturally  an 
echo  or  repetition  of  the  sentiment  in 
the  first  member,  and  means  sub- 
stantially the  same  thing.  (2.)  The 
phrase  "  branch  of  Jehovah"  does  not 
refer  of  necessity  to  his  divine  nature. 
The  idea  is  that  of  a  decayed  tree  that 
has  fallen  down,  and  has  left  a  living 
root  which  sends  up  a  shoot,  or  sucker 
— and  can  be  applied  with  great  ele- 
gance to  the  decayed  family  of  David. 
But  how,  or  in  what  sense  can  this  be 
applied  to  Jehovah  ]  Is  Jehovah  thus 
fallen  and  decayed  ?  The  idea  pro- 
perly is,  that  this  shoot  of*  a  decayed 
family  should  be  nurtured  up  by  Jeho- 
vah ;  should  be  appointed  by  him,  and 
should  thus  be  his  branch.  The  parallel 
member  denotes  substantially  the  same 
thing,  "  the  fruit  of  the  earth" — the 
shoot  which  the  earth  produces — or 
which  springs  up  from  a  decayed  fa- 
mily, as  the  sprout  does  from  a  fallen 
tree.  (3.)  It  is  as  true  that  his  human 
nature  proceeded  from  God  as  his 
divine.     It  was  produced  by  the  Holy 


he  that  remained)  in  Jerusalem, 
shall  be  called  choly,  even  every 


Ghost,  and  can  no  more  be  regarded  as 
"  the  fruit  of  the  earth,"  than  his  divine 
nature.  Luke  i.  35.  Heb.  x.  5.  (4.) 
This  mode  of  interpretation  is  fitted  tc 
bring  the  whole  subject  into  contempt. 
There  are  plain  and  positive  passages 
enough  to  prove  that  the  Messiah  had 
a  divine  nature,  and  there  are  enough 
also  to  prove  that  he  was  a  man — but 
nothing  is  more  adapted  to  produce  dis- 
gust in  relation  to  the  whole  subject  in 
the  minds  of  skeptical  or  of  thinking 
men,  than  a  resort  to  arguments  such 
as  this  in  defence  of  a  great  and  glo- 
rious doctrine  of  revelation.  11  Shall 
be  excellent.  Shall  be  for  exaltation,  or 
honour.  V  Comely.  Heb.  For  an  orna- 
ment— meaning  that  he  would  be  an 
honour  to  those  times.  IT  For  them 
that  are  escaped  of  Israel.  Margin, 
"  The  escaping  of  Israel."  For  the 
remnant,  the  small  number  that  shall 
escape  the  calamities — a  description  of 
the  pious  portion  of  Israel  which  now, 
escaped  from  all  calamities,  would  re- 
joice in  the  anticipated  blessings  of  the 
Messiah's  reign,  or  would  participate 
in  the  blessings  of  that  reign.  The 
idea  is  not,  however,  that  the  number 
who  would  be  saved  would  be  small, 
but  that  they  would  be  characterized  as 
those  who  had  escaped,  or  who  had 
been  rescued. 

3.  He  that  is  left  in  Zion.  This 
properly  refers  to  the  remnant  that 
should  remain  after  the  mass  of  the 
people  should  be  cut  off  by  wars,  or  be 
borne  into  captivity.  If  it  refer  to  the 
few  that  would  come  back  from  Baby- 
lon, it  means  that  they  would  be  re- 
formed, and  would  be  a  generation  dif- 
ferent from  their  fathers — which  was 
undoubtedly  true. — If  it  refer,  as  the 
connection  seems  to  indicate,  to  the 
times  of  the  Messiah,  then  it  speaks  of 
those  who  are  "  left,"  while  the  great 
mass  of  the  nation  would  be  unbe- 
lievers, and  would  be  destroyed.  The 
mass  of  the  nation  would  be  cut  off, 
and  the  remnant  that  was  left  would 
be  holy — that  is,  all  true  friends  of  the 


B.C.760.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


127 


one  that  is  written   6among  the 
living  in  Jerusalem : 

4   When  the  Lord  shall  have 
"washed    away   the   filth    of  the 

6  or,  to  life,  Rav.  21.  27.         d  Zech.  13.  1. 


Messiah  would  be  holy.  IT  Shall  be 
called  holy.  That  is,  shall  be  holy. 
The  expression  "  to  be  called,"  is  often 
used  in  the  Scriptures  as  synonymous 
with  "  to  be."  IT  Every  one  thut  is 
written  among  the  living.  The  Jews 
were  accustomed  to  register  the  names 
of  all  the  people  Those  names  were 
written  in  a  catalogue,  or  register  of 
each  tribe  and  family.  To  be  written 
in  that  book  or  register,  meant  to  be 
alive,  for  when  a  death  occurred  the 
name  was  stricken  out.  Ex.  xxxii.  32. 
Dan.  xii.  1.  Ezek.  xiii.  9. — The  ex- 
pression came  also  to  denote  all  who 
were  truly  the  friends  of  God  ;  they 
whose  names  are  written  in  his  book, 
the  book  of  life.  In  this  sense  it  is 
used  in  the  New  Testament.  Phil.  iv. 
3.  Rev.  hi.  5,  xvii.  5.  In  this  sense  it 
is  understood  in  this  place  by  the 
Chaldee  Par.  :  "  Every  one  shall  be 
called  holy  who  is  written  to  eternal 
lite  ;  he  shall  see  the  consolation  of 
Jerusalem." — If  the  reference  here  is 
to  the  Messiah,  then  the  passage  de- 
notes that  under  the  reign  of  the  Mes- 
siah all  who  should  be  found  enrolled 
as  his  followers,  would  be  holy.  An 
effectual  separation  would  subsist  be- 
tween them  and  the  mass  of  the  people. 
They  would  be  enrolled  as  his  friends, 
and  they  would  be  a  separate,  holy 
community.     Comp.  1  Pet.  ii.  9. 

4.  When  the  Lord.  That  is,  after 
God  has  done  this,  then  all  that  are 
written  among  the  living  shall  be  called 
holy. — The  prophet  in  this  verse  states 
the  benefits  of  affliction  in  purifying  the 
people  of  God.  He  had  said  in  the 
previous  verse  that  all  who  should  be 
left  in  Zion  should  be  called  holy.  He 
here  states  that  previous  to  that,  the 
defilement  of  the  people  would  be  re- 
moved by  judgment.  IF  Shall  have 
washed  away.  The  expression,  to  wash, 
is  often  used  to  denote  to  purify  in  any 
way.     In    allusion  *o   this  fact  is  the 


daughters  of  Zion,  and  shall  have 
purged  the  blood  of  Jerusalem 
from  the  midst  thereof  by  the 
spirit  of  judgment,  and  by  the  spi- 
rit of  burning. 

beautiful  promise  in  Zech.  xiii.  1.  See 
Note  ch.  i.  16.  IT  Thejilth.  This  word 
here  refers  to  their  moral  defilement — 
their  pride,  vanity,  haughtiness;  and 
perhaps  to  the  idolatry  and  general  sins 
of  the  people. — As  the  prophet,  however, 
in  ch.  iii.  16-23,  had  particularly  speci- 
fied the  sins  of  the  female  part  of  the 
Jewish  people,  the  expression  here 
probably  refers,  especially  to  them,  and 
to  the  judgments  which  were  to  come 
upon  them.  Ch.  iii.  24. — It  is  not  de- 
parting from  the  spirit  of  this  passage 
to  remark,  that  the  church  is  purified, 
and  true  religion  is  often  promoted,  by 
God's  humbling  the  pride  and  vanity 
of  females.  A  love  of  excessive  orna- 
ment ;  a  fondness  for  dress  and  display  ; 
and  an  exhibition  of  great  gayety,  often 
stand  grievously  in  the  way  of  pure  re- 
ligion. V  The  daughters  of  Zion.  See 
ch.  iii.  16.  11  And  shall  have  purges. 
This  is  synonymous  with  the  expres- 
sion to  wash.  It  means  to  purify,  to 
remove — as  one  removes  blood  from 
the  hands  by  washing.  IT  Blood  of  Jeru- 
salem. Crime,  blood-guiltiness — parti- 
cularly the  crime  of  oppression,  cruelty 
and  robbery,  which  the  prophet  (ch.  i. 
15)  had  charged  on  them.  IT  By  the 
spirit  of  judgment.  This  refers,  doubt- 
less, to  the  calamities,  or  punishment, 
that  would  come  upon  the  nation — 
principally  to  the  Babylonish  captivity. 
After  God  should  have  humbled  and  re- 
formed the  nation  by  a  series  of  judg- 
ments, then  they  who  were  purified  by 
them  should  be  called  holy.  The  word 
spirit  here  cannot  be  shown  to  be  the 
Holy  Spirit — and  especially  as  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  not  represented  in  the  Scrip- 
tures as  the  agent  in  executing  judg- 
ment. It  perhaps  would  be  best  denoted 
by  the  word  influence,  or  power.  The 
word  properly  denotes  wind,  air,  motion 
(Gen.viii.  1.  Jobi.  19)  ;  then  breathing, 
exhalation,  or  breath  (Job  vii.  7.  Ps. 
xxxiii.  6)  ;  hence  it  means  the  soul, 


128 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


5  And  the  Lord  will  create 
upon  every  dwelling-place  of 
mount  Zion,  and  upon  her  as- 
semblies, a  cloud  and  smoke  by 
day,  and  the  shining  of  a  flaming 
fire"   by  night :  for  8upon  all  the 

e  Zcch.  2. 5.  8  or,  above. 

and  it  means  also  God's  influence,  or 
his  putting  forth  his  power  and  life- 
giving  energy  in  animating  and  sus- 
taining >he  universe  ;  and  also,  as  here, 
his  putting  forth  any  influence  in  ac- 
complishing his  works  and  designs. 
II  And  by  the  spirit  of  burning.  Fire 
is  often,  in  the  Scriptures,  the  emblem 
of  punishment,  and  also  of  purifying. 
Comp. Note  Matt,  iii  11,  12.  See  Mai. 
iii.  2,  3.  The  Clialdee  translates  this, 
"  by  the  word  of  judgment,  and  by  the 
ward  of  consuming."  The  reference 
is  to  the  punishments  which  would  be 
sent  to  purify  the  peopie  before  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah. 

5.  And  the  Lord  will  create.  The 
meaning  of  this  verse  and  the  next  is, 
that  God  would  take  his  people  into 
his  holy  care  and  protection.  The  idea 
is  expressed  by  images  drawn,  in  this 
verse,  from  the  protection  which  he  af- 
forded to  the  Israelites  in  their  journey- 
ing from  Egypt. — The  word  create 
means  here  he  will  aflbrd,  or  furnish, 
such  a  defence,  f  Upon  every  dwelling- 
place,  &c.  Upon  all  the  habitations 
of  his  people  ;  that  is,  they  shall  be  se- 
cure, and  regarded  as  under  his  protec- 
tion. The  word  upon  refers  to  the 
fact  that  the  pillar  of  cloud  stood  over 
the  tabernacle  in  the  wilderness,  as  a 
symbol  of  the  divine  favour  and  presence. 
So  his  protection  should  be  on  or  over 
the  houses  of  all  his  people.  Comp. 
Ps.  xcii.  4,  5,  6.  IT  Of  Mount  Zion. 
Comp..  Note  ch.  i.  8.  IT  And  upon  her 
assemblies.  Their  convocations  ;  their 
sacred  assemblies,  such  as  were  called 
together  on  the  Sabbath.  Lev.  xxiii.  2. 
Num.  xxviii.  18.  It  refers  here  to  their 
future  assemblies,  and  therefore  in- 
cludes the  Christian  church  assembled  to 
worship  God.  V  A  cloud  and  smoke 
by  day.  This  refers  to  the  pillar  of 
cloud  that  went  befoce  the  Israelites  hi 


glory  shall  be  a  'defence. 

6  And  there  shall  be  a  taber 
nacle   for  a  shadow  in  the  day. 
time   from    the    heat,    and  for  a 
place  of  refuge/  and  for  a  covert 
from  storm  and  from  rain. 


9  covering. 


g  ch.  25.  4. 


their  journey  in  the  wilderness.  Ex. 
xiii.  21,  xiv.  2(1.  1T  By  day.  By  day 
this  appeared  to  them  as  a  cloud,  by 
night  as  a  pillar  of  fire.  Ex.  xiii.  21, 
22.  That  is,  it  was  always  conspi- 
cuous, and  could  be  seen  by  all  the 
people.  A  pillar  of  cloud  cculd  not 
have  been  seen  by  night ;  and  God 
changes  the  symbols  of  his  presence 
and  protection,  so  that  at  all  times  his 
people  may  see  them.  The  meaning 
here  is,  that  as  God  gave  to  the  Israel- 
ites a  symbol  of  his  presence  and  pro- 
tection, so  he  would  be  the  protector 
and  defender  of  his  people  hereafter. 
1T  For  upon  all  the  glory.  Above  all 
the  glorious  object;  that  is,  his  church, 
his  people.  It  is  here  called  "  the 
glory,"  as  being  a  glorious,  or  an 
honourable  object.  T  A  defence.  This 
word  properly  means  a  covering,  a  pro- 
tection, from  the  verb  to  cover,  and 
means  that  God  will  protect,  or  defend 
his  people. 

6.  And  there  shall  be  a  tabernacle. 
The  reference  here  is  to  the  tabernacle, 
or  sacred  tent  that  God  directed  Moses 
to  make  in  the  wilderness.  The  image 
of  the  cloudy  pillar  mentioned  in  the 
previous  verses,  seems  to  have  suggest- 
ed to  the  mind  of  the  prophet  the  idea 
of  the  tabernacle  over  which  that  pillar 
rested.  The  principal  idea  here  is, 
however,  not  a  tabernacle  as  a  symbol 
of  the  divine  protection,  or  of  divine 
worship,  but  of  a  place  of  refuge  from 
a  tempest  ;  that  is,  that  they  should  be 
S'ifc  under  his  protection.  In  Eastern 
countries  they  dwelt  chiefly  in  :ents. 
The  idea  is,  therefore,  that  God  would 
furnish  them  a  place  of  shelter,  a  hiding 
place  from  the  storm.  IT  In  the  day- 
time from  the  heat.  The  heat  in  those 
regions  was  often  very  intense,  particu- 
larly in  the  vast  plains  of  sand.  The 
itlf.a  here  is,  therefore,  one  that  is  very 


B.C  760.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


129 


striking.  It  means  that  God  would 
furnish  to  them  a  refuge  that  would  be 
like  the  comfort  derived  from  a  tent  in 
a  burning  desert.  IT  For  a  place  of  re- 
fuge. A  place  to  which  to  flee  in  the 
mid9t  of  a  storm — as  a  tent  would  be. 
"  A  covert.  A  place  of  retreat,  a  safe 
place  to  retire  to.  The  figure  here 
used  is  not  unfrequently  employed  in 
the  prophets.  Chap.  xxv.  4,  xxxii.  2. 
In  eastern  countries  this  idea  would  be 
very  striking.  While  traversing  the 
burning  sands  of  a  desert,  exposed  to 
the  rays  of  a  tropical  sun,  nothing  could 
be  more  grateful  than  the  cool  shadow 
of  a  rock.  Such  figures  are  therefore 
common  in  oriental  writings,  to  denote 
protection  and  agreeable  shelter  from 
calamities.  See  Note  on  ch  xxxii.  2. 
The  idea  in  these  verses  is:  (1.)  That 
God  will  be  a  defender  of  his  people. 
(2  )  That  he  will  protect  their  families, 
and  that  h's  blessing  will  be  upon  their 


dwelling-places.  Comp  Note  on  ch. 
lix.  21.  (3.)  They  may  expect  hiu 
blessing  on  their  religious  assemblies. 
(4  )  God,  through  the  promised  Mes- 
siah, would  be  a  refuge  and  defence. 
The  sinner  is  exposed  to  the  burning 
wrath  of  God,  and  to  the  storms  of 
divine  vengeance  that  shall  beat  for 
ever  on  the  naked  soul  in  hell.  From 
all  this  burning  wrath,  and  from  this 
raging  tempest,  the  Messiah  is  the  only 
refuge.  Through  him  God  forgives  sin  ; 
and  united  to  him  by  faith,  the  soul  is 
safe.  '1  here  are  few  images  mo.e 
b.eautiful  than  this.  Soon  the  storms 
of  divine  vengeance  will  beat  on  the 
sinner.  God  will  summon  him  to 
judgment.  But  then,  he  who  has  fled 
to  the  Messiah — the  Lord  Jesus — as 
the  refuge  of  his  soul,  shall  be  safe. 
He  shall  have  nothing  to  fear,  and 
in  his  arms  shall  find  defence  and 
salvation. 


CHAPTER  V. 


ANALYSIS. 


This  chapter  commences  a  new  subject,  and  19  in  itself  an  entire  prophei  y,  having  no  connection 
with  the  preceding  or  the  following  chapter.  When  it  was  delivered  is  unknown  ;  but  from  the  strong 
losemblance  between  the  circumstances  referred  to  here,  and  those  referred  to  in  ch.  ii.,  it  is  proba- 
ble it  was  at  about  the  same  period.  The  fact,  also,  that  it  is  closely  connected  with  that  in  the  place 
which  has  been  assisned  it  in  the  collection  of  the  prophecies  of  IsaiaTi,  s  a  circumstance  which 
strongly  corroborates  that  view.  The  general  design  of  the  chapter  is  to  lenounce  the  prevalent 
vires  of  the  nation,  and  to  proclaim  that  they  will  be  followed  with  heavy  judgments.  The  chapter 
may  be  conveniently  regarded  :is  divided  into  three  parts. 

I.  A  beautiful  parable  illustrative  of  the  care  which  God  had  shown  for  his  people,  vs.  1 — 7.  He 
itates  what  he  had  clone  for  them  ;  calls  on  them  to  judge  themselves  whether  he  had  not  done  for 
them  all  that  he  could  have  done  ;  and  since  his  vineyard  had  brought  forth  no  good  fruit,  he  threat- 
ens to  break  down  its  hedges  and  to  destroy  it. 

II.  The  various  vices  and  crimes  which  prevailed  in  the  nation  are  denounced,  and  punishment 
threatened,  vs.  8    23. 

(I.)  The  sin  of  eovetousness,  vs.  8 — 10. 

(2  )  The  sins  of  intemperance,  revelry  and  dissipation,  vs.  11—17. 

(3  )  The  sin  of  despising  and  contemning  God,  and  of  practising  iniquity  as  if  he  did  not  see  it,  or 
could  not  punish  it.  vs.  18,  19. 

(4  )  The  sin  of  those  who  pervert  things,  and  call  evil  good  and  pood  evil,  ver.  20. 

(5.)  The  sin  of  vain  self-confidence,  pride,  and  inordinate  self-esteem,  ver  21. 

(6.i  The  sin  of  intemperance  is  again  reproved,  and  the  sin  of  receiving  bribes— probably  because 
these  were  in  fact  connected,  vs  22, 23. 

Ill  Punishment  is  denounced  on  the  nation  for  indulgence  in  these  sins,  vs  24—30.  The  punish- 
ment would  be  that  he  would  call  distant  nations  to  invade  their  land,  and  it  should  be  laid  waste. 

"  The  subject  of  this  prophecy,"  says  Lowth,  "  Joes  not  differ  matcralliy  from  ch.  i.,  but  it  is 
freatly  superior  to  it  in  force,  in  severity,  in  variety,  in  elegance.'' 

1   Now  will  T  sinp-  to  mv  well-  '  beloved    a   sonir    of  my    beloved 


1.  Now  mill  I  sing.     This  is  an  in-     or  is  adapted   to  be   sung  or  chanted, 
iication    that   what  follows   is   poetic.  [  H  To  my  well  beloved     The  word  used 
6*  . 


130 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  "J  60 


touching  his  vineyard.    My  well-    very  fruitful  hill  : 

beloved   hath   a  ^vineyard  in  2a        2  And  he  "fenced  it,,  and  ga- 

h  Luke  20.  9,  &c.        2  the  horn  of  the  sin  of  oil.  3  or,  made  a  wall  about  it. 


here — *in"7'? — is  a  term  °f  endearment, 
it  properly' denotes  a  friend  ;  a  favour- 
ite ;  one  greatly  beloved.  It  is  ap- 
plied to  saints  as  being  the  beloved,  or 
the  favourites  of  God,  in  Ps.  exxvii.  2. 
Deut.  xxxiii.  12.  In  this  place  it  is 
evidently  applied  to  Jehovah,  the  God 
of  the  Jewish  people.  As  there  is 
some  reason  to  believe  that  the  God 
of  the  Jews — the  manifested  Deity  who 
undertook  their  deliverance  from  Egypt, 
and  who  was  revealed  as  their  God 
under  the  name  of  "  the  Angel  of  the 
Covenant" — was  the  Messiah, so  it  may 
be  that  the  prophet  here  meant  to  refer 
to  him.  It  is  not  however  to  the  Mes- 
siah to  conic  It  does  not  refer  to  the 
God  incarnate — to  Jesus  of  Nazareth — 
but  to  the  God  of  the  Jews,  in  his  capa- 
city as  their  lawgiver  and  protector  in 
the  time  of  Isaiah  ;  not  to  him  in  the 
capacity  of  an  incarnate  Saviour.  1  A 
song  of  my  beloved.  Lowth,  "  a  song 
of  loves,"  by  a  slight  change  in  the 
Hebrew.  The  word  Tfcl  usually  de- 
notes "  an  uncle,"  a  father's  brother. 
But  it  also  means  one  beloved,  a  friend, 
a  lover.  Cant.  i.  13,  14, 16,  ii.  3,  8,  9, 
iv.  1G,  17.  Here  it  refers  to  Jehovah, 
and  expresses  the  tender  and  affection- 
ate attachment  which  the  prophet  had 
for  his  character  and  laws.  IT  Touch- 
ing his  vineyard.  The  Jewish  people 
are  often  represented  under  the  image 
of  a  vineyard,  planted  and  cultivated 
by  God.  See  Ps.  lxxx.  Jer.  ii.  21, 
xii.  10.  Our  Saviour  also  used  this 
beautiful  fisrure  to  denote  the  care  and 
attention  which  God  had  bestowed  on 
his  people.  Matt.  xxi.  33,seq.  Mark 
xii.  1,  seq.  Ii  My  beloved.  God. 
%  Until  a  vineyard  in  a  very  fruitful 
hill.  Heb.  "  On  a  horn  of  the  son  of 
oil."  The  word  horn  used  here  in  the 
Hebrew,  denotes  the  brow,  apex,  or 
sharp  point  of  a  hill.  The  word  is  thus 
used  in  other  languages  to  denote  a 
hill,  as  in  the  Swiss  words  schre'ekhorn, 
\uchorn.  Thus  Cornwall,  in  England, 
is   called   in    the   old   British    tongue 


Kernaw,  as  lessening  by  degrees,  like 
a  horn,  running  out  into  promontories, 
like  so  many  horns  ;  for  the  Britons 
called  a  horn  corn,  and  in  the  plural 
kern.  The  term  "  horn"  is  not  unfre- 
quently  applied  to  hills.  Thus  Pococke 
tells  us  (vol.  ii.  p.  67),  that  there  is  a 
low  mountain  in  Galilee  which  has 
both  its  ends  raised  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  look  like  two  mounts,  which  are 
called  the  "  Horns  of  Hutin."  Harmer, 
however,  supposes  that  the  term  is  used 
here  to  denote  the  land  of  Syria,  from 
its  resemblance  to  the  shape  of  a  horn. 
Obs.  iii.  242.  But  the  idea  is,  evi- 
dently, that  the  land  on  which  God 
represents  himself  as  having  planted 
his  vineyard  was  like  an  elevated  hill 
that  was  adapted  eminently  to  such  a 
culture.  It  may  mean  either  the  lop 
of  a  mountain,  or  a  little  mountain,  or 
a  peak  divided  from  others.  The  most 
favourable  places  for  vineyards  were 
on  the  sides  of  hills,  where  they  would 
he  exposed  to  the  sun.  Shaw's  Tra- 
vels, p.  33rf.     Thus  Virgil  says: 

ilenique  apertos 
Bacchus  amat  colles. 

"  Bacchus  loves  open  hills."  Georg.  ii. 
113.  The  phrase,  son  of  oil,  is  used 
in  accordance  with  the  Jewish  custom, 
where  Bon  means  descendant,  relative, 
&c.  See  Note  Matt.  i.  1.  Here  it 
means  that  it  was  so  fertile  that  it 
might  be  called  the  very  son  of  oil,  or 
fatiiess,  i.  e.  fertility.  The  image  is 
poetic,  and  very  beautiful — denoting 
that  God  had  planted  his  people  in 
circumstances  where  he  had  a  right  to 
expect  great  growth  in  attachment  to 
him.  It  was  not  owing  to  any  want 
of  care  on  his  part  that  they  were  not 
distinguished  for  piety.  The  Chaldee 
renders  this  verse,  "  The  prophet  said,  I 
will  sing  now  to  Israel,  who  is  compared 
to  a  vineyard,  the  seed  of  Abraham 
my  beloved  :  a  song  of  my  beloved  to 
his  vineyard." 

2.  And  he  fenced  it.    Marg.  "  Made 
a  wall  about  it."    The  word  used  her* 


8.0.160.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


131 


thered  out  the  stones  thereof,  and 
planted  it  with  the  choicest  vine/ 
and  built  a  tower  in  the  midst 
of  it,  and    also   6made    a   wine- 

/  Jer.  2.  21.  5  hetved. 

is  supposed  rather  to  mean  to  dig  about, 
to  grub,  as  with  a  pick-axe  or  spade. 
Gesenius  It  has  this  signification  in 
Arabic,  and  in  one  place  in  the  Jewish 
Talmud.  Kimchi.  The  Vulgate  and 
the  LXX  understand  it  of  making  a 
hedge  or  fence,  probably  the  first  work 
in  preparing  a  vineyard.  And  as  "  a 
hedge"  is  expressly  mentioned  in  ver. 
5,  it  seems  most  probable  that  that  is 
its  meaning  here.  IT  And  gathered 
out  the  stones,  &c.  That  it  might  be 
easily  cultivated.  This  was  of  course 
a  necessary  and  proper  work.  IT  And 
planted  it  with  the  choicest  vine.  Heb. 
With  the  sorek.  This  was  a  choice 
species  of  vine,  the  grapes  of  which,  the 
Jewish  commentators  say,  had  very 
small  and  scarcely  perceptible  stones, 
and  which  at  this  day  is  called  serki 
in  Morocco  ;  in  Persia,  kishmis.  Ge- 
senius. IT  And  built  a  tower.  For 
the  sake  of  watching  and  defending  it. 
These  towers  were  probably  placed  so 
as  to  overlook  the  whole  vineyard,  and 
were  thus  posts  of  observation.  Comp. 
Note  ch.  i.  8.  See  also  Note  Matt. 
xxi.  33.  IT  And  also  made  a  wine- 
press A  place  in  which  to  put  the 
grapes  for  the  purpose  of  expressing 
the  juice.  See  Note  Matt.  xxi.  33. 
%  And  he  looked.  He  waited  in  ex- 
pectation— as  a  husbandman  waits 
patiently  for  the  vines  to  grow,  and 
to  bear  grapes.  IT  Wild  grapes.  The 
word  here  used  is  derived  from  the 
verb  tt."X3  bdash,  to  be  offensive;  to 
corrupt,  to  putrify ;  and  is  supposed 
by  Gesenius  to  mean  monk's-hood,  a 
poisonous  herb,  offensive  in  smell, 
which  products  berries  like  grapes 
Such  a  meaning  suits  the  connection 
better  than  the  supposition  of  grapes 
that  were  wild  or  uncultivated.  The 
Vulgate  understands  it  of  the  weed 
called  wild  vine — labruscas.  The  LXX 
translate  it  by  thorns,  aKuvdas.  That 
there  were  vines  in  Judea  which  pro- 


press    therein  :     and    he    looked 

that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes, 

and  it  brought  forth  wild  grapes. 

3  And  now,  O  inhabitants  of 


duced  such  poisonous  berries,  though 
resembling  grapes,  is  evident.  See 
2  Kings  iv.  39-41  :  "  And  one  went 
out  into  the  fields  to  gather  pot  herbs, 
and  he  found  a  field  vine,  and  he  ga- 
thered from  it  wild  fruit."  Moses  also 
refers  to  a  similar  vine.  Deut.  xxxii. 
32,  33  :  "  For  their  vine  is  as  the  vine 
of  Sodom — their  grapes  are  grapes  of 
gall,  their  clusters  are  bitter."  Hassel- 
quist  thinks  that  the  prophet  here 
means  the  night-shade.  The  Arabs, 
says  he,  call  it  woif-grapes.  It  grows 
much  in  vineyards,  and  is  very  perni- 
cious to  them.  Some  poisonous,  offen- 
sive berries,  growing  on  wild  vines, 
are  doubtless  intended  here. 

The  general  meaning  of  this  parable 
it  is  not  difficult  to  understand.  Comp. 
Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  33.  Jerome  has 
attempted  to  follow  out  the  allegory, 
and  explain  the  particular  parts.  He 
says  :  "  By  the  metaphor  of  the  vine- 
yard is  to  be  understood  the  people  of 
the  Jews,  which  he  surrounded  or  in- 
closed by  angels ;  by  gathering  out  the 
stones,  the  removal  of  idols;  by  the 
tower,  the  temple  erected  in  the  midst 
of  Judea  ;  by  the  wine-press,  the  altar." 
There  is  no  propriety,  however,  in  at- 
tempting thus  minutely  to  explain  the 
particular  parts  of  the  figure.  The 
general  meaning  is,  that  God  had  cho- 
sen the  Jewish  people  ;  had  bestowed 
great  care  on  them  in  giving  them  his 
law,  in  defending  them,  and  in  provid- 
ing for  them ;  that  he  had  omitted 
nothing  that  was  adapted  to  produce 
piety,  obedience,  and  happiness,  and 
that  they  had  abused  it  all,  and  in- 
stead of  being  obedient,  had  become 
exceedingly  corrupt. 

3.  And  now,  &c.  This  is  an  appeal 
which  God  makes  to  the  Jews  them- 
selves, in  regard  to  the  justice  and  pro- 
priety of  what  he  was  about  to  do.  A 
similar  appeal  he  makes  in  Micah  vi.3: 
"  O  my  people,  what  have  I  done  unto 


132 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  7r>a 


Jerusalem,  and  men  of  Judah, 
judge,  I  pray  you,  betwixt  me 
and  my  vineyard. 

thee  ?  And  wherein  have  I  wearied 
thee  ?  Testify  against  me."  He  in- 
tended to  punish  them  (ver.  5,  6),  and 
he  appeals  to  them  for  the  justice  of  it. 
He  would  do  to  them  as  they  would 
do  to  a  vineyard  that  had  been  care- 
fully prepared  and  guarded,  and  which 
yet  was  valueless.  A  similar  appeal 
he  makes  in  ch.  i.  18, — and  our  Saviour 
made  an  application  remarkably  simi- 
lar in  his  parable  of  the  vineyard. 
Matt.  xxi.  4U^t3.  It  is  not  improba- 
ble that  he  had  his  eye  on  this  very 
place  in  Isaiah  ;  and  it  is  therefore  the 
more  remarkable  that  the  Jews  did 
not  understand  the  bearing  of  his  dis- 
course. 

4.  What  could  I,  &c.  As  a  man 
who  had  done  what  is  described  in  ver. 
2,  would  have  done  all  that  could  be 
done  for  a  vineyard,  so  God  says  that 
he  has  done  all  that  he  could  in  the 
circumstances  of  the  Jews,  to  make 
them  holy  and  happy.  He  had  chosen 
them  ;  had  given  them  his  law  ;  had 
sent  them  prophets  and  teachers  ;  had 
defended  them ;  had  come  forth  in 
judgment  and  mercy,  and  he  now  ap- 
peals to  them  to  say  what  could  have 
been  done  more.  This  important  verse 
implies  that  God  had  done  all  that  he 
could  have  done  ;  that  is,  all  that  he 
could  consistently  do,  or  all  that  justice 
and  goodness  required  him  to  do,  to 
secure  the  welfare  of  his  people.  It 
cannot,  of  course,  be  meant  that  He 
had  no  physical  ability  to  do  any  thing 
else,  but  the  expression  must  be  inter- 
preted by  a  reference  to  the  point  in 
hand — and  that  is,  an  appeal  to  others 
to  determine  that  he  had  done  all  that 
cojld  be  done  in  the  circumstances  of 
the  case.  In  this  respect,  we  may 
without  impropriety  say,  that  there  is  a 
limit  to  the  power  of  God.  It  is  im- 
possible to  conceive  that  he  could  have 
given  a  law  more  holy  ;  or  that  he 
vould  append  to  it  more  solemn  sanc- 
•K>ns  than  the  threatening  of  eternal 
death  ;  or  that  he  could  have  offered 


4  What  co  uld  have  been  done 
more  to  my  vineyard  that  I  have 
not  done  in  it  ?   Wherefore,  when 


higher  hopes  than  the  prospect  of  eter- 
nal life  ;  or  that  he  could  have  given  a 
more  exalted  Redeemer.  It  has  been 
maintained  (see  the  Princeton  Bib. 
Repertory,  April  1841)  that  the  refer- 
ence here  is  to  the  future,  and  that  the 
question  means,  '  what  remains  now 
to  be  done  to  my  vineyard  as  an  ex- 
pression of  displeasure  I'  or  that  it  is 
asked  with  a  view  to  introduce  the  ex- 
pression of  his  purpose  to  punish  his  peo- 
ple, stated  in  ver.  5.  But  that  the  above 
is  the  meaning  of  the  passage,  or  that 
it  refers  to  what  God  had  actually  done, 
is  evident  from  the  following  considera- 
tions. (1  )  Ht  Mad  specified  at  length 
(ver  2)  what  he  had  done.  He  had 
performed  all  that  was  usually  done  to 
a  vineyard — in  fencing  it,  and  clearing 
it  of  stones,  and  planting  in  it  the 
choicest  vines,  and  building  t  wine- 
press in  it.  Without  impropriety  it 
might  lie  said  of  a  man  that,  whatever 
wealth  he  had,  or  whatever  power  he 
had.  to  do  other  things,  he  could  dr. 
untiling  more  to  perfect  a  vineyard. 
(2.)  It  is  the  meaning  which  is  most 
naturally  suggested  by  the  original. 
Literally,  the  Hebrew  is,  '  What  to  do 
pi0rc>__TiS  nritoS^-n^.     Coverdale 

renders  this,  as  it  is  in  our  translation, 
"  What  more  could  have  been  done  for 
it  V  Luther,  "  What  should  one  dc 
more  to  my  vineyard,  that  i  have  no 
done  for  it  1" — Was  sollte  man  doch 
me hr  thun  an  meinem  Weinberge,  das 
ich  nicht  gethan  habe  an  ihm  ?  Vulg., 
Q.iid  est  quod  debui  ultra  facere. — 
•  What  is  there  which  I  ought  to  do 
more  !'  Sept.,  Ti  Ttaihato  in — '  "W  hat 
shall  I  do  yet  V  implying  that  he  had 
done  all  that  he  could  for  it.  The 
Chaldee  renders  it,  '  What  good  thing 
— JOE  HB — shall  I  say  that  I  will  do 
to  my  people  that  1  have  not  done  for 
them  V — implying  that  he  had  done  for 
them  all  the  good  which  could  be  spoken 
of.  The  Syriac,  '  What  remains  to 
be  done  to  my  vineyard  and  I  have  not 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


133 


1  looked  that  it  should  bring  forth 
grapes,  brought  it  forth  wild 
grapes  ? 

5  And  now,  go  to ;  I  will  tell 
you  what  I  will  do  to  my  vine- 
yard :  I  will  take  away  the 
'hedge  thereof,  and  it  shall  be 
eaten  up ;  and   break  down  the 

l  Ps.  SO.  12,  13. 


done  it?'  In  all  these  versions,  the 
sense  given  is  substantially  the  same — 
that  God  had  done  all  that  could  be 
lone  to  make  the  expectation  that  his 
tineyard  would  produce  fruit,  proper. 
There  is  no  reference  in  one  of  these 
versions  to  what  he  would  do  after- 
wards, but  the  uniform  reference  is  to 
what  he  had  done  to  make  the  expecta- 
tion reasonable  that  his  vineyard  would 
produce  fruit.  (3.)  That  this  is  the 
fair  interpretation  is  apparent  farther, 
because  when  in  ver.  5  he  says  what  he 
would  do,  it  is  entirely  different  from 
what  he  said  he  had  done.  He  had 
done  all  that  could  be  done  to  make  it 
proper  to  expect  fruit  ;  he  now  would 
do  what  would  be  a  proper  expression 
of  his  displeasure  that  no  fruit  had  been 
produced.  He  would  take  away  its 
hedge  ;  break  down  its  walls,  and  lay 
it  waste  But  in  the  interpretation  of 
the  passage  proposed  by  the  Princeton 
Repertory,  there  is  an  entire  omission 
of  this  part  of  the  verse — "  that  I  have 
not  done  in  it."  It  is  not  improper,  there- 
fore, to  use  this  passage  to  show  that 
God  had  done  all  that  could  be  con- 
sistently done  for  the  salvation  of  man, 
and  the  same  appeal  may  now  be  made 
to  sinners  every  where  ;  and  it  may  be 
asked,  what  God  could  have  done  for 
their  salvation  more  than  has  been 
done  1  Could  he  have  given  them  a 
purer  law?  Could  he  present  higher 
considerations  than  have  been  drawn 
from  the  hope  of  an  eternal  heaven,  and 
the  fear  of  an  eternal  hell  ?  Could  he 
have  furnished  a  more  full  atonement 
than  has  been  made  by  the  blood  of  his 
own  Son  I  The  conclusion  to  which 
we  should  come  would  be  in  accord- 
tnce  with  what  is  said  in  the  prophet, 


wall  thereof,  an  1  it  shall  be 
'trodden  down. 

6  And  I  will  lay  it  waste:  it 
shall  not  be  pruned  nor  digged ; 
but  there  shall  come  up  briers 
and  thorns  ;  I  will  also  command 
the  clouds  that  they  rain  no  rain 
upon  it. 

7  for  a  treading. 

that  God  has  done  all  for  the  salvation 
of  sinners  that  in  the  circumstances 
of  the  case  could  be  done,  and  that  if 
they  are  lost,  they  only  will  bear  the 
blame. 

5.  Go  to.  The  Hebrew  word  here 
is  one  that  is  commonly  rendered,  "  I 
pray  you,"  and  is  used  to  call  the  atten- 
tion to  what  is  said.  It  is  the  word 
from  which  we  have  derived  the  ad- 
verb now,  X3  .  IT  I  will  take  away  the 
hedge.  A  hedge  is  a  fence  of  thorns; 
made  by  suffering  thorn-bushes  to  grow 
so  thick  that  nothing  can  pass  through 
them.  Here  it  means  that  God  would 
withdraw  his  protection  from  the  Jews; 
and  leave  them  exposed  to  be  overrun 
and  trodden  down  by  their  enemies,  as 
a  vineyard  would  be  by  wild  beasts  if 
it  were  not  protected.  IT  The  wall,&,c. 
Vineyards,  it  seems,  had  a  double  in- 
closure  Gesenius.  Such  a  double 
protection  might  be  necessary,  as  some 
animals  might  scale  a  wall  that  would 
yet  find  it  impossible  to  pass  through  a 
thorn-hedge.  The  sense  here  is,  that 
though  the  Jews  had  been  protected  in 
every  way  possible,  yet  that  protection 
would  be  withdrawn,  and  they  would 
be  left  defenceless. 

6.  I  ivill  lay  it  waste,  &c.  The  de- 
scription here  is  continued  from  ver.  5 
The  image  is  carried  out,  and  means 
that  the  Jews  should  be  left  utterly 
without  protection.  IT  I  will  also  com- 
mand the  clouds,  &c.  It  is  evident 
here,  that  the  parable  o-  figure  is  par- 
tially dropped.  A  husbandman  could 
not  command  the  clouds.  It  is  God 
alone  who  could  do  that ;  and  the  " gure 
of  the  vineyard  is  dropped,  and  God  is 
introduced   speaking    as   a  sovereign, 


134 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  7(30 


7  For  the  vineyard  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts  is  the  house  of 
Israel,  and  the  men  of  Judah  'his 
pleasant  plant ;  and  he  looked 
for  judgment,  but  behold  'oppres- 

9  plant  of  his  pleasures.  1  a  scab. 

The  meaning  is,  that  he  would  with- 
hold hi3  divine  influences,  and  would 
abandon  them  to  desolation.  The  sense 
of  the  whole  verse  is  plain.  God 
would  leave  the  Jews  without  protec- 
tion ;  he  would  remove  the  guards,  the 
helps,  the  influences,  with  which  he 
had  favoured  them,  and  leave  them 
to  their  own  course — as  a  vineyard 
that  was  unpruned,  uncultivated,  un- 
watered.  The  Chaldee  has  well  ex- 
pressed the  :ise  of  the  passage  :  "  I 
will  take  u  way  the  house  of  my 
sanctuary  [the  temple],  and  they  shall 
be  trodden  down.  I  will  regard  them 
as  guilty,  and  there  shall  be  no  support 
or  defence  for  them  ;  they  shall  be 
abandoned,  and  shall  become  wander- 
ers. I  will  command  the  prophets,  that 
they  shall  not  prophesy  over  them." 
The  lesson  taught  here  is,  that  when  a 
people  become  ungrateful,  and  rebel- 
lious, God  will  withdraw  from  them, 
and  leave  them  to  desolation.  Comp. 
Rev.  ii.  3. 

7.  For  the  vineyard,  &c.  This  is 
the  application  of  the  parable.  God 
had  treated  the  Jews  as  a  husbandman 
does  a  vineyard.  This  was  his  vine- 
yard ;  the  object  of  his  faithful,  un- 
ceasing care.  This  was  his  only  vine- 
yard ;  on  this  people  alone,  of  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  had  he  bestowed 
his  peculiar  attention.  IT  His  pleasant 
plant.  The  plant  in  which  he  delighted. 
As  the  husbandman  had  been  at  the 
pains  to  plant  the  sorek  (ver  2),  so  had 
God  selected  the  ancient  stock  of  the 
Jews  as  his  own,  and  made  the  race 
the  object  of  his  chief  attention.  H 
And  he  looked  for  judgment.  For  jus- 
tice, or  righteousness.  TT  But  behold 
oppression.  The  word  rendered  op- 
pression means  properly  shedding  of 
blood.  In  the  original  here,  there  is  a 
remarkable  paronomasia,  or  play  upon 
words,  which  is  nm  uncommon  in  the 


sion  ;  for  righteousness,  but  dr. 
hold  a  cry. 

8  Wo  unto  them  that  join 
?house  to  house,  that  lay  field  to 
field,  till  there  be  no  place,  that 

p  Micah  2.  2. 

Hebrew  Scriptures,  and  which  wai 
deemed  a  great  beauty  in  composition. 
He   looked   for    judgment,    LiSS-!!  mishpol, 

and  lo !  shedding  of  blood,  rT3'CJT3  miepahh  ; 
For  righteousness,  FlplX  liedhaka. 

but  lo  !  a  clamour,  TXpV)L  lie^aka. 

It  is  impossible,  of  course,  to  retain  this 
in  a  translation.  V  A  cry.  A  clamour; 
tumult,  disorder;  the  clamour  which 
attends  anarchy,  and  covetousness, 
and  dissipation,  vs.  8,  11,  12,  rather 
than  the  soberness  and  steadiness  of 
justice. 

8.  Wo  unto  them,  &c.  The  prophet 
now  proceeds  to  specify  some  of  the 
crimes  to  which  he  had  referred  in  the 
parable  of  the  vineyard  of  which  the 
Jews  had  been  guilty.  The  first  ia 
ariirire.  IT  That  join  house  to  hi/use. 
That  seek  to  possess  many  houses  ;  or 
perhaps  that  seek  to  live  in  large  and 
magnificent  palaces.  A  similar  denun- 
ciation of  this  sin  is  recorded  in  Micah 
ii.  2.  Neh.  v.  1—81  This,  together  with 
what  follows,  was  contrary  to  the  law 
of  Moses.  He  provided  that  when  the 
children  of  Israel  should  enter  the  land 
of  Canaan  the  land  should  be  equitably 
divided,  and  in  order  to  prevent  ava- 
rice, he  ordained  the  jubilee,  occurring 
once  in  fifty  years,  by  which  every  man 
and  every  family  should  be  restored  to 
their  former  possession.  Lev.  xxv. 
Perhaps  there  could  have  been  no  law 
so  well  framed  to  prevent  the  existence 
and  avoid  the  evils  of  covetousness. 
Yet  in  defiance  of  the  obvious  require- 
ments and  spirit  of  that  law,  the  people 
in  the  time  of  Isaiah  had  become  ge- 
nerally covetous.  IT  That  lay  field  to 
field.  That  purchase  one  farm  after 
another.  The  words"  that  lay,"  mean 
to  cause  to  approach;  that  is,  they^'oj'n 
on  one  farm  after  another.  IT  Till  there 
be  no  place.  Till  they  reach  the  outer 
limit  of  the  land  ;  till  they  possess  all. 


B.C. mo.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


135 


tye. 


2they  may  be  placed  alone  in  the  10  Yea,  *ten  acres  of  vineyard 

midst  of  the  earth  !  shall  yield  one  bath,  and  the  seed 

9  In  mine  ears,  said  the  Lord  of  an  homer  shall  yield  an  ephah. 

of  hosts,  Of4  a  truth  many  houses  11  Wo  unto  them  that  rise  up 

shall  be  desolate,  even  great  and  early  in   the   morning,  that  they 

fair,  without  inhabitant.  may  follow   strong  drink  ;    that 

4  if  not.  »  HaS-  '■  9'  u- 

this.  At  present,  this  formerly  fertile 
country  is  among  the  most  unproduc- 
tive on  the  face  of  the  earth.  IT  Ten 
acres.  Ah  acre  among  the  Hebrews 
was  what  could  be  ploughed  by  one 
yoke  of  oxen  in  a  day  It  did  not  dif- 
fer materially  from  our  acre.  1  Shall 
yield  one  bath.  One  bath  of  wine. 
The  bath  was  a  Jewish  measure  for 
liquids  containing  about  seven  gallons 
and  a  half.  To  say  that  ten  acres 
should  produce  no  more  wine  than  this, 
was  the  same  as  to  say  that  it  would 
produce  almost  nothing.  IT  And  the 
seed  of  an  homer.  An  homer  was  a 
Hebrew  measure  for  grain,  containing 
about  eight  bushels.  IT  An  ephah.  The 
ephah  contained  about  three  pecks.  Of 
course,  to  say  that  an  homer  of  seed 
should  produce  about  three  pecks,  would 
be  the  same  as  saying  that  it  would 
produce  almost  nothing. 

11.    Wo  unto  them.     The   prophet, 
having    denounced    avarice,    proceeds 
now  to  another  vice — that  of  intemper- 
|  ance,  or  dissipation,     f  That  rise  vp 
early,  &.c.     That  rise  for  this  purpose 
when  nothing  else  would  rouse  them. 
;  It  may  illustrate  this  somewhat  to  re- 
mark, that  it  was  not  common  among 
the  ancients  to  become  intoxicated  at 
i  an  early  hour  of  the  day.    See  Note  on 
<■  Acts  ii.  15.    Comp.  1  Thess.  v.  7.     It 
indicated  then,  as  it  does  now,  a  con- 
firmed and  habitual  state  of  intemper- 
I  ance  when  a  man  would  do  this  early 
in  the  morning.    "  The  Persians,  when 
they  commit  a  debauch,  arise  betimes* 
and. esteem   the  morning  as  the   best 
time  for  beginning  to  drink  wine,  by 
which    means    they    carry    on    their 
excess   till   night."     Morier.      IT  That 
they  may  follow    strong  drink — "^^ 
shekhdr,  or  sichar.     This  word  is  de- 
rived from  a  verb  signifying  tc  drink. 


IT  That    they   may    be    placed    alone-  i 
That  they  may  displace  all  others  ;  that  i 
they  may  drive  off  from  their  lands  all  j 
others,   and    take  possession   of  them  j 
themselves.     IT    In   the    midst  of   the  i 
earth-     Or  rather,  in  the  midst  of  the  | 
land.     They  seek  to  obtain  the  whole  j 
of  it,  and  to  expel  all  the  present  own- 
ers.    Never  was  there  a  more  correct 
description  of  avarice.     It    is  satisfied 
with  no  present  possessions,  and  would 
be  satisfied  only  if  all  the   earth  were  , 
»n    its    possession.      Nor    would    the  \ 
covetous  man  be   satisfied   then.     He 
would  sit  down  and  weep   that   there 
was  nothing  more  which  he  could  de- 
sire.    How  different  this  from  that  con- 
tentment  which  is  produced  by  religion, 
and  the  love  of  the  happiness  of  others  ! 
9.   In  mine  ears.     This  probably  re- 
fers to  the  prophet.     As  if  he  had  said, 
"  God  has  revealed  it  to  me,"  or  "  God 
has  said  in  my  ears,"  i-  c.  to  me.    The 
LXX  read  it,  "  these  things  are  heard 
in  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,"  i   e. 
the  wishes  of  the  man  of  avarice.  The 
Chaldee,  "  the  prophet  said,  in  my  ears 
I  have  heard  ;  a  decree  has  gone  from 
the    Lord    of    hosts,"    &c.       IT   Many 
houses  shall  be  desolate.     Referring  to 
the  calamities   that  should  come  upon 
the  nation  for  its  crimes. 

10.  Yea,  ten  acres.  In  this  verse  a 
reason  is  rendered  why  the  houses  men- 
tioned in  the  previous  verse  should  be- 
come desolate.  The  reason  is,  that 
the  land  would  become  sterile  and  bar- 
ren as  a  divine  judgment  for  their  op- 
pression. To  what  particular  time  the 
prophet  refers  here  is  not  apparent  It 
is  certain,  however,  that  the  land  of 
Canaan  was  frequently  given  up  to 
sterility.  The  withholding  of  the  early 
and  latter  rains,  or  the  neglect  of  culti- 
*  uation  from  any  cause,  would  produce 


136 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.7M 


continue   until   night.   6till  wine 
inflame  tliem ! 

12  And    rthe    harp,    and    the 
viol,   the  tabret,  and    pipe,    and 

5  or,  pursue  them.  r  Amos  6.  5,  6. 

to  become  intoxicated. — All  nations 
have  found  out  some  intoxicating  drink. 
That  which  was  used  by  the  Hebrews 
was  made  from  grain,  fruit,  honey, 
dates,  &c,  prepared  by  fermentation. 
The  word  sometimes  means  the  same 
as  wine  (Num  xxviii.  7),  but  more 
commonly  it  refers  to  a  stronger  drink, 
and  is  distinguished  from  it,  as  in  the 
common  phrase,  "  wine  and  strong 
drink."  Lev.  x  9.  Num.  vi.  3.  Judges 
xiii.  4,  7.  Sometimes  it  may  be  used 
for  sjiiced  wine — a  mixture  of  wine 
with  spices  that  would  also  speedily 
produce  intoxication.  The  Chaldee 
renders  the  word  P^F}?  "^O.  '  old  fer- 
mented liquor  ;'  denoting  the  mode  in 
which  strong  drink  was  usually  pre- 
pared. It  may  be  remarked  here,  that 
whatever  may  be  the  form  in  which 
intoxicating  drink  is  prepared,  it  is 
substantially  the  same  in  all  nations. 
Intoxication  is  caused  by  alcohol,  and 
♦Hat  is  produced  by  fermentation.  It 
is  never  created  or  increased  by  distil- 
lation. The  only  effect  of  distillation 
is,  to  collect  and  preserve  the  alcohol 
which  existed  in  the  beer,  the  wine,  or 
the  cider.  Consequently,  the  same 
substance  produces  intoxication  when 
wine  is  drank  which  does  when  brandy 
is  drank  ;  the  same  in  cider  or  other 
fermented  liquor  as  in  ardent  spirits. 
H  That  continue  until  night.  That 
drink  all  day.  This  shows  that  the 
strong  drink  intended  here,  did  not 
produce  sudden  intoxication.  This  is 
an  exact  description  of  what  occurs  i 
constantly  in  oriental  nations.  The) 
custom  of  sitting  long  at  the  wine, 
when  they  have  the  means  of  indul- 
gence, prevails  everywhere.  D'Arvieux 
Bays,  that  while  he  was  stnying  among 
the  Arabs  on  mount  Carmel,  a  wreck 
took  place  on  the  coast,  from  which  one 
of  the  emirs  obtained  two  large  casks 
of  wine.  He  forthwith  sent  to  the 
neighbouring   emirs,  inviting  them  to 


wine,  are  in  their  feasts:  bu 
they  'regard  not  the  work  of  tha 
Lord,  neither  consider  the  ope. 
ration  of  his  hands. 

»  Pa.  28.  5. 


come  and  drink  it.  They  gladly  came, 
and  continued  drinking  for  two  days 
and  two  nights,  till  not  a  drop  of  the 
wine  was  left.  In  like  manner  Taver- 
nier  relates  that  the  king  of  Persia  sent 
for  him  early  one  morning  to  the  pal- 
ace, when,  with  other  persons,  he  was 
obliged  to  sit  all  the  day,  and  late  at 
night,  drinking  wine  with  the  shah ; 
but  at  last,  "the  king  growing  sleepy, 
gave  us  leave  to  depart,  which  w<_  did 
very  willingly,  having  had  hard  labour 
for  seventeen  hours  together."  1T  In- 
flame them.  Excite  them  ;  or  stimu- 
late them.  We  have  the  same  phrase 
— denoting  the  burning  tendency  of 
strong  drink.  The  American  Indians 
appropriately  call  it  fire-water. 

12.  The  prophet  proceeds  to  state 
still  further  the  extent  of  their  crimes. 
This  verse  contains  an  account  of  their 
dissipated  habits  and  their  consequent 
forgetfulness  of  God.  That  they  com- 
monly had  musical  instruments  in  their 
feasts  is  evident  from  many  passages 
of  the  Old  Testament.  See  Amos  vi. 
5,  6.  Their  feasts  also  were  attended 
with  songs.  Isa.  xxiv.  8,  9.  f  The 
harp.  ^123  kinnor.  This  is  a  well- 
known  stringed  instrument  employed 
commonly  in  sacred  music.  It  is  often 
mentioned  as  having  been  used  to  ex- 
press the  pious  feelings  of  David.  Ps. 
xxxii.  2,  xliii.  4,  xlix.  5.  It  is  early 
mentioned  as  having  been  invented  by 
Jubal.  Gen.  iv.  21.  It  is  supposed 
usually  to  have  had  ten  strings  (Jo- 
sephus,  Ant.  B.  x.  ch.  xii.  §  3j.  It  wai 
played  by  the  hand.  1  Sam.  xvi.  23, 
xviii.  9.  The  root  of  the  word  "'ISS 
kinnor  is  unknown.  The  word  kinnor 
is  used  in  all  the  languages  cognate  to 
the  Hebrew,  and  is  recognised  even  in 
the  Persian.  It  is  probable  that  the 
instrument  here  referred  to  was  com- 
mon in  all  the  oriental  nations,  as  it 
seems  to  have  been  known  before  the  % 
flood,  and  of  course  the  knowledge  of 


B.C. 160.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


137 


It  would  be  extended  far.  It  is  an 
oriental  name  and  instrument,  and  from 
this  word  the  Greeks  derived  their 
word  Ktvipa.  The  LXX  render  it 
KiOdpa  and  Ktvipa.  Once  they  substi- 
tute for  it  Spyavov  (Ps.  cxxxvi.  2),  and 
five  times  ipaXTfipiov.  Gen.  iv.  20.  Ps 
xlviii.  4,  lxxx.  2,  cxlix.  3.  Ezek.  xxvi. 
13.  The  harp — kinnor — is  not  only- 
mentioned  as  having  been  invented  by 
Jubal,  but  it  is  also  mentioned  by  La- 
ban  in  the  description  which  he  gives 
of  various  solemnities,  in  regard  to 
which  he  assures  the  fleeing  Jacob  that 
it  had  been  his  wish  to  accompany  him 
with  all  the  testimonials  of  joy — 'with 
music — toph  and  kinnor.'  Gen.  xxxi. 
27.  In  the  first  age  it  was  consecrated 
to  joy  and  exultation.  Hence  it  is  re- 
ferred to  as  the  instrument  employed 
by  David  to  drive  away  the  melancholy 
of  Saul  (1  Sam.  xvi.  16-22),  and  is  the 
instrument  usually  employed  to  cele- 
brate the  praises  of  God.  Ps.  xxxiii. 
1,  2,  xliii.  4,  xlix.  5,  lxxi.  22, 23.  But 
•*he  harp  was  not  only  used  on  sacred 
occasions.  Isaiah  also  mentions  it  as 
carried  about  by  courtesans  (ch.  xxiii. 
16),  and  also  refers  to  it  as  used  on 
occasions  of  gathering  in  the  vintage, 
and  of  increasing  the  joy  of  the  festival 
occasion.  So  also  it  was  used  in  mili- 
tary triumphs.  Under  the  reign  of  Je- 
hoshaphat,  after  a  victory  which  had 
been  gained  over  the  Moabites,  they 
returned  in  triumph  to  Jerusalem  ac- 
companied with  playing  on  the  kinnor. 
2  Chron.  xx.  27,  28.  The  harp  was 
generally  used  on  occasions  of  joy. 
Only  in  one  place  in  Isaiah  (xvi  11)  is 
it  referred  to  as  having  been  employed 
in  times  of  mourning.  There  is  no 
ancient  figure  of  the  kinnor  that  can 
be  relied  on  as  genuine.  We  can  only 
say  that  it  was  an  instrument  made  of 
sounding  wood,  and  furnished  with 
strings.  Josephus  says  that  it  was 
furnished  with  ten  strings,  and  was 
played  with  the  plectrum.  Ant.  B.  viii. 
ch.  19.  Suidas,  in  his  explanation  of 
it,  makes  express  mention  of  strings  or 
sinews  (p.  318)  ;  and  Pollux  speaks  of 
goats'  claws  as  being  used  for  the  plec- 
trum. David  made  it  out  of  the  berosh, 
or  fir,  and  Solomon  out  of  the  almug. 


Pfeiffer  supposes  that  the  stnngs  were 
drawn  over  the  belly  of  a  hollow  piece 
of  wood,  and  that  it  had  some  resem« 
blance  to  our  violin.  But  it  is  more 
probable  that  the  common  representa- 
tion of  the  harp  as  nearly  in  the  form 
of  a  triangle  with  one  side  or  the  front 
part  wanting,  is  the  correct  one.  For 
a  full  discussion  of  the  subject,  see 
Pfeiffer  on  the  music  of  the  ancient 
Hebrews,  Bib.  Repository,  vol.  vi.  pp. 
366-373.  Montfaucon  has  furnished 
a  drawing  of  what  was  supposed  to  be 
the  ancient  kinnor,  which  is  represent- 
ed in  the  annexed  cut.  But,  after  all, 
the  usual  form  is  not  quite  certain. 


Bruce  found  a  sculpture  of  a  harp 
resembling  that  usually  put  into  the 
hands  of  David,  or  nearly  in  the  form 
of  a  triangle,  and  under  circumstances 
which  led  him  to  suppose  that  it  was  as 
old  as  the  times  of  Sesostris.     V  And 


138 


ISAIAH 


[B.C.  760. 


the  viol.  523  nehhel  From  this  word 
is  derived  the  Greek  word  vaft\iov  and 
the  Latin  nablium,  and  nabla.  But  it 
is  not  very  easy  to  form  a  correct  idea 
of  this  instrument.  The  derivation 
would  lead  U9  to  suppose  that  it  was 
something  in  the  shape  of  a  bottle,  and 
it  is  probable  that  it  had  a  form  in  the 
shape  of  a  leathern  bottle,  such  as  is 
used  in  the  East,  or  at  least  a  vessel  in 
which  wine  was  preserved.  1  Sam.  x. 
3,  xxv.  18.  2  Sam  xvi.  1.  It  was  at 
first  made  of  the  tt)"l~i3  berosh  or  fir, 
afterwards  it  was  made  of  the  almug 
tree,  and  occasionally  it  seems  to  have 
been  made  of  metal.  2  Sam.  vi.  5. 
1  Chron.  xiii.  8.  The  external  parts 
of  the  instrument  were  of  wood,  over 
which  strings  were  drawn  in  various 
ways.  Josephus  says,  it  had  twelve 
strings.  Ant.  B.  viii.  ch.  10.  He  says 
also  that  it  was  played  with  the  fingers. 
Ibid.  Hesychius  and  Pollux  reckon  it 
among  stringed  instruments.  The  re- 
sonance had  its  origin  in  the  vessel  or 
the  bottom  part  of  the  instrument,  upon 
which  the  strings  were  drawn.  Ac- 
cording to  Ovid  this  instrument  was 
played  on  with  both  hands. 

Quaravis  mutu9  erat,  voci  favisse  putatur 
I'iscis,  Arotiiut;  tabula  nota  lyrae. 
Disce  etiam  duplice  geiiialia  palma. 
Verrere : 

De  Arte  Amandi,  L.  iii  327. 

According  to  Jerome,  lsodorus,  and 
Cassiodorus,  it  had  the  form  of  an  in- 
verted Greek  Delta  V-  Pfeiffer  sup- 
poses that  this  instrument  was  probably 
the  same   as   is   found   represented  on 


ancient  m  muments.  The  belly  of  the 
instrumen.  is  a  wooden  bowl,  having  a 
small  hole  in  the  under  part,  and  ia 
covered  over  with  a  stretched  skin 
which  is  higher  in  the  middle  than  ai 
the  sides.  Two  posts,  which  are  fast- 
ened together  at  the  top  by  ■&  cross 
piece,  pass  obliquely  through  this  skin. 
Five  strings  pass  over  this  skin,  having 
a  bridge  for  their  support  on  the  cross 
piece.  The  instrument  has  no  pins  oi 
screws,  but  every  string  is  fastened  by 
means  of  some  linen  wound  with  it 
around  this  cross  piece.  The  descrip- 
tion of  this  instrument  is  furnished  by 
Niebuhr  (Th.  i  p.  1?')).  It  is  played 
on  in  two  ways,  either  by  being  struck 
with  the  finger,  or  by  a  piece  of  leather, 
or  perhaps  a  quill  hung  at  its  side  and 
drawn  across  the  strings. — It  cannot 
with  certainty  be  determined  when 
this  instrument  was  invented,  or  when 
it  came  into  use  among  the  Hebrews. 
It  is  first  mentioned  in  the  time  of  Saul 
(1  Sam.  x.  5),  and  from  this  time  on- 
ward it  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the 
Old  Testament.  It  was  used  particu- 
larly in  the  public  worship  of  God. 
2  Sam.  vi.  5.  1  Kings  x.  12.  2  Chron. 
xx.  28,  xxix.  25.  1  Chron.  xv.  ]6,  xvi. 
5.  It  was  usually  accompanied  with 
other  instruments,  and  was  also  used 
in  festivals  and  entertainments.  See 
Biblical  Repository,  vol.  xvi.  pp.  ?57- 
3b'5  The  usual  form  of  representing 
it  is  shown  in  the  annexed  cuts,  and  is 
the  form  in  which  the  lyre  appears  on 
ancient  monuments,  in  connexion  with 
the  statues  of  Apollo. 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


139 


The  annexed  cut  is  a  representation 
of  a  lyre  from  a  Jewish  shekel  of  the 
time  of  S'mon  Mac<  abeus,  and   may 


have  been,  not  improbably,  a  fcrm  in 
frequent  use  among  the  Jews. 


Niebuhr  has  furnished  us  with  an 
instrument  from  the  East  which  is  sup- 
posed to  have  a  very  near  resemblance 


to  that  which  is  referred  to  by  Isaiab. 
This  instrument  is  represented  in  ih« 
following  cut. 


140 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


1T  The  tabret.  t)Pl  tdph.  This  was 
one  of  the  instruments  which  were 
struck  with  the  hands.  It  was  the 
ketlle-druin  of  the  ancients,  and  it  is 
more  easy  to  determine  its  form  and 
use  than  it  is  of  most  of  the  instruments 
used  by  the  Hebrews.  The  LXX  and 
other  Greek  translators  render  it  by 
TVftTravov.  This  word,  as  well  as  the 
Latin  tympanum,  is  manifestly  derived 
from  the  Hebrew.  The  Arabic  word 
duf  applied  to  the  same  instrument  is 
also  derived  from  the  same  Hebrew 
word.  It  was  an  instrument  of  wood, 
hollowed  out,  and  covered  over  with 
leather  and  struck  with  the  hands — a 
species  of  drum  This  form  of  the 
drum  is  used  by  the  Spaniards,  and 
they  have  preserved  it  ever  since  the 
time  of  the  Moors.  It  was  early  used. 
Laban  wished  to  accompany  Jacob 
with  its  sound.  Gen.  xxxi.  27.  Mi- 
riam, the  sister  of  Moses,  and  the 
females  with  her,  accompanied  the 
eong  of  victory  with  this  instrument. 
Ex.  xv.  20.  Job  was  acquainted  with 
it  (Job  xvii.  6,  xxi.  12),  and  David  j 
employed  it  in  the  festivities  of  reli-  I 
gion  2  Sam.  vi.  5.  The  occasions  on  ; 
which  it  is  mentioned  as  being  used  j 
are  joyful  occasions,  and  for  the  most 
part  those  who  play  on  it  are  females, 
and  on  this  account  they  are  called 
'  drum-beating  women'  (Ps.  lxviii.  2fi)  ; 
— in  our  translation,  "  damsels  playing 
with  timbrels."  In  our  translation  it 
is  rendered  tabret, — Isa.  v.  12.  1  Sam. 
X.  5.  Gen.  xxxi  26.  lsa.xxiv.  b,xxxi.  22   i 


1  Sam.  xviii.  6.  Ezek.  xxviii.  13.  Jer. 
xxxi  4.  Job  xvii.  6  ;  tabring,  Nah.  it.  7  J 
and  timbrel,  Ps.  Ixxxi.  2.  Ex.  xv  20. 
Job  xxi.  12.  Ps.  cxlix.  3,  el.  4.  Judges 
xi.  34.  Ps.  lxviii.  25.  It  is  now  here 
mentioned  as  employed  in  war  or  war- 
like transactions.  It  was  sometimes 
made  by  merely  stretching  leather  over 
a  wooden  hoop,  and  thus  answered  to 
tin-  instrument  known  among  us  as  the 
tamborine.  It  was  in  the  form  of  a 
sieve,  and  is  often  found  on  ancient 
monuments,  and  particularly  in  the 
hands  of  Cybele.  In  the  Bast  there  is 
now  no  instrument  more  common  than 
this.  Niebuhr  (Th.  i.  p.  181)  has  given 
the  following  description  of  it :  "  It  is 
a  broad  hoop  covered  on  one  side  with 
a  stretched  skin.  In  the  rim  there  are 
usually  thin  round  pullies  or  wheels  of 
metal  which  make  some  noise,  when 
this  drum,  held  on  high  with  one  hand, 
is  struck  with  the  fingers  of  the  other 
hand  No  musical  instrument  perhaps 
is  so  much  employed  in  Turkey  as  this. 
When  the  females  in  their  hare;, is  dance 
or  sing,  the  time  is  always  beat  on  this 
instrument.  It  is  called  doff"  The  fol- 
lowing figures  are  representations  of  it 


Tambourines  op  Eastern  origin. 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


141 


See  Bib.  Repos.  vol.  vi.  398-402.  It 
is  commonly  supposed  that  from  the 
word  toph,  Tophet  is  derived — a  name 
given  to  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat  near 
Jerusalem,  because  this  instrument  was 
used  there  to  drown  the  cries  of  chil- 
dren when  sacrificed  to  Moloch.  1T  And 
pipe,  -"'•pH  hhdlll. — This  word  is  de- 
rived either  from  ??H  hhdldl,  to  bore 
through,  and  thence  conveys  the  idea 
of  a  flute  bored  through,  and  furnished 
with  holes  (Gesenius)  ;  or  from  ^?n 
hhdldl,  to  leap  or  dance  ;  and  thence 
it  conveys  the  idea  of  an  instrument 
that  was  played  on  at  the  dance.  Pfeiffer. 
The  Greek  translators  have  always 
rendered  it  by  ai\6s.  There  are  in  all 
but  four  places  where  it  occurs  in  the 
Old  Testament — 1  Kings  i  40.  Isa. 
v.  12,  xxx.  29.  Jer.  xlviii.  3fi, — and  it 
is  uniformly  rendered  pipe  or  pipes  by 
our  translators.  The  origin  of  the 
pipe  is  unknown.     It  was   possessed 


by  most  ancient  nations,  though  it  dii- 
fered  much  in  form.  It  was  made 
sometimes  of  wood,  at  others  of  reed, 
at  others  of  the  bones  of  animals,  horns, 
&c.  The  bnx-wood  has  been  the  com- 
mon material  out  of  which  it  was 
made.  It  was  sometimes  ased  for 
plaintive  music  (comp.  Matt.  ix.  23)  ; 
but  it  was  also  employed  in  connexion 
with  other  instruments  while  journey- 
ing up  to  Jerusalem  to  attend  the  great 
feasts  there.  See  Note  on  Isa.  xxx.  29. 
Though  employed  on  plaintive  occa- 
sions, yet  it  was  also  employed  in  times 
of  joy  ana  pleasure.  Hence  in  the 
times  of  Judas  Maccabeus,  the  Jews 
complained  "  that  all  joy  had  vanished 
from  Jacob,  and  that  the  flute  and 
cithera  were  silent."  1  Mac.  iii.  45. 
See  Bibl.  Repos  vol.  vi.  387-392. 
The  following  graceful  figures  will 
show  the  manner  of  playing  the  flute 
or  pipe  among  the  Greeks. 


Greek  Flute  Players. 


It  was  also  a  common  art  to  play  the 
double  flute  or  pipe  in  the  East,  in  the 
manner  represented  in  the  cut  on  next 
page.  In  the  use  of  these  instruments, 
in  itself,  there  could  be  no  impropriety. 


That  which  the  prophet  rebuked  was, 
that  they  employed  them  not  for  praise, 
or  even  for  innocent  amusement,  but 
that  they  introduced  them  to  their 
feasts  of  revelry,  and  thus  made  them 


142 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760. 


13  Therefore  my  people  are 
gone  into  captivity,  because  athey 
have  no   knowledge  ;    and  their 

a  Hos.  4.  6.    Luke  19,  44. 


honourable  men  are  famished, 
and  their  multitude  dried  up  with 
thirst. 


3  glory  are  men  of  famine. 


D0TJ3LE   Ff.UTE  Plavers. 


the  occasion  of  forgetting  God.  For- 
getfulness  of  God,  in  connexion  with 
music  and  dancing,  is  beautifully  de- 
scribed by  Job : 

They  send  forth  their  little  ones  like  a  flock, 

And  their  children  dance; 

They  take  the  timbrel  and  harp, 

And  rejoice  at  the  sound  of  the  organ  ; 

They  spend  their  days  in  mirth, 

And  in  a  moment  go  down  to  the  grave. 

And  they  say  unto  God— 

"  Depart  from  us  ; 

For  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways. 

What  is  the  Almighty,  that  we  should    serve 

him  ? 
And  what  profit  should  we  have  if  we  pray  unto 

him?"  Job  xxi.  11— 15. 

IT  In  their  feasts.  "  The  Nabathaeans 
of  Arabia  Petraea  always  introduced 
music  at  their  entertainments  (Strabo, 
xvi.),  and  the  custom  seems  to  have 
been  very  general  among  the  ancients. 
They  are  mentioned  as  having  been 
essential  among  the  Greeks,  from  the 
earliest  times  ;  and  are  pronounced  by 
Homer  to  be  requisite  at  a  feast : 
JVloArrij  r  up^arii  rf  ra  yiip  t  dva&i)<:aTa 
Sair6S.  Od.  1.  152. 

Aristoxenus,  quoted  by  Plutarch,  De 
Musica,  says  that  the  music  was  de- 
signed to  counteract  the  effects  of  in- 
ebriety ;  for  as  wine  discomposes  the 
body  and  the  iiifnd,  so  music  has  the 
power  of  soothing  them,  and  of  restor- 
ing their  previous  calmness  and  tran- 


quillity." See  Wilkinson's  Manners 
and  Customs  of  the  Ancient  Egyptians, 
vol.  ii.  pp.  248,  249.  IT  But  they  re- 
gard not,  &c.  The  reproof  is  espe- 
cially, that  they  forget  him  in  their 
entertainments.  They  employ  music 
to  inflame  their  passions ;  and  amid 
their  songs  and  wine,  their  hearts  are 
drawn  away  from  God  That  this  is 
the  tendency  of  such  feasts  all  must 
know.  God  is  commonly  forgotten  in 
such  places ;  and  even  the  sweetest 
music  is  made  the  occasion  for  steal- 
ing the  affections  from  Him,  and  of  in- 
flaming the  passions,  instead  of  being 
employed  to  soften  the  feplings  of  the, 
soul,  and  raise  the  heart  to  God.  IT  The 
operation  of  his  hands.  The  work  of 
his  hands — particularly  his  dealings 
among  the  people.  God  is  round  about 
them  with  mercy  and  judgment,  but 
they  do  not  perceive  him. 

13.  Therefore  wy  people  are  gone. 
This  is  evidently  used  with  reference 
to  the  future.  The  prophet  described 
events  as  passing  before  his  eyes  as  a 
vision  (Note  ch.  i.  1);  and  he  here 
seems  to  see  the  people  going  into  cap- 
tivity, and  describes  it  as  an  event 
actually  occurring.  IT  Tnto  captivity. 
Referring  doubtless  to  the  captivity  at 
Babylon.     II  Because     they    hate    no 


B.C.  760] 


CHAPTER  V. 


143 


14  Therefore  hell  hath  en- 
larged herself,  and  opened  her 
mouth  without  measure  :  and 
their  glory,  and  their  multitude, 
and  their  pomp,  and  he  that  re- 
joiceth,  shall  descend  into  it. 

15  And  the  mean  man  shall 
be  brought  down,  and  the  mighty 

knowledge  Because  they  do  not  choose 
to  retain  the  knowledge  of  God.  V  Arid 
their  honourable  men.  The  Hebrew 
is,  "  the  glory  of  the  people  became 
men  of  famine  ;"  that  is,  they  shall  be 
destroyed  with  famine.  This  was  to 
be  a  punishment  for  their  dissipation 
at  their  feasts.  1T  And  their  multitude. 
The  mass,  or  body  of  the  nation  ;  the 
common  people.  1T  Dried  up  with 
thirst.  Are  punished  in  this  manner 
for  their  indulgence  in  drinking.  The 
punishment  here  specified  refers  parti- 
cularly to  a  journey  through  an  arid,  de- 
solate region,  where  drink  could  be  ob- 
tained only  with  difficulty.  Such  was  the 
route  which  the  nation  was  compelled 
afterwards  to  take  in  going  to  Babylon. 
14.  Therefore  hell.  The  word  trans- 
lated hell,  ?1K'J  sheol,  has  not  the 
same  meaning  that  we  now  attach  to 
that  word.  Its  usual  signification 
among  the  Hebrews  was  the  lower 
world,  the  region  of  departed  spirits. 
It  corresponded  to  the  Greek  u<%, 
hades,  or  place  of  the  dead.  This 
word  occurs  eleven  times  in  the  New 
Testament  (Matt.  xi.  23,  xvi.  18. 
Luke  x.  15j  xvi.  23.  Acts  ii.  27,  31. 
1  Cor.  xv.  55.  Rev.  i.  18,  vi  8,  xx  13, 
14),  in  all  of  which  places,  except  1  Cor. 
xv.  55,  it  is  rendered  hell,  though  de- 
noting in  most  of  those  places,  as  it 
does  in  the  Old  Testament,  the  abodes 
of  the  dead.  The  LXX  in  this  place, 
and  usually,  translate  the  word  sheol 
by  airii,  hades.  It  was  represented  by 
the  Hebrews  as  low  down,  or  deep  in 
the  earth — contrasted  with  the  height 
of  heaven.  Deut  xxxii.  22.  Jobxi.  8.  I 
Ps.  cxxxix.  7,8.  It  was  a  place  where  ' 
thick  darkness  reigns.  Job  x.  21,  22:  ' 
"  The  land  of  darkness  and  the  shadow 
of  death  ;  a  land  of  darkness  as  dark- 


man  shall  be  humbled,  and  the 
eyes  of  the  lofty  shall  be  hum- 
bled : 

16  But  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall 
be  exalted  in  judgment,  and  7God, 
that  is  holy,  shall  be  sanctified  in 
righteousness. 

7  the  God  the  holy,  or,  the  holy  God. 

ness  itself."  It  is  described  as  having 
valleys,  or  depths,  Prov.  ix.  18.  It  is 
represented  also  as  having  gates,  Isa. 
xxxviii.  10  ;  and  as  being  inhabited  by 
a  great  multitude,  some  of  whom  sit 
on  thrones,  occupied  in  some  respects 
as  they  were  on  earth.  See  Note  Isa. 
xiv.  9.  And  it  is  also  said  that  the 
wicked  descend  into  it  by  openings  in 
the  earth,  as  Korah,  Dathan  and  Abi- 
ram  did.  Num.  xv.  30,  &c.  In  this 
place  it  means  evidently  the  regions 
of  the  deid  without  the  idea  of  punish- 
ment ;  and  the  poetic  representation 
is,  that  so  many  of  the  Jews  would 
be  cut  off  by  famine,  thirst,  and  the 
sword,  that  those  vast  regions  would 
be  obliged  to  enlarge  th"mselves  in  or- 
der to  receive  them.  It  means,  there- 
fore, that  while  many  of  them  would 
go  into  captivity  (ver.  13),  vast  multi- 
tudes of  them  would  be  cut  off  by 
famine,  thirst,  and  the  sword.  IT  Opened 
her  mouth.  As  if  to  absorb  or  consume 
them — as  a  cavern,  or  opening  of  the 
earth  does.  Compare  Num.  xvi  30. 
IT  Without  measure.  Without  any 
limit.  IT  And  their  glory.  All  that 
they  esteemed  their  pride  and  honour 
shall  descend  together  into  the  yawn- 
ing gulf.  IT  Their  multitude.  The 
multitude  of  people  ;  their  vast  hosts. 
IT  Their  pomp.  Noise,  tumult  ;  the 
bustle,  and  shouting,  and  display  made 
in  battle  or  war,  or  victory.  Isa.  xiii.  4. 
Amos  ii.  2.  Hos.  x.  14.  1T  And  he 
that  rejoiceth.  All  that  the  nation 
prided  itself  on,  and  all  that  was  a 
source  of  joy,  should  be  destroyed. 

15,  16.  And  the  mean  man — the 
mighty  man.  The  expressions  here 
mean  that  all  ranks  would  be  subdued 
and  punished.  See  Note  ch.  ii  9. 
V  The  eyes  of  the  lofty,  &c.    See  Note 


144 


ISAIAH. 


\B.C .700. 


17  Then  shall  the  lambs  feed 
after  their  manner,  and  the  waste 
places  of  the  fat  ones  shall  stran- 
gers eat. 

oh.  ii.  11,  17.  T  Shall  be  exalt td  in 
judgment.  In  his  justice  ;  he  shall  so 
manifest  his  justice  as  to  be  exalted 
in  the  view  of  the  people.  If  Shall  be 
8(inrtified.  Shall  be  regarded  as  holy. 
He  shall  so  manifest  hi3  righteousness 
in  his  dealings,  that  it  shall  be  seen 
and  felt  that  he  is  a  holy  God. 

17.  Then  shall  the  lambs  feed.  This 
verse  is  very  variously  interpreted. 
Most  of  the  Hebrew  commentators 
have  followed  the  Chaldee  interpreta- 
tion, and  have  regarded  it  as  designed 
to  console  the  pious  part  of  the  people 
with  the  assurance  of  protection  in  the 
general  calamity.  The  Chaldee  is, 
"  Then  the  just  shall  feed  as  it  is  said 
to  them  ;  and  they  shall  be  multiplied, 
and  shall  possess  the  property  of  the 
impious  "  By  this  interpretation,  lambs 
are  supposed,  as  is  frequently  the  case 
in  the  Scriptures,  to  represent  the  peo- 
ple of  God.  But  according  to  others, 
the  probable  design  of  the  prophet  is, 
to  denote  the  state  of  utter  desolation 
that  was  coming  upon  the  nation.  Its 
cities,  towns,  and  palaces  would  be  de- 
stroyed, so  as  to  become  a  vast  pas- 
turage where  the  flocks  would  roam  at 
pleasure.  V  After  their  manner.  He- 
brew, "  according  to  their  word,"  i.  e. 
under  their  own  command,  or  at  plea- 
sure. They  would  go  where  they 
pleased  without  being  obstructed  by 
fences.  1r  And  the  waste  places  of  the 
fat  ones.  Most  of  the  ancient  inter- 
preters suppose  that  the  waste  places 
of  the  fat  ones  here  refer  to  the  deso- 
late habitations  of  the  rich  people.  In 
the  judgments  that  should  come  upon 
the  nation,  they  would  become  vacant, 
and  strangers  would  come  in  and  pos- 
sess them.  This  is  the  sense  given  by 
the  Chaldee.  The  Syriac  translates  it, 
"  and  foreigners  shall  devour  the  ruins 
winch  are  yet  to  be  restored."  If  this 
is  the  sense,  then  it  accords  with  the 
frst  interpretation  suggested  of  the 
previous  verse — that  the  pious  should 


18  Wo   unto  them  that  draw 
iniquity    with    cords   of   vanity, 


and   sin 
rope ! 


as  it  were  with  a  cart- 


be  fed,  and  that  the  proud  should  be 
desolate,  and  their  property  pass  into 
the  hands  of  strangers.  By  others 
(Gesenius,  &.C.),  it  is  supposed  to  mean 
that  strangers,  or  foreigners,  would 
come  in,  and  fatten  their  cattle  in  the 
desert  places  of  the  nation.  The  land 
would  be  so  utterly  waste  that  they 
would  come  there  to  fatten  their  cattle 
in  the  rank,  and  wild  luxuriancy  that 
would  spontaneously  spring  up.  This 
sense  will  suit  the  connection  of  the 
passage,  but  there  is  some  difficulty  in 
making  it  out  from  the  Hebrew.  The 
Hebrew  which  is  rendered  "  the  waste 
places  of  the  fat  ones,"  may  however 
be  translated  "  the  deserts  that  are  rich 
-  rank — luxuriant"  The  word  stran- 
ger denotes  foreigners  ;  or  those  who 
are  not  permanent  dwellers  in  the  land. 
18.  Wo  unto  them,  &c.  'This  is  a 
new  denunciation.  It  introduces  ano- 
ther form  of  sin,  and  threatens  its  ap- 
propriate punishment.  IT  That  draw 
iniquity  with  cords  of  vanity.  The 
general  idea  in  this  verse  and  the  next 
is,  doubtless,  that  of  plunging  deepei 
and  deeper  into  sin.  The  word  sin 
here,  has  been  sometimes  supposed  to 
mean  the  punishment  for  sin  The 
word  has  that  meaning  sometimes,  but 
it  seems  here  to  be  taken  in  its  usual 
sense.  The  word  cords  means  strings 
of  any  kind,  larger  or  smaller  ;  and  the 
expression  cords  of  vanity  is  supposed 
to  mean  small,  slender,  feeble  strings — 
like  the  web  of  a  spider.  The  word 
vanity  Nl^ ,  may  perhaps  have  the 
sense  here  of  falsehood  or  deceit ;  and 
the  cords  of  deceit  may  denote  the 
schemes  of  evil,  the  plans  for  deceiving 
men,  or  of  bringing  them  into  a  snare, 
as  the  fowler  springs  his  deceitful  snare 
upon  the  unsuspecting  bird.  The  Chal- 
dee translates  it,  "  Wo  to  those  who 
begin  to  sin  by  litrle  and  little,  drawing 
sin  by  cords  of  vanity  ;  these  sins  grow 
and  increase  until  they  are  strong,  and 
l  are  like  a  cart-rope."     The  LXX  ren- 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


145 


19  That  say,  Let  him  make 
speed,  and  hasten  his  work,  that 
we  may  see  it :  and  let  the  coun- 
sel of'the  Holy  One  of  Israel 
draw  nigh  and  come,  that  we 
may  know  it. 

20  Wo   unto  them  that   Jcall 

/2Pet.3.3,4.     1  say  concerning  evil,  it  i*  good. 

der  it,  "  Wo  to  those  who  draw  sin 
with  a  long  cable  ;"  i.  e.,  one  sin  is 
added  to  another,  until  it  comes  to  an 
enormous  length,  and  the  whole  is 
drawn  along  together.  Probably  the 
true  idea  is  that  of  the  ancient  interpre- 
tation of  the  Rabbins,  "  An  evil  incli- 
nation is  at  first  like  a  fine  hair  string, 
but  the  finishing  like  a  cart-rope."  At 
first  they  draw  sin  with  a  slender  cord  ; 
then  they  go  on  to  greater  deeds  of 
iniquity  that  urge  them  on,  and  draw 
them  with  their  main  strength,  as  with 
a  cart-rope.  They  make  a  strong  effort 
to  commit  iniquity. 

19.  That  say,  &,c.  They  add  one 
sin  to  another  for  the  purpose  of  defy- 
ing God,  and  provoking  him  to  anger 
They  pretend  that  he  will  not  punish 
sin  ;  and  hence  they  plunge  deeply  into 
it,  and  defy  him  to  punish  them.  IT 
Let  him  make  speed.  Let  him  come 
quick  to  punish.  IT  And  hasten  his 
work  His  punishment.  IT  That  ice 
may  see  it.  An  expression  of  defiance. 
We  would  like  to  see  him  undertake 
it.  IT  The  counsel  of  the  Holy  One, 
&c.    His  threatened  purpose  to  punish 

■ — This  is  the  language  of  all  sinners. 
They  plunge  deep  into  sin  ;  they  mock 
at  the  threatenings  of  God  ;  they  defy 
him  to  do  his  utmost  ;  they  do  not  be- 
lieve his  declarations.  It  is  difficult 
to  conceive,  more  dreadful  and  high- 
handed iniquity  than  this. 

20.  Wo  unto  them  that  call  evil  good , 
&c.  This  is  the  fourth  class  of  sins 
denounced.  The  sin  which  is  repro- 
bated here  is  that  of  perverting  and 
confounding  things,  especially  the  dis- 
tinctions of  morality  and  religion. 
They  prefer  erroneous  and  false  doc- 
trines to  the  true ;  they  prefer  an  evil 
to  an  upright  course  of  conduct.  The 
Chaldee   readers   thus,   "  Wo  to  those 

7 


evil  good,  and  good  evil ;  that 
put  darkness  for  light,  and  light 
for  darkness ;  that  put  bitter  for 
sweet,  and  sweet  for  bitter  ! 

21  Wo  unto  them  that  are  wise 
in  their  own  %yes,  and  prudent 
4 in  their  own  sight ! 

i  Prov.  26.  12.      4  before  their  face. 


who  say  to  the  impious  who  are  pros- 
pered in  this  age,  you  are  good,  and 
who  say  to  the  meek,  ye  are  impious." 
.Tarchi  thinks  that  the  prophet  here  re- 
fers to  those  who  worship  idols,  but  he 
evidently  has  a  more  general  reference 
to  those  who  confound  all  the  distinctions 
of  right  and  wrong,  and  who  prefer  the 
wrong.  IT  That  put  darkness  for  light. 
Darkness,  in  the  Scriptures,  is  the  em- 
blem of  ignorance,  error,  false  doctrine, 
crime.  Light  denotes  truth,  knowledge, 
piety.  This  clause,  therefore,  expresses 
in  a  figurative,  but  more  emphatic  man- 
ner, what  was  said  in  the  previous  mem- 
ber of  the  verse.  IT  That  put  bitter.  Bit- 
ter and  bitterness  are  often  used  to  de- 
note sin.  See  Note  on  Acts  viii.  2.3,  also 
Rom.  iii.  14.  Eph.  iv.  31.  Heb.  xii.  15. 
Jer  ii.  19, iv.  18.  The  meaning  here  doeg 
not  differ  from  that  expressed  in  the 
other  parts  of  the  verse,  except  that 
there  is  implied  the  additional  idea  that 
sin  is  bitter ;  and  that  virtue,  or  holi- 
ness, is  sweet :  that  is,  that  the  one  is 
attended  with  painful  consequences, 
and  the  other  with  pleasure. 

21.  Wo  to  them  that  are  wise,  &c. 
This  is  the  fifth  crime  specified.  It 
refers  to  those  who  are  inflated  with  a 
false  opinion  of  their  own  knowledge, 
and  who  are  tkerefore  self-confident 
and  vain.  This  is  expressly  forbidden. 
Prov.  iii  7 :  "Be  not  wise  in  thine 
own  eyes."  Comp.  Prov.  xxvi.  12. 
1f  1 a  their  own  eyes.  In  their  own 
opinion,  or  estimation.  IT  And  pru- 
dent Knowing ;  self-conceited.  This 
was  doubtless  one  characteristic  of  the 
times  of  Isaiah.  It  is  known  to  have 
been  strikingly  the  characteristic  of 
the  Jews — particularly  the  Pharisees — 
in  the  time  of  our  Saviour.  The  evil 
of  this  was,  (1.)  That  it  evinced  and 
fostered  pride.     (2.)  That  it  rendered 


146 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760. 


22  Wo  unto  them  that  are 
mighty  to  drink  wine,  and  men  of 
strength  to  mingle  strong  drink: 

23  Which  justify  the  wicked 
for  reward,  and  take  away  the 
righteousness  of  the  righteous 
from  him  ! 

24  Therefore  as  the  6fire  de- 

6  tongue  of  fire. 


them  unwilling  to  he  instructed,  and 
especially  by  the  prophets.  As  they 
supposed  that  they  were  already  wise 
enough,  they  refused  to  listen  to  others. 
This  is  always  the  effect  of  such  self- 
confidence  ;  and  hence  the  Saviour 
required  his  disciples  to  be  meek,  and 
humble,  and  teachable  as  children. 

22.  Wo  unto  them  that  ore.  mighty, 
&c.  This  is  the  sixth  specification  of 
crime.  He  had  already  denounced  the 
intemperate  in  ver.  11.  But  probably 
this  was  a  prevailing  sin.  Perhaps 
there  was  no  evidence  of  reform,  and 
it  was  needful  to  repeat  the  admonition 
in  order  that  men  might  be  brought 
to  regard  it.  The  prophet  repeats  a 
similar  denunciation  in  eh  lvi.  12. 
IT  Mighty.  Perhaps  those  who  prided 
themselves  on  their  ability  to  drink 
much  without  becoming  intoxicated — 
who  had  been  so  accustomed  to  it, 
that  they  defied  its  effects,  and  boasted 
of  their  power  to  resist  its  usual  influ- 
ence. A  similar  idea  is  expressed  in 
ch.  lvi.  12.  IT  Men  of  strength.  The 
Chaldee  understands  this  of  rich  men; 
but  probably  the  reference  is  to  those 
who  boasted  that  they  were  able  to 
bear  much  strong  drink.  IT  To  min- 
gle. To  mix  wine  with  spices,  dates, 
drugs,  &e  ,  to  make  it  more  intoxi- 
cating. Prov.  ix.  2,  5.  They  boasted 
that  they  were  able  to  drink,  without 
injury,  liquor  of  extraordinary  intoxi- 
cating qualities.  %  Strong  drink.  Note 
ver.  11.  On  the  subject  of  the  strong 
drink  used  in  the  East,  see  Harmar's 
Observations,  vol.  ii.  pp.  140-148.  Ed. 
Lond.  1   08. 

23.  Which  justify.  This  refers 
doubtless  to  magistrates.  They  gave 
unjust  decisions.     H  For  reward.    For  , 


voureth  the  stubble,  and  the 
flame  consumeth  ''the  chaff,  so 
their  root  shall  he  as  rottenness, 
and  their  blossom  shall  go  up  as 
dust.  Because  they  have  cast 
away  the  law  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  and  despised  the  word  of 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel ; 


k  Matt.  3.  12 


bribes.  V  And  take  away  the  right- 
eousness. 1  hat  :s,  they  do  not  decide 
the  cauflp  ir  iavnur  of  thos,e  who  have 
just  clp;'rrj,  but  are  determined  by  a 
bribe,  ftee  No'*  ch.  i.  23.  It  is  re- 
mark-'tye  that  this  is  introduced  in 
innne.»1ate  connection  with  their  being 
migruy  to  mingle  s*.mng  drink.  One 
efl'ef-s.  of  intemperance  is  to  make  a 
mar.  ready  to  be  bribed.  Its  effect  is 
seev.  as  clearly  in  court'?  of  justice,  and 
in  \,ie  decisions  of  such  courts,  as  any 
wh^re.  A  man  that  is  intemperate,  or 
th.t  indulges  in  strong  drink,  is  not 
qi  ilified  to  be  a  judge. 

24.  Therefore  as  the  fir  »,  &c.  The 
rr mainder  of  this  chaptei  is  occupied 
v.  ith  predicting  judgment*  or  punish- 
ments upon  the  people  for  their  sins 
vhich  had  been  specified.  The  He- 
brew here  is  "  the  tongue  ol  fire."  The 
iigure  is  beautiful  and  obvious  It  is 
derived  from  the  pyramidal, cr  tongue- 
like appen  ranee  of  flume.  The  con- 
cinnity  of  the  metaphor  in  the  Hebrew 
is  kept  up  .  The  word  devoureth  is  in 
the  Hebrew  edteth.  '  As  the  tongue 
of  fire  eats  up,'  &c.  The  us-v  of  the 
word  tongue  to  denote  flame  is  common 
in  the  Scriptures.  See  Note  on  Acta 
ii.  3  IT  And  the  flame  consumeth  thi 
chaff.  The  word  rendered  chaff  hero 
means  rather  hay,  or  dried  grass.  The 
word  rendered  "  consumeth,"  dcnotei 
properly  to  make  to  fall,  and  refers  tc 
the  appearance  when  a  fire  passei 
through  a  field  of  grain  or  grass,  con- 
suming the  stalks  near  the  ground,  sc 
that  the  upper  portion  falls  down  o' 
sinks  gently  into  the  flames.  T  Sa 
shall  their  rout  be  as  rottenness.  Be 
rotten;  or  decayed — of  course  turn  'h 
ing  no  moisture,  or  suitable  juice*   roi 


.B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


14T 


25  Therefore  is  the  anger  of 
the  Lord  kindled  against  his 
people,  and  he  hath  stretched 
forth  his  hand  against  them, 
and  hath  smitten  them  :  and  the 
hills    did    '"tremble,     and    their 


the  support  of  the  plant.  The  idea  is, 
that  all  the  sources  of  national  pros- 
perity among  the  Jews  would  be  de- 
stroyed. The  word  root  is  often  used 
to  denote  the  source  of  strength  or 
prosperity  Is.  xiv.  30.  Hos.  ix.  16. 
Job  xviii.  16  IT  And  their  blossom. 
This  word  rather  means  germ,  or  ten- 
der branch.  It  also  means  the  flower. 
The  figure  is  kept  up  here.  As  the 
root  would  be  destroyed,  so  would  all 
that  was  supported  by  it,  and  all  that 
was  deemed  beautiful,  or  ornamental. 
IT  As  dust.  The  Hebrew  denotes  fine 
dust,  such  as  is  easily  blown  about. 
The  root  would  be  rotten ;  and  the 
flower,  wanting  nourishment,  would 
become  dry,  and  turn  to  dust,  and  blow 
away.  Their  strength,  and  the  sources 
of  their  prosperity  would  be  destroyed  ; 
and  all  their  splendour  and  beauty,  all 
that  was  ornamental,  and  the  source  of 
national  wealth,  would  be  destroyed 
with  it  I  They  hare  cast  away. 
They  have  refused  to  obey  it.  This 
was  the  cause  of  all  the  calamities  that 
would  come  upon  them. 

25.  Therefore  is  the  anger  of  the 
Lord  kindled.  The  Lord  is  enraged, 
or  is  angry.  Similar  expressions  often 
occur.  Num.  xi  33.  2  Kings  xxiii.  26, 
Deut.  xi.  17.  Ps.  lvi.  40.  Job  xix.  11. 
Ps  ii.  12.  The  cause  of  his  anaer  was 
the  crimes  which  are  specified  in  this 
chapter.  IT  And  he  hath  stretched 
forth  his  hand.  To  stretch  forth  the 
hand  may  be  an  action  expressive  of 
protection,  invitation,  or  punishment 
Here  it  is  the  latter.  Comp  Isa.  xiv. 
27.  II  And  hath  smitten  them.  Pun- 
ished them.  To  what  this  refers  par- 
ticularly is  not  clear.  Gesenius  sup- 
poses that  the  expressions  which  follow 
are  descriptive  of  pestilence.  Lowth 
and  Rosenmiiller  suppose  that  they 
refer  to  the  earthquakes  which  occurred 
in  the  days  of  Uzziah   and  in  the  time 


carcasses  were  torn8  in  the  midst 
of  the  streets.     For  all"  this  his 
anger   is   not   turned    away,  but 
his  hand  is  stretched  out  still. 
26  And  he  will  lift  up  an  en- 

m  Hab.  3.  6.       8  or,  as  dung,      n  Le.  26. 14,  &c. 

|  of  the  prophets.    Amos  i   1.   Zech.xiv. 

!  5.  The  words  perhaps  will  bear 
either  construction.  1"  And  the  hills 
did  tremble.  This  expression  is  one 
that  is  often  used  in  the  Scriptures  to 
denote  the  presence  and  anger  of  God. 

|  It  is  well  adapted  to  describe  an  earth- 
quake ;  but  it  is  also  often  used  poetical- 
ly to  describe  the  presence,  and  the  ma- 

I  jestyofthe  Most  High    Comp.Ps  cxliv. 

i  5  Job  ix  6,  xxvi.  11.  Ps.  cxiv.  7.  Jer. 
iv.  24.  Hab  iii.  10.  Ps.  xviii.  7,  xcvii.  5, 

j  civ.  32.  The  image  is  one  that  is  very 
sublime.     The  earth,  as  if  conscious  of 

I  the  presence  of  God,  is  represented  as 
alarmed,  and  trembling.  Whether  it 
refers  here  to  the  earthquake,  or  to 
some  other  mode  of  punishment,  can- 
not be  determined  The  fact,  however, 
that  such  an  earthquake  had  occurred 
in  the  time  of  Isaiah,  would  seem  to  fix 
the  expression  to  that.  Tsaiah  from 
that  took  occasion  also  to  denounce 
future  judgments.  This  was  but  the 
beginning  of  woes.  1T  And  their  car- 
casses were  torn.  The  margin  here  is 
the  more  correct  translation.  The 
passage  means  that  their  dead  bo- 
dies were  strewed,  unburied,  like  filth 
through  the  streets.  This  expression 
would  more  naturally  denote  a  pesti- 
lence But  it  may  be  descriptive  of  an 
earthquake,  or  of  any  calamity.  IT  For 
all  this.  Notwithstanding  all  this 
calamity,  his  judgments  are  not  at  an 
end.  He  will  punish  the  nation  more 
severely  still.  In  what  way  he  would 
do  it,  the  prophet  proceeds  in  tho 
remainder  of  the  chapter  to  specify. 
Comp.  ch.  ix.  12,  x.  4. 

26.  And  he  will  lift  up  an  ensign, 
&c.  The  idea  here  is,  that  the  nations 
of  the  earth  are  under  his  control,  and 
that  he  can  call  whom  he  pleases  to 
execute  his  purposes.  This  power  over 
the  nations  he  often  claims.  Comp.  Is. 
xliv.  28    xiv.  1-7    x.  5-7,  ix  11,  viii, 


148 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  700. 


sign  to  the  nations  from  far,  and  j  27  None  "shall  be  weary  noi 
will  hiss  unto  them  from  the  end  j  stumble  among  them  ;  none  shall 
of  the  earth  ;  and,  behold,  they  j  slumber  nor  sleep;  neither  shall 
shall  come  with  speed  swiftly.         the  girdle  of  their  loins  be  loosed, 


0  Joe]  2.   3—11. 


18.  An  ensign  is  the  standard,  or  flag 
used  in  an  army.  The  elevation  of 
the  standard  was  a  signal  for  assem- 
bling for  war.  God  represents  himself 
here  as  simply  raising  the  standard, 
expecting  that  the  nations  would  come 
at  once.  II  And  will  hiss  unto  them. 
This  means  that  he  would  collect  them 
together  to  accomplish  his  purposes. 
The  expression  is  probably  taken  from 
the  manner  in  which  bees  were  hived. 
Theodoret  and  Cyril  on  this  place  say, 
that  in  Syria  and  Palestine,  they  who 
kept  bees  were  able  to  draw  them  out 
of  their  hives,  and  conduct  them  into 
fields,  and  bring  them  back  again,  with 
the  sound  of  a  flute  or  the  noise  of 
hissing.  It  is  certain  also  that  the 
ancients  had  this  idea  respecting  bees. 
Pliny  (Lib.  xi.  ch.  2U)  says :  Gaudent 
plausu,  atque  tinnitn  aeris,  eoque  con- 
vocantur.  "  They  rejoice  in  a  sound, 
and  in  the  tinkling  of  brass,  and  are 
thus  called  together."  ..Elian,  Lib.  v. 
ch  13,  says,  that  when  they  are  dis- 
posed to  fly  s  «  ay,  their  keepers  make 
a  musical  and  harmonious  sound,  and 
that  they  are  thrtfj  brought  back  as  by 
a  Siren,  and  reaiored  to  their  hives. 
So  Virgil  says,  when  speaking  of  bees, 

Tinnftusque  cie,  el  MfUria  quate  cymbala  circum. 
Geofg.  iv.  64. 

"  On  bra7tn  vesaeif  brat  a  tinkling  sound, 
.And  uhaUe  the  c  rnbals  of  the  goddess  round; 
Then  all  wi  I  lifal.ly  retreat,  and  fill 
Tho  warm  /eaoji/ding  hollow  of  their  cell." 
Addison. 

So  Ovid : 

Jamque  eiat  ad  Rhodopen  Pangaeaque  flumina 

yentaii), 
leriferuo  comitum  cum  crepuere  maims. 
%coe  l  novae  coeunl  volucree  tinnitibus  actae 
Auosque  movent  sonitus  aera  sequuntur  apes. 
Fastor,  Lib.  in.  739. 

$ee  also  Columella,  Lib  x.  c.  7  ;  Lu- 
can,  Lib.  ix.  ver.  JiHtf,  and  Claudian, 
Panegyric,  in  sextuin  consul.  Honorii, 
ver  259!  Comp.  Boph'art,  Hieroz  P. 
ii.  Lib  iv  c.  x.  pp.  5'HJ,  507.  The 
prophets  refer  to  that  fact  in  ?£veral 


places,  Isa.  viii.  18.  Zech.  x.  8.  The 
simple  meaning  is,  that  God,  at  his 
pleasure,  would  collect  the  nations 
around  Judea  like  bees,  i.  e.  in  great 
numbers.  H  The  end  of  the  earth. 
That  is,  the  remotest  parts  of  the 
world.  The  most  eastern  nations 
known  to  them  were  probably  the  Ba- 
bylonians, Medes,  Persians,  and  per- 
haps the  inhabitants  of  India.  The 
general  idea  is,  that  he  would  call  in 
the  distant  nations  to  destroy  them. 
In  Isa  vii.  IS,  Egypt  and  Assyria  are 
particularly  specified.  This  was  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  prediction  in  Deut. 
xxviii.  49. 

27.  None  shall  be  weary.  In  this 
verse  and  the  following,  the  prophet 
describes  the  condition  of  the  army 
that  would  be  summoned  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  Judea.  It  would  be  composed 
of  bold,  vigorous,  courageous  men; 
they  would  be  unwearied  by  Ions  and 
painful  journies  ;  they  would  be  fierce 
and  violent ;  they  would  come  fully 
prepared  for  conquest.  None  would  be 
weary,  i  e.  fatigued  with  'long  marches, 
or  with  hard  service.  JJeut.  xxv.  18.  2 
Sam.  xvi.  14.  IT  Nor  stumble.  They 
shall  be  chosen,  select  men — not  those 
who  are  defective,  or  who  shall  easily 
fall  by  any  impediments  in  the  way  oi 
their  march.  IT  None  shall  slumLcr 
They  shall  be  unwearied,  and  indefati- 
gable, pursuing  their  purpose  with  evet 
watchful  vigilance — so  much  as  not  to 
be  off  their  guard.  They  cannot  be 
taken  by  surprise.  IT  Neither  ehJll  the 
girdle  of  their  loins  be  loused.  The 
ancients  wore  a  loose,  large,  flowing 
robe,  or  upper  garment.  When  they 
laboured,  or  ran,  it  was  necessary  to 
gird  this  up  round  the  body,  or  to  lay 
it  aside  altogether.  The  form  of  ex- 
pression here  may  mean  that  they  will 
not  relax  their  efforts  ;  they  will  not 
unloose  their  girdle  ;  they  will  not  un- 
fit themselves  for  vigorous  action,  and 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


149 


nor  the  latchet  of  their  shoes  be 
broken  : 

28  Whose   arrows  are  sharp, 
and    all    their    bows  bent,   their 
horses'   hoofs   shall   be    counted  ' 
like  flint,  and  their  wheels  like  a 
whirlwind  : 

29  Their  roaring  shall  be  like 

for  battle.     In  that  girdle,  with  which 
they  bound  up  their  robes,  the  orientals  ! 
usually  carried  their  dirks  and  swords.  | 
See  Neh.  iv.   16.  Ezek.  xxii.  15.     It 
means  that  they  should  be  fully,  and  at 
all  times,  prepared  for  action      IT  Xor 
the    latchet  of   their   shoes   be   broken. 
They  will  be  constantly   prepared  for 
marches.     The  shoes,  sandals,  or  soles  ! 
were  attached  to  the  feet  not  by  upper  I 
leather,  but  were  girded  on  by  thongs  J 
or  strings.     See  Notes  on  Matt.  iii.  2.  , 

28.  Whose  arrows  are  sharp.  Bows  j 
and  arrows  were  the  common  instru- 
ments of  fighting  at  a  distance.  Ar- 
rows were,  of  course, -mad''  sharp,  and 
usually  pointed  with  iron  for  the  pur- 
pose of  penetrating  the  shields  or  coats 
of  mail  which  were  used  to  guard 
against  them.  IT  And  all  their  bows 
bent.  All  ready  for  battle.  1T  Their 
horses'  hoofs  shall  be  counted  like  flint. 
It  is  supposed  that  the  ancients  did  not 
usually  shoe  their  horses.  Hence  a 
hard,  solid  hoof  would  add  greatly  to 
the  value  of  a  horse.  The  prophet 
here  means,  that  their  horses  would  be 
prepared  for  any  fatigue,  or  any  expe- 
dition. See  a  full  description  of  horses 
and  chariots  in  Bochart's  Hieroz.  Part 
i.  Lib.  ii  chs.  viii.  ix  IT  And  their 
wheels  like  a  whirlwind.  That  is,  the 
wheels  of  their  chariots  shall  be  swift 
as  the  wind,  and  they  shall  raise  a  cloud 
of  dust  like  a  whirlwind.  This  com- 
parison was  very  common,  as  it  is  now. 
See  Bochart.  See  also  a  magnificent  de- 
scription of  a  war-horse  in  Job  xxxix. 
l'J-25. 

2\).  Their  roaring,  &,c.  Their  bat- 
tle cry,  or  their  shout  as  they  enter  into 
an  engagement.  Such  a  shout  or  cry 
was  common  at  the  commencement  of 
a  battle.     War  was  very  much  a  per- 


a  lion,  they  shall  roar  like  young 
lions ;  yea,  they  shall  roar,  and 
lay  hold  of  the  prey,  and  shall 
carry  it  away  safe,  and  none 
shall  deliver  it. 

30  And  in  that  day  shall  lhey 
roar  against  them  like  the  roar- 
ing of  the  sea ;  and  if  one  look 

sonal  conflict ;  and  they  expected  to 
accomplish  much  by  making  it  as 
frightful  and  terrible  as  possible.  A 
shout  served  not  only  to  excite  their 
own  spirits,  but  to  produce  an  impres- 
sion of  their  numbers  and  courage,  and 
to  send  dismay  into  the  opposite  ranks. 
Such  shouts  are  almost  always  men- 
tioned by  Homer,  and  by  other  writers 
in  their  accounts  of  battles.  They  are 
often  mentioned,  also,  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. Ex.  xxxii.  18.  Josh.  vi.  10, 
1G,  20.  Jer.  1.  15.  1  Sam.  xvii.  20,  52. 
2  Chron.  xiii.  15.  Job  xxxix.  25.  V 
Like  a.  lion.  This  comparison  is 
common  in  the  Bible.  Jer.  Ii.  38. 
Hos.  xi.  10.  Amos  iii.  4.  Comp. 
Num.  xxiii.  24.  IT  Like  young  lions. 
This  variation  of  the  expression  from 
the  lion  to  the  young  lion  is  very  com- 
mon. It  is  the  Hebrew  form  of  poetry 
where  the  second  member  expresses 
little  more  than  the  first.  Here  the 
description  is  that  of  a  lion,  or  more 
probably  a  lioness  and  her  whelps,  all 
ravenous,  and  all  uniting  in  roaring  for 
prey.  The  idea  is,  that  the  army 
that  would  come  up  would  be  greedy 
of  plunder  ;  they  would  rush  on  to 
rapine  in  a  frightful  manner. 

30.  They  shall  roar  against  them. 
The  army  that  shall  come  up  shall  roar 
against  the  Jews.  The  image  of  the 
roaring  of  the  sea  indicates  the  great 
number  that  would  come ;  that  of  the 
roaring  of  the  lion  denotes  their  fierce- 
ness and  terror.  IT  And  if  one  look 
unto  the  land.  This  expression  has 
given  some  perplexity  because  it  is  sup- 
posed not  to  be  full  or  complete.  The 
whole  image,  it  has  been  supposed  (see 
Lowth),  would  be  that  of  looking  up- 
ward to  the  heaven  for  help,  and  then 
to  the  land,  or  earth.     Comp.  ch.  viii. 


150 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.760. 


unto  the  land,   behold  darkness 
and  'sorrow,  7and  the   light   is 


22,  where  the  same  expression  is  used. 
But  there  is  no  need  of  supposing  the 
expression  defective.  The  prophet 
speaks  of  the  vast  multitude  that  was 
coming  up  and  roaring  like  the  tumul- 
tuous ocean.  On  that  side  there  was 
no  safety-  The  waves  were  rolling, 
and  every  thing  was  fitted  to  produce 
alarm.  It  was  natural  to  speak  of  the 
other  direction  as  the  land,  or  the 
shore  ;  and  to  say  that  the  people  would 
look  there  for  safety.  But,  says  he, 
there  would  be  no  safety  there.  All 
would  be  darkness.  IT  Darkness  and 
sorrow.  This  is  an  image  of  distress 
tnd  calamity.  There  should  be  no 
ight ;  no  consolation,  no  salety.  Comp. 


darkened  in  the  heavens  thereof. 

6  or,  d:s;ress.    1  cr,  when  it  is  light,  it  slw'.i 
be  dark  in  the  destructions  thereof. 

ch.  lix.  9.  Amosv.  18,  20.  Lam.  i'ti.  2 
It  And  the  light  is  darkened,  &,e.  That 
which  gave  light  is  turned  to  darkness. 
IT  In  the  heavens  thereof.  In  the 
clouds,  perhaps,  or  by  the  gloomy  thick 
clouds.  Lowth  renders  it,  "  the  light 
is  obscured  by  the  gloomy  vapour.'' 
The  main  idea  is  plain,  that  there 
would  be  distress  and  calamity  ;  and 
that  there  would  be  no  light  to  guide 
thrm  on  their  way.  On  the  one  hand 
a  roaring,  raging  multitude,  like  the 
sea  ;  on  the  other  distress,  perplexity 
and  gloom.  Thus  shut  up,  they 
must  perish,  and  their  land  be  utterly 
desolate. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


ANALYSIS  OF  THE  CHAPTER. 


'  .w  chapter  contains  a  very  sublime  description  of  the  manifestation  of  Jehovah  to  Isaiah,  and  of 
A  f  fmn  commission  to  him  to  declare  his  purposes  to  the  Jews.  It  has  been  supposed  by  many  la 
•e  a  solemn  inauguration  to  the  prophetic  office,  and  to  have  been  the  first  of  his  prophecies.  But 
this  supposition  is  not  to  be  considered  as  just.  It  is  evident  (Isaiah  i.  I),  that  he  prophesied  brjurc  the 
death  of  Uzziah,  and  there  is  reason  to  suppose  that  the  ordor  of  time  is  observed  in  the  previous 
chapters.  See  Introduction,  %  2.  The  most  probable  supposition  of  the  occasion  of  this  prophecy  is 
this,  that  the  people  were  extremely  guilty ;  that  they  were  strongly  indisposed  to  listen  to  tie  tnes- 
lage  ni  the  prophet,  and  that  he  was  therefore  favoured  with  this  extraordinary  commission  in  order 
10  give  his  message  more  success  and  higher  authority  in  the  minds  of  t lie  people.  It  is  a  new  com- 
mission to  make  his  message  us  impressive  as  possible— as  if  il  came  direct  from  the  lips  of  the  Al- 
mighty. The  Jews  say,  that  for  this  pretension  that  lie  had  seen  Jehovah,  he  was  saw  n  asunder  by 
Mannsseh.  And  to  this  fact  Paul  lias  been  supposed  to  refer  in  Hch.  xi.  37,  where  he  says  of  those 
who  had  been  eminent  in  faith,  "  they  were  sawn  asunder."    See  the  Introduction,  §2. 

This  vision  is  expressed  in  the  language  appropriate  to  Eastern  monarchs  God  is  represented  us 
silling  on  B  throne,  and  attended  by  ministers  here  called  Seraphim.     His  throne  is  elevated,  and  the 

posture  of  sitting  denotes  dignity  and  majesty.  The  language  of  the  description  is  taken  from  the 
temple.  The  image  is  that  ot  God  sitting  in  the  most  holy  place.  Surrounding  him  are  seen  the 
Seraphim,  and  the  cloud  filling  the  temple.    Isaiah  is  represented  as  without  the  temple,  near  the 

altar.  The  great  altar  of  sacrifice  stood  directly  in  front  of  the  temple,  so  that  if  the  doors  of  I  be  tem- 
ple had  been  open,  and  the  veil  separating  the  holy  from  the  tno-t  holy  place  had  been  withdrawn, 
he  would  have  had  a  distinct  view  of  the  mercy-seat.  That  veil  between  is  supposed  to  be  with- 
drawn, and  he  is  permitted  directly  to  contemplate  the  sacred  and  solen lanife;  ration  made  in  the 

immediate  dwelling  place  of  God.     The  chapter  comprises,  properly,  three  pa  in. 

I  The  /■/'  Hon,  its  1  —4.  Jehovah  is  seen  upon  a  throne  clad  in  the  manner  of  an  ancient  monurch. 
with  a  robe  and  a  tram  which  tilled  the  w  hole  temple.  He  sits  as  a  kini:.  and  is  adorned  in  the  robe-, 
of  royalty,  ver.  1.  He  is  encompassed  with  ministering  spirits— with  the  Seraphim,  in  the  mania  . 
ot  a  magnificent  king  ver  2.  They  are  seen  by  the  prophet  to  be  solemnly  engaged  in  his  worship 
anil  to  stand  in  the  attitude!  of  the  most  profound  veneration,  ver  ::  So  awful  and  sublime  was  the 
worship,  that  even  the  posts  of  the  temple  were  moved  the  whole  sacred  edifice  trembled  ai  the 
presence  pi  God,  and  at  the  voice  of  those  who  were  engaged  in  his  praise;  and  the  whole  templf 
was  tilled  with  i  he  s\  mbol  of  the  divine  presence  and  majesty,  ver.  4 

II  The  Effect  mi  the  prophet,  vs.  5—7.  He  was  overcome  with  a  sense  of  his  unworthiness,  and 
felt  that  lie  co, ild  mil  live.  He  had  seen  Jehovah,  and  he  felt  that  he  was  a  ruined  man,  ver.  5.  Yet 
>ne  of  the  Seraphim  Hew  to  the  altrv,  and  bore  thence  a  live  coal  and  touched  his  lips,  and  assured 
aim  that  hi;  »in  was  taken  away,  ana  thut  he  was  pardoned,  vs.  6 — 7. 


B.C. 760.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


151 


III.  The  commission  of  the  proph't,  vs.  8—13.  God  inquires  who  will  go  for  him  to  the  people, 
and  bear  his  message  and  the  prophet  expresses  his  readiness  to  do  it.  ver.  8.  The  nature  oi  the  mes- 
sage is  stated,  vs.  9.  10.  The  duration,— the  state  of  things  which  he  predicted  would  follow  from 
this  is  asked,  and  the  answer  is  returned,  vs.  11  - 13.  It  was  to  be  until  utter  desolation  should  spread 
over  the  laud,  and  the  mass  of  the  nation  was  cut  oft",  and  all  were  destroyed  except  the  small  portion 
which  it  was  necessary  to  preserve  in  order  to  prevent  the  nation  from  becoming  wholly  extinct. 

1  In  the  year*  that   king  Uz- 
ziah  died,  I  saw  "the  Lord  sitting 

t  2  Kings  13.  7  u  1  Kings  22.  19. 


1.  In  the  year.  This  naturally  de- 
notes a  period  after  the  death  of  Uz- 
ziah, though  in  the  same  year.  The 
mention  of  the  time  was  evidently 
made  when  the  prophecy  was  com- 
posed, and  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  the 
death  of  Uzziah  had  occurred  at  the 
time  when  the  prophet  saw  this  vision. 
— If  so,  it  is  clear  that  this  was  not  the 
first  of  his  prophecies,  for  he  saw  his 
visions  "  in  the  days  of  Uzziah."  Ch. 
i.  1.  The  Chaldee,  however,  reads 
this,  "  in  the  year  when  Uzziah  was 
smitten  with  the  leprosy,"  and  most  of 
the  Jewish  commentators  so  understand 
it.  2  Chron.  x.xvi.  19,  20.  The  Rab- 
bins say  that  the  meaning  is,  that  he 
then  became  civilly  dead  by  ceasing 
to  exercise  his  functions  as  a  king,  and 
that  he  was  cut  off  as  a  leprous  man 
from  all  connection  with  the  people, 
and  from  all  authority.  See  Introduc- 
tion, §  3.  This  is  doubtless  true  ;  but 
still  the  more  natural  signification  is, 
that  this  occurred  in  the  year  in  which 
he  actually  died.  IT  1  saic.  That  is, 
he  saw  in  a  vision.  See  the  Introduc- 
tion, §  7,  (4.)  A  similar  vision  is  de- 
scribed by  Micaiah  1  Kings  xxii.  19 
See  also  Amos  vii.  1,  viii.  1,  ix.  1. 
Dan.  vii.  13,  &c  IT  The  Lord.  In 
the  original  here  the  word  is  not  Jeho- 
vah, but  "'SIX  dildncii.  See  Notes  on 
ch.  i.  24.  Here  it  is  applied  to  Jehovah. 
See  also  Ps.  cxiv.  7,  where  it  is  also  so 
applied  ;  and  see  Isa.  viii.  7,  and  Job 
xxviii.  28,  where  Jehovah  calls  himself 
Adonai.  The  word  does  not  itself  de- 
note essential  divinity  ;  but  it  is  often 
applied  to  God.  In  some  MSS.,  how- 
ever, of  Kennicott  and  De  Rossi  the 
word  Jehovah  is  found.  We  may 
make  two  remarks  here.  (1.)  That 
Isaiah  evidently  meant  to  say  that  it 
was  Jehovah  who  appeared  to  him.  He 


upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up, 
and  'his  train  filled  the  temple. 


1  or,  the  skirts  thereof. 


is  expressly  so  called  in  vs.  5,  8,  11. 
(2.)  It  is  equally  clear  from  the  New 
Testament  that  Isaiah  saw  The  Mes- 
siah. John  quotes  the.  words  in  this 
chapter,  ver.  10,  as  applicable  to  Jesus 
Christ,  and  then  adds  (John  xii.  41), 
"  these  things  said  Esaiaswhen  he  saw 
his  glory  and  spake  of  him."  An  in- 
spired man  has  thus  settled  this  as  re- 
ferring to  the  Messiah,  and  thus  haa 
established  the  propriety  of  applying  to 
him  the  name  Jehovah,  i.  e.  has  affirm- 
ed that  the  Lord  Jesus  is  divine. 
Jerome  says,  that  this  vision  was  de- 
signed to  represent  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity. — In  John  i.  18,  it  is  said,  "  No 
man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  ;  the 
only  begotten  Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared  him." 
In  Ex  xxxiii.  20,  God  says,  "  Thou 
canst  not  see  my  face,  for  there  shall 
no  man  see  me  and  live."  See  also  1 
Tim.  vi.  16.  These  passages  may  be 
reconciled  with  what  is  here  said  by 
Isaiah  in  the  following  manner:  (1.) 
Isaiah  does  not  say  that  he  saw  the 
divine  essence,  and  all  that  his  words 
fairly  imply  is,  that  he  saw  a  manifesta- 
tion, or  vision  of  Jehovah — somesriking 
symbolical  representation  of  him.  (2.) 
It  was  the  manifestation  of  Jehovah  in 
the  person  of  the  Messiah,  of  the  "  only 
begotten  Son  who  hath  revealed  or  de- 
clared him,"  that  he  saw.  Such  mani- 
festations of  God  have  been  made 
often,  and  all  that  the  declaration  of 
Isaiah  implies,  of  necessity,  is,  that  he 
had  a  vision  of  God  incarnate  seated  in 
glory,  from  whom  he  now  received  a 
new  commission  to  go  out  and  proclaim 
the  truth  to  that  wicked  and  rebellious 
generation.  IT  Sitting  upon  a  throne. 
God  is  thus  often  represented  as  a  king, 
sitting  on  a  throne.  1  Kings  xxii.  19. 
Ezek.  xliii.  7.  Jer.  Xvii.  12.     H  High 


152 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. 760 


2    Above    it    stood    the    sera-  ;  phims :  each  one  had  six  wings ; 


and  lifted  up.     That  is,  the  throne  ;  an 
indication  of  state   and   majesty.     IT 
And  his  train.  The  word  train.  "P'Vl'd, 
properly  signifies  the  skirt  of  a  garment. 
or  a  robe      Ex.  xxviii.  33,  34.     Here 
it  is  evidently  designed  as  a  represen- 
tation  of  a    large,  flowing  robe,  that 
filled  all  the  most  holy  part  of  the  tem- 
ple.       The    Orientals    regarded    such 
large  robes  as  indicative  of  grandeur 
;snd    state.      The    Messiah  was    seen 
seated  on  a  throne  as  a  king  ;  clothed 
n   a  large,  loose,  flowing  robe,  in  the 
■nanner  of  Oriental  monarchs,  and  sur- 
rounded by  his  ministers.     The  design 
of  this  magnificent  vision  was  not  only 
to  impress  the  prophet  with  a  sense  of 
the   holiness  of  God,  but  also  to  give 
additional  weight  to  his  commission  as 
having  been  derived  immediately  from  ! 
the  divine  majesty.     Comp    vs.  9, 10    \ 
It  is  remarkable  that  Isaiah  attempts 
no  representation  of  Jehovah  himself. 
He  mentions  his  robes ;  the  throne  ;  the 
Seraphim  ;  but  mentions  no  form   or 
appearance  of  God  himself.     In   this 
there    is   great    sublimity.      There   is 
enough  mentioned  to  fill  the  mind  with 
awe  ;  there  is  enough  concealed  to  im- 
press as  deeply  with  a  sense  of  the  divine 
majesty.     It  is  remarkable,  also,  that 
it  's  not  the  "usual  appearance  of  God 
in  the  temple  to  which  he  refers.    That 
was  the  Shekinah  or  visible  symbol  oT 
God.     That  was    on  the    mercy-seat, 
this  was  on  a  throne  ;  that  was  a  cloud, 
of  this  no  form  is  mentioned  ;  over  that 
the    Cherubims    stretched    forth    their 
wings,  over  this  stood  the  Seraphim  ; 
that  had  no  clothing,  this  was  clad  in 
a  full  flowing  robe.      IT  Filled  the  tem- 
ple.   Probably  the  most  holy  place  only 
is  intended.     The  large,  full,  magnifi- 
cent robe  seemed  to  fill  up   the  entire 
holy  of  holies.     Some  have  supposed 
that  this  vision  was  represented  as  ap- 
pearing in  the   heavens.     But  the  ex- 
pression here  evidently  implies  that  it 
was  seen  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem. 

2.  Above  it.  Either  above  the  throne, 
or  above  him.  The  LXX  render  it 
round   about   him,  kvkXw  dvrov.      The 


Chaldee,  '  the  holy  ministers  stood  on 
•high  in    his  presence.'     IT    The   Sera- 
phims      The   verb  wj^tO   saruph,  from 
which  this  word  is  derived,  is  uniformly 
translated  to  hum ,  and  is  used  frequently. 
See  Taylor.     The  noun  C]^ttJ  denotes, 
according  to  Bochart,  the  chersydros, 
a  serpent  that  lives  in  lakes  and  moist 
places,  but  when  those  places  are  dried 
up  it  becomes  a  land  serpent,  and  then 
its  bite  is  very  fierce,  and  is  attended 
with  a  most  dreadful  inflainmai  on  all 
over  the  body.     Rabbi  Solomon  says 
that  "  serpents  are  called  seraphim  be- 
cause they  burn  men  with  the  poison 
of  their  teeth,"  perhaps  because  the  idea 
of  heat   and  poison  were   connected. 
The  word  is  applied  to  the  fiery  flying 
serpents  which  bit  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  in  imitation  of  which  a  brazen  ser- 
pent was  erected  on  a  pole  by  Moses. 
It   is   translated  "  a  fiery   serpent"  in 
Num.  xxi.  8,  Isa.  xiv.  29,  xxx.  6  ;  in 
Deut.  viii.  15,  Num.  xxi.  6,  it  is  ren- 
j  dered  "  fiery,"  and  in  the  passage  be- 
fore us  seruphims.     The  word  ■"'E'ViJ 
often  occurs  in   the  sense  of  burning. 
\  Deut.  xxix.  23.  2  Chron.  xvi   14,  xxi. 
19,  &c.     The  LXX  render  it  seraphim, 
bc'paififk  ;  so  the  Vulgate,  and  the  Syriac. 
The    Chaldee,   "  his    holy    ministers." 
Probably  it  is   now  impossible-  Jo  tell 
why  this  name  was  given  to  the  repre- 
sentations   that    appeared     to     Isaiah 
Perhaps  it  may  have   been  from  their 
burning  ardour  and  zeal  in  the  service 
of  God  ;  perhaps  from   the  rapidity  of 
their    motion   in    his    service — derived 
from  the  rapid  motion  of  the  serpent. 
Gesenius  supposes  that   the  name  wa» 
derived  from  a  signification  of  the  word 
denoting  noble  or  excellent,  and  that  it 
was  on  this  account  applied  to  princes 
and  to  celestial  beings      Kimchi  says, 
that  the  name  was  given  with  reference 
to    their    bright,  shining    appearance. 
Comp    Ezek.   i.    13.  2  Kings  ii.  2,  vi 
17.      The  word   is  applied    to  celestial 
beings    nowhere    else    except    in    this 
chapter.     There  is  no  reason  to  think 
that  the   Seraphim   described  here  par- 
took of  the  form  of  the  serpent,  as  the 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


153 


with  twain  he  covered  his  face, 
and  with  twain6  he  covered  his 
feet,  and  with  twain  he  did  fly. 

representation  seems  to  be  rather  that 
of  a  man.  Thus  each  one  (ver.  2)  is 
represented  as  covering  his  face  and 
his  feet  with  his  wings,  a  description 
that  does  not  pertain  to  the  serpentine 
form.  God  is  usually  represented  as 
surrounded  or  encompassed  by  heavenly 
beings,  as  his  ministers.  Ps.  civ.  4. 
Dan.  vii.  10.  1  Kings  xxii.  19.  Ps. 
Ixviii.  17.  Heb.  xii  22.  The  idea  is  one 
of  peculiar  magnificence  and  grandeur. 
It  is  derived  especially  from  the  cus- 
toms of  mouarchs,  particularly  Eastern 
inonarchs,  who  had  numerous  princes 
and  nobles  to  attend  them,  and  to  give 
magnificence  to  their  court.  IT  Each 
on*  had  six  wings.  Wings  are  em- 
blematic of  the  rapidity  of  their  move- 
ment :  the  number  here,  perhaps,  deno- 
ting their  celerity  and  readiness  to  do 
the  will  of  God.  IT  With  twain  he 
covered  his  face.  This  is  designed, 
doubtless,  to  denote  the  reverence  and 
awe  inspired  by  the  immediate  presence 
of  God.  Comp.  Amos  vi.  9,  10.  The 
Chaldee  adds,  "  he  covered  his  face  so 
that  he  could  not  see."  To  cover  the 
face  in  this  manner  is  the  natural  ex- 
pression of  reverence.  Comp.  Note  on 
ch.  Jii.  15.  And  if  the  pure  and  holy 
Seraphim  evinced  such  reverence  in  the 
presence  of  Jehovah,  with  what  pro- 
found awe  and  veneration  should  we, 
polluted  and  sinful  creatures,  presume 
to  draw  near  to  him  !  Assuredly  their 
position  should  reprove  our  presumption 
when  we  rush  thoughtlessly  and  irre- 
verently into  his  presence,  and  should 
teach  us  to  bow  with  lowly  veneration 
and  deep  humility.  Comp.  Rev  iv.  9, 10, 
11.  T  He  covered  his  feet  In  a 
similar  description  of  the  cherubim  in 
Ezek.  i.  11,  it  is  said  that  they  covered 
their  bodies.  In  Isaiah  the  expression 
clearly  denotes  not  the  feet  only,  but 
the  lower  extremities.  This  was  also 
an  expression  of  reverence  drawn  from 
our  conceptions  of  propriety.  The 
Seraphim  stood  covered,  or  as  if  con- 
cealing themselves  as  much  as  possible 
7* 


3  And  3one  cried  unto  another, 
and  said,  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the 

b  Ezek.  1.  11.  3  this  cried  to  this. 

in  token  of  their  nothingness  and  un- 
worthiness  in  the  presence  of  the  Holy 
One.  IT  He  did  fly.  He  was  quick 
to  execute  the  commands  of  God.  It 
may  be  observed,  also,  that  among  the 
ancients,  Mercury,  the  messenger  of 
Jupiter,  was  always  represented  with 
wings.  Milton  has  copied  this  de- 
scription of  the  Seraphim : 

"  A    Seraph   winged  :— six   wings   ho   wore  to 
shade 

His  lineaments  divine     the  p&'»  that  clad 

Each  shoulder  broad,  came    mantling  o'er  his 

breast 
With  reral  ornament ;  the  middle  pair 
Girt  like  a  starry  zone  his  waist,  ami  round 
Skirted  his  loins  and  thighs  with  downy  gold, 
And  colours  dipt  in  heaven  ;  the  third  his  feet 
Shadowed  from  either  heel  with  feathered  mail, 
Sky  tinctured  grain." 

Par.  Lost,  Book  V. 

-  3.  And  one  cried  to  another.  Heb- 
This  cried  to  this.  That  is,  they  cried 
to  each  other  in  alternate  responses. 
One  cried  "  holy  ;"  the  second  repeated 
it  ;  then  the  third  ;  and  then  they  pro- 
bably united  in  the  grand  chorus,  "  Full 
is  all  the  earth  of  his  glory."  This 
was  an  ancient  mode  of  singing  or 
recitative  among  the  Hebrews.  See 
Ex.  xv.  20,  21,  where  Miriam  is  repre- 
sented as  going  before  in  the  dance 
with  ?i  timbrel,  and  the  other  females 
as  following  her,  and  answering,  or 
responding  to  her  Ps.cxxxvi.  1.  Comp. 
Lowth  on  the  sacred  poetry  of  the  He- 
brews, Lee.  xix.  IT  Holy,  holy,  holy. 
The  repetition  of  a  name  or  of  an  ex- 
pression three  times,  was  quite  com- 
mon among  the  Jews.  Thus  in  Jer. 
vii.  4,  the  Jews  are  represented  by  the 
prophet  as  saying,  "  the  temple  of  the 
Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  tem- 
ple of  the  Lord,  are  these."  Thus  Jer. 
xxii  29  :  "  O  earth,  earth,  earth,  hear 
the  word  of  the  Lord."  Ezek.  xxi.  27  : 
"  I  will  overturn,  overturn,  overturn." 
See  also  1  Sam.  xviii  23  :  "  O  my  son 
Absalom  !  my  son,  my  son."  See  also 
the  repetition  of  the  form  of  benedic- 
tion among  the  Jews,  Num.  vi.  24t 
25,  26  : 


154 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760. 


Lord  of  hosts  ;   the  4  whole  earth 
is  full  of  his  glory. 

4  And  the  posts  of  the   5door 
moved   at  the  voice  of  him  that 


t  his  glory  is  the  fulness  nf  the  whole  earth. 
5  thresholds. 


JEHOVAH  bless  thee  and  keep  thee  ; 
JEHOVAH  make  his  fare  to  shine  upon  thee 

and  be  grueious  unto  thee; 
JEHOVAH  lift  up  Ins  countenance  upon  thee, 

and  give  thee  peace. 

In  like  manner  the  number  seven  is 
used  by  the  Hebrews  to  denote  a  great, 
indefinite  number  ;  then  a  full  or  com- 
plete number ;  and  then  perfectness, 
completion.  Thus  in  Rev.  i  4,  iii.  1, 
iv.  5,  the  phrase,  "  the  seven  spirits  of 
God,"  occurs  as  applicable  to  the  Holy 
Spirit,  denoting  his  fulness,  complete- 
ness, perfection.  The  Hebrews  usually 
expressed  the  superlative  degree  by 
the  repetition  of  a  word.  Thus  Gen 
xiv.  10:  "The  vale  of  Siddim,  pits, 
pits  of  clay,"  i.  e.  was  full  of  pits. 
See  Nordheiiner's  Heb.  Gram.  §  822- 
824.  The  form  was  used  therefore 
among  the  Jews  to  denotr  emphasis  ; 
and  the  expression  means  in  itself  no 
more  than  "  thrice  holy  ;"  that  is,  su- 
premely holy  Most  commentators 
however  have  supposed  that  there  is 
hire  a  reference  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity.  It  is  not  probable  that  the 
Jews  so  understood  it ;  but  applying' 
to  the  expressions  the  fuller  revelations 
of  the  New  Testament,  it  cannot  be 
doubted  that  the  words  will  express 
that  Assuming  that  that  doctrine  is 
true,  it  cannot  be  doubted,  I  think, 
that  the  Seraphs  laid  the  foundation  of 
their  praise  in  that  doctrine.  That 
(here  was  a  distinct  reference  to  the 
second  person  of  the  Trinity  is  clear 
from  what  John  says,  eh.  xii.  11.  No 
argument  can  be  drawn  directly  from 
this  in  favour  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity  ;  for  the  repetition  of  such 
phrases  thrice  in  other  places  is 
merely  emphatic,  denoting  the  super- 
lative degree.  But  when  the  doctrine 
is  pfoved  from  other  places,  it  may  be 
presumed  that  the  heavenly  beings 
were  apprized  of  it,  and  that  the  foun- 
dation of  their   ascriptions  of   praise 


cried,  and  the  house  was  fnled 
with  smoke. 

5  Then  said  I,  Wo  is  me  !  for 
I  am  8 undone  ;   because  CI  am  a 


8  cut  off. 


c  Zee.  3.  1—7. 


was  laid  in  that.  The  Chaldee  has 
rendered  this,  "  Holy  in  the  highest 
heavens,  the  house  of  his  majesty  ; 
holy  upon  the  earth,  the  work  of  his 
power  ;  holy  for  ever,  and  ever,  and 
ever,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts."  The  whole 
expression  is  a  most  sublime  ascription 
of  praise  to  the  living  God,  and  should 
teach  us  in  what  manner  to  approach 
him.  IT  The  Lord  of  hosts.  See  Note 
ch.  i.  9.  IT  The  whole  earth.  Margin, 
The  earth  is  the  fulness  of  his  glory. 
All  things  which  he  has  made  on  the 
earth  express  his  glory.  His  wisdom  and 
goodness,  his  power  and  holiness,  are 
seen  every  where.  The  whole  earth 
with  all  its  mountains,  seas,  streams, 
trees,  animals  and  men,  lay  the  foun- 
dation of  his  praise.  In  accordance 
with  this,  the  Psalmist  in  a  most  beau- 
tiful composition,  calls  upon  all  things 
to  praise  him.     See  Ps.  cxlviii. 

Praise  the  Lord  from  the  earth 
Ye  dragons  and  all  deeps  : 
Fire  and  hail ;  snow  and  vapour; 
Storm)'  wind  fulfilling  Ins  word: 
Mountains  and  all  hills; 
Fruitful  tries  and  all  cedars  j 
Beasts  and  all  cattle  • 
Creeping  things,  and  flying  fowl. 

4.  And  the  posts  nf  the  door.  Mar- 
gin, "  thresholds  "  There  is  some  diffi- 
culty in  the  Hebrew  here,  but  the 
meaning  of  the  expression  is  suffi- 
ciently apparent.  It  means  that  there 
was  a  tremour,  or  concussion,  as  if  by 
awe,  or  by  the  sound  attending  the  cry. 
It  is  evidently  a  poetic  expression. 
IT  The  house.  The  temple.  H  Was 
filled  with  smoke.  There  is  here 
doubtless  a  reference  to  the  cloud  that 
is  so  often  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, as  the  visible  symbol  of  the  divi- 
nity. See  Note  Isa.  iv.  5.  A  similar 
appearance  is  recorded  when  Solomon 
dedicated  the  temple.  1  Kings  viii.  10. 
2  Chron.  v.  13.     Ezek.  x.  4T 

5.  Wo  is  me  '.     That  is,  I  am  filled 


B.  C.760.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


155 


man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell 
in  the  midst  of  a  people  of  un- 
clean lips  ;  for  mine  eyes  have 
seen  the  King,  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
6  Then  flew  one  of  the  sera- 
phims  unto  me,  'having  a  live 
coal  in   his  hand,  which  he  had 

1  and  in  his  hand  a  live  coal- 

with  overwhelming  convictions  of  my 
own  un worthiness,  with  alarm  that  I 
have  seen  Jehovah.  1f  For  I  am  un- 
done. Margin,  "  cut  off."  Chaldee, 
"I  have  sinned."  LXX,  "  I  am  mis- 
erable, I  am  pierced  through."  Syriac, 
"  I  am  struck  dumb."  The  Hebrew  j 
vord  may  sometimes  have  this  mean- 
ing, but  it  also  means  to  be  destroyed, 
to  be  ruiied,  to  perish.  See  Hos.  x. 
15.  Zeph.  i.  2.  Hos.  iv.  G.  Isa.  xv.  1. 
This  is  probably  the  meaning  here,  '  I 
6hall  be  ruined,  or  destroyed.'  The 
reason  of  this,  he  immediately  states. 
TT  A  man  of  unclean  lips.  This  ex- 
pression evidently  denotes  that  he  was 
a  sinner,  and  especially  that  he  was 
unworthy  either  to  join  in  the  praise 
of  a  God  so  holy,  or  to  deliver  a  mes- 
sage in  his  name.  The  vision  ;  the 
profound  worship  of  the  Seraphim  ; 
and  the  attendant  majesty  and  glory, 
had  deeply  impressed  him  with  a  sense 
of  the  holiness  of  God,  and  of  his  own 
unfitness  either  to  join  in  worship  so 
holy,  or  to  deliver  the  message  of  so 
pure  a  God.  A  similar  effect  is  re- 
corded in  reference  to  Abraham.  Gen. 
xviii  27.  See  also  Ex.  iv.  10,  12. 
Jer.  i.  6.  A  deep  consciousness  of 
guilt  in  view  of  the  holiness  and 
majesty  of  God,  is  also  described  by 
Job: 

I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear ; 

But  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee. 

Wherefore  I  abhor  myself, 

At:«I  repent  in  dust  and  ashes.         Job  xlii.  5,  6. 

Ak  effect  also  remarkably  similar  is 
described  in  reference  to  the  apostle 
Peter,  Luke  v.  8  :  "  When  Simon  Peter 
saw  it  [the  miracle  which  Jesus  had 
wrought],  he  fell  down  at  Jesus'  knees, 
saying,  Depart  from  me,  for  I  am  a 
sinful  man,  O  Lord.  IT  A  people  of 
unclean  lips.     A  people  who   are  un- 


taken  with  the  tongs  from  off  the 
«altar ; 

7  And  he  9laid  it  upon  my 
mouth,  and  said,  Lo,  this  hath 
touched  thy  lips,  and  thine  ini- 
quity is  taken  away,  and  thy  sin 
purged. 

e  Rev.  8.  3.  2  caused  it  to  touch. 

worthy  to  celebrate  the  praises  of  a 
God  so  pure  and  exalted.  T  Mine 
eyes  hare  seen.  In  Ex  xxxiii.  20,  it 
is  said  :  "  Thou  canst  not  see  my  face  • 
for  there  shall  no  man  see  me  and  live." 
Comp.  John  i.  18.  1  Tim.  vi.  16. 
Perhaps  it  was  in  recollection  of  this, 
that  Isaiah  said  he  was  undone.  It  is 
not  however  to  be  understood  that  the 
prophet  saw  Jehovah  himself,  but  only 
the  symbol  of  his  presence.  It  was  fot 
this  expression,  according  to  the  tradi- 
tion of  the  Jews,  that  Manasseh  took 
occasion  to  put  the  prophet  to  death. 
See  the  Introduction  §  2.  IT  The  Lord 
of  hosts.  Jehovah  of  hosts.  John  ap- 
plies this  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  this 
proves  that  he  is  divine.  See  John 
xii.  41. 

6.  There  flew.  Isaiah  is  represent- 
ed as  standing  out  of  the  temple  ;  the 
Seraphim  as  in  it.  IT  Having  a  live 
coal.  The  Vulgate  renders  this  '  a 
stone.'  This  is  probably  the  original 
meaning  of  the  word.  See  1  Kings 
xix.  6.  It  at  first  denoted  a  hot  stone 
which  was  used  to  roast  meat  upon. 
It  may  also  mean  a  coal,  from  its  re- 
semblance to  such  a  stone.  IT  From 
the  altar.  The  altar  of  burnt-offering 
This  stood  in  the  court  of  the  priests, 
in  front  of  the  temple.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  xxi.  12.  The  fire  on  this  altar 
was  at  first  kindled  by  the  Lord,  Lev. 
ix.  24,  and  was  kept  continually  burn- 
ing.   Lev.  vi.  12,  13. 

7.  And  he  laid  it  upon  my  mouth. 
Margin,  "  And  he  caused  it  to  touch 
my  mouth."  This  is  the  more  correct 
rendering.  It  was  a  slight,  momentary 
touch,  sufficient  merely  to  be  a  sign  or 
token  that  he  was  cleansed.  IF  Thine 
iniquity  is  taken  away.    That  is,  what- 

]  ever   obstacle    there   existed    to    youi 


156 


ISAIAH. 


[J5.C.760. 


8  Also  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  .  and  who  will  go  for  us  ?     Then 


Lord,  saying,  Whom  shall  I  send, 


communicating  the  message  of  God  to 
this  people,  arising  from  your  own 
consciousness  of  unworthiness,  is  taken 
away.  You  are  commissioned  to  bear 
that  message,  and  your  own  conscious- 
ness of  guilt  should  not  be  a  hinder- 
ance.  To  understand  this,  it  should 
be  remembered  that  fire  among  the 
Orientals  has  been  always  regarded  as 
an  emblem  of  purifying  Thus  the 
Sabeans,  the  followers  of  Zoroaster  in 
Persia,  worshipped  fire,  as  the  emblem 
of  a  pure  divinity.  See  Mai.  iii.  2,  3. 
Comp.  Matt  iii.  2.  Every  minister 
of  the  gospel,  though  conscious  of 
personal  unworthiness  and  unfitness, 
should  yet  go  freely  and  cheerfully  to 
his  work,  if  he  has  evidence  that  he 
is  called  and  commissioned  by  God. 
If  Is  purged.  Is  purified,  is  removed — 
"1D2H  from  "^SS  kaphar  to  cover,  to 
overlay  ;  then  to  make  an  atonement 
for,  to  expiate,  to  cover  sin,  to  pardon 
it,  to  effect  or  to  procure  forgiveness  ; 
and  then  to  purify  in  general,  to  make 
whole  Coi"np.  Note  on  ch.  xliii.  3 
This  does  not  mean  that  the  fire  from 
the  altar  had  any  physical  effect  to 
purify  him  from  sin,  but  that  it  wa  3 
emblematic  of  such  a  purifying,  and 
probably  also  the  fact  that  it  was  taken 
from  the  altar  of  sacrifice  was  to  him 
an  indication  that  he  was  pardoned 
through  the  atonement,  or  expiation 
there  made.  The  Jews  expected  par- 
don in  no  other  mode  than  by  sacrifice  ; 
and  the  offering  on  their  altar  pointed 
to  the  great  sacrifice  which  was  to  be 
made  on  the  cross  for  the  sins  of  men. 
There  is  here  a  beautiful  union  of  the 
truths  respecting  sacrifice.  The  great 
doctrine  is  presented  that  it  is  only  by 
sacrifice  that  sin  can  be  pardoned ; 
and  the  Messiah,  the  sacrifice  himself, 
is  exhibited  as  issuing  the  commission 
to  Isaiah  to  go  and  declare  his  message 
to  men. 

8.  The  voice  of  the  Lord.  Heb.  The 
Voice  of  Jehovah.  He  had  before  been 
addressed    by    one   of  the    Seraphim. 


said  I,4  Here  am  I ;  send  me. 


IT  Whom  shall  I  send,  and  who  will  go 
for  us  ?  The  change  of  number  here 
from  the  singular  to  the  plural  is  very 
remarkable.  Jerome  on  this  place  says 
that  it  indicates  the  "sacrament"  of 
the  Trinity.  The  LXX  render  it, 
"  Whom  shall  I  send,  and  who  will  go 
to  this  people  V  The  Chaldee, "  Whom 
shall  I  send  to  prophesy,  and  who  will 
go  to  teach  I"  The  Syriac,  "  Whom 
shall  I  send,  and  who  will  go  1"  The 
Arabic  has  followed  the  LXX.  The 
use  of  the  plural  pronouns  we  and  us, 
as  applicable  to  God,  occurs  several 
times  in  the  Old  Testament  Thus 
Gen,  i  26:  "And  God  said,  Let  us 
make  man  in  our  image."  Gen.  xi.  6, 
7 :  "  And  Jehovah  said,  Go  to,  let  ua 
go  down,  and  there  confound  their 
language  "  Such  a  use  of  the  name 
of  God  in  the  plural  is  very  common, 
but  it  is  not  clear  that  there  is  a  refer- 
ence to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity. 
In  some  cases  it  is  evident  that  it  can- 
not have  such  a  reference,  and  that  no 
argument  can  be  drawn  from  the  use 
of  that  plural  form  in  favour  of  such  a 
doctrine.  Thus  in  Isa.  xix.  4,  the 
expression  "a  cruel  lord,"  is  in  the 
Hebrew  in  the  piural.  yet  evidently 
denoting  but  one.  The  expression 
translated  "  the  most  Holy  One,"'  or 
"  the  Holy,"  is  in  the  plural  in  Prov. 
ix.  10,  xxx.  3.  In  1  Sam  xix  13,  16, 
the  plural  form  is  applied  to  a  house; 
hold  god,  or  an  image  ;  and  the  plural 
form  is  applied  to  God  in  Job  xxx  v.  20, 
"my  Makers"  (Heb.);  Eccl.  xii.  1, 
"  thy  Creators"  vIIeb.)  ;  l's.  cxxi  5 
"  Jehovah  is  thy  keepers"  (Heb.).  See 
also  isa.  liv.  5,  xxii.  2,  xliii.  5,  Ixii.  5. 
This  is  called  hy  grammarians  plnralis 
excellentitc,  or  the  plural  form  indi- 
cating majesty  or  honour.  It  is  in  all 
countries  used  in  reference  to  kings 
and  princes  ;  and  as  God  often  repre- 
sents himself  as  a  king  in  the  Scrip- 
tores,  and  speaks  in  the  language  that 
was  usually  applied  to  kings  in  Orien- 
tal   countries,   no    argument   can    be 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


157 


9  And  he  said,  Go  and  tell 
this  people,  Hear  yes  indeed,  but 
understand  not ;  and  see  ye6  in- 
deed, but  perceive  not. 

10  Make    the    heart   of    this 

6  in  hearing,  or  icithout  ceasing.       6  in  seeing. 

drawn  from  expressions  like  these  in 
defence  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity. 
There  are  unanswerable  arguments 
enough  in  support  of  that  doctrine, 
without  resorting  to  those  which  are 
of  doubtful  authority. — The  language 
here  indicates  the  design  for  which 
this  vision  was  shown  to  Isaiah.  It 
was  to  commission  him  to  exhibit 
truth  that  would  be  extremely  unpleas- 
ant to  the  nation,  and  that  would  have 
the  certain  effect  of  hardening  their 
hearts.  In  view  of  the  nature  and 
effect  of  this  message,  God  is  repre- 
sented as  inquiring  who  would  be  wil- 
ling to  undertake  it  ?  Who  had  cour- 
age enough  to  do  it  ?  Who  would  risk 
his  life  ?  And  it  indicates,  perhaps, 
that  there  were  few  in  the  nation  who 
would  be  willing;  to  do  it,  and  that  it 
was  attended  with  self-denial  and  dan- 
ger. IT  Here  am  I.  This  shows  at 
once  his  confidence  in  God,  and  his 
zeal.  He  had  been  qualified  for  it  by 
the  extraordinary'commission,  and  he 
was  now  ready  to  bear  the  message  to 
his  countrymen.  In  this  attitude  we 
Bhould  stand,  prompt  to  deliver  any 
message  that  God  shall  intrust  to  our 
hands,  and  to  engage  in  any  service 
that  he  calls  on  us  to  perform. 

9.  And  he  said,  &c.  The  expres- 
sions which  follow  are  those  which 
denote  hardness  of  heart  and  blindness 
of  mind.  They  would  hear  the  words 
of  the  prophet,  but  they  would  not  un- 
derstand him.  They  were  so  obsti- 
nately bent  on  iniquity  that  they  would 
neither  believe  nor  regard  him. — This 
shows  the  spirit  with  which  ministers 
must  deliver  the  message  of  God.  It 
is  their  business  to  deliver  the  message, 
though  they  should  know  that  it  will 
neither  be  understood  nor  believed. 
V  Hear  ye  indeed.  Hebrew,  In  hear- 
ing, hear.  This  is  a  mode  of  express- 
ing emphasis.     This  passage  is  quoted 


people  fat,  and  make  their  ears 
heavy,  and  shut  their  eyes  :  lest 
they  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear 
with  their  ears,  and  understand 
with  their  heart,  and  convert, 
and  be  healed. 


in  Matt.  xiii.  14.     See  Note  on  that 
place. 

10.  Make  the  heart.  The  word 
heart  here  is  used  in  the  sense  of  the 
mind — to  denote  all  their  mental  pow- 
ers. It  is  commonly  used  in  this  sense 
in  the  Scriptures.  IT  Fat.  Gross, 
heavy,  dull,  stupid.  That  is,  go  and 
proclaim  such  truth  to  them  as  shall 
have  this  effect — as  shall  irritate,  pro- 
voke, enrage  them  ;  truth,  whose  de- 
livery shall  be  attended,  in  their  gross 
and  corrupt  hearts,  with  this  blinding 
and  infatuating  influence.  The  effect 
would  be  produced  by  the  corrupt  state 
of  their  hearts,  not  by  any  native  ten- 
dency of  the  truth,  and  still  less  by  any 
direct  divine  influence.  '  Go,  and  pro- 
claim truth  to  a  corrupt  and  sensual 
people,  and  the  result  will  be  that  they 
will  not  hear  ;  they  are  so  wicked  that 
they  will  not  attend  to  it ;  they  will 
become  even  more  hardened:  yet  go, 
and  though  certain  of  producing  this 
effect,  still  proclaim  it.'  See  this  pas- 
sage explained  in  the  Notes  on  John 
xii.  40.  11  Their  ears  heavy.  Dull, 
stupid,  insensible.  1  And  shut  their 
eyes  The  word  here  used  means  to 
spread  over,  and  then  to  close.  It  de- 
notes here  the  state  of  mind  which  is 
more  and  more  indisposed  to  attend  to 
the  truth.  IT  And  be  healed.  Be  re- 
stored from  the  malady  of  sin  ;  be  re- 
covered and  pardoned.  Sin  is  often 
represented  as  a  painful,  loathsome 
malady,  and  forgiveness  as  restoration 
from  such  a  malady.  Isa.  xxx.  26.  Ps. 
ciii.,  xli.  3,  4.  2  Chron.  vii.  14.  Jer. 
iii.  22,  xvii.  14.  We  may  learn  here, 
(1.)  That  the  effect  of  truth  is  often 
to  irritate  men  and  make  them  more 
wicked.  (2.)  The  truth  must  never- 
theless be  proclaimed.  This  effect  is 
not  the  fault  of  the  truth  ;  and  it  is  often 
well  that  the  heart  should  b^  knrwn, 
and  the  true  effect  should  \x  w>»n. 


I5J 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  760 


11  Then  said  I,  Lord,  how 
long  ?  And  he  answered,  Until 
the  cities  be  wasted  without  in- 
habitant, and  the  houses  without 
man,  and  the  land  be  7utterly 
desolate ; 

7  desolate  with  desolation. 

11.  How  long.  The  prophet  did  not 
dare  to  pray  that  this  effect  should  not 
follow.  He  asked  merely  therefore 
how  long  this  state  of  things  must  con- 
tinue ;  how  long  this  message  was  to 
be  delivered,  and  how  long  it  should 
be  attended  with  these  painful  effects, 
f  Until  the  tides,  &c.  They  will  re- 
main perverse  and  obstinate  until  the 
land  is  completely  destroyed  by  divine 
judgments.  Still  the  truth  is  to  be 
proclaimed,  though  it  is  known  it  will 
have  no  effect  in  reforming  the  nation. 
This  refers  doubtless  to  the  destruction 
that  was  accomplished  by  the  Babylo- 
nians. IT  The  houses  wit/tout  man. 
This  is  strong  language,  denoting  the 
certain  and  wide-spread  desolation 
that  should  come  upon  the  nation. 

12.  And  the  Lord  have  remove//,  &C. 
The  land  shall  be  given  up  to  desola- 
tion. The  men — the  strength  of  the 
nation — shall  be  taken  to  a  distant 
land.  If  And  there  be  a  great  for- 
saking. A  great  desolation  ;  the  cities 
and  dwellings  shall  be  abandoned  by 
the  inhabitants.  Comp.  Isa.  xvii.  2. 
Jer.  iv.  29.   Zeph.  ii.  4. 

13.  But  yet,  &c.  The  main  idea  in 
this  verse  is  plain,  though  there  is  much 
difficulty  in  the  explanation  of  the  par- 
ticular phrases.  The  leading  thought 
is,  that  the  land  should  not  be  utterly 
and  finally  abandoned.  There  would 
be  the  remains  of  life — as  in  an  oak  or 
terebinth-tree  when  the  tree  has  fallen. 
Comp.  Notes  on  eh.  xi.  1.  V  A  tenth. 
That  is,  a  tenth  of  the  inhabitants — or 
a  lery  small  part.  Amidst  the  general 
desolation  a  small  part  should  be  pre- 
served. This  was  accomplished  in  the 
time  of  the  captivity  of  the  Jews  by 
Nebuchadnezzar.  We  are  not  to  sup- 
pose that  literally  a  tenth  part  of  the 
aatiop  vould  remain  ;  but  a  part  that 


12  And  the  Lord  have  re. 
moved'1  men  far  away,  and  there, 
be  a  great  forsaking  in  the  midst 
of  the  land. 

13  But  yet  in  it  shall  be.  a 
tenth,8  and   it  shall  return,  and 

h  2  Kings  25.  21.       8  or,  when  it  is  returned 
and  )iath  been  broused 


should  bear  somewhat  the  same  pro- 
portion to  the  entire  nation  in  strength 
and  resources  that  a  tenth  does  to  the 
whole.  Accordingly  in  the  capuvity 
by  the  Babylonians  we  are  told  (2 
Kings  xxv.  12).,  that  "  the  captain  of 
the  guard  left  the  poor  of  the  land  to  be 
vinedressers  and  husbandmen  "  Comp. 
2  Kings  xxiv.  14,  where  it  is  said  that 
"  Nebuchadnezzar  carried  away  all 
Jerusalem,  and  all  the  princes,  and  all 
the  mighty  men  of  valour,  even  ten 
thousand  captives,  and  all  the  crafts- 
men and  smiths,  none  remained  save 
the  poorer  sort  of  the  people  of  the  land." 
Over  this  remnant  Nebuchadnezzar 
made  Gedaliah  king.  2  Kings  xxv 
22.  IT  And  it  shall  return.  This  ex- 
pression can  be  explained  by  the  his- 
tory. The  prophet  mentions  the  re- 
turn, but  he  has  omitted  the  fact  that 
this  remnant  should  go  away  ;  and 
hence  all  the  difficulty  which  has  been 
experienced  in  explaining  this.  The 
history  informs  us,  2  Kings  xxv.  26, 
that  this  remnant,  this  tenth  part, 
"  arose  and  came  to  Egypt,  for  they 
were  afraid  of  the  Chaldees  "  A  part 
also  of  the  nation  was  scattered  in 
Moab  and  Edom,  and  among  the  Am- 
monites. Jer.  xl.  2.  By  connecting 
this  idea  with  the  prophecy,  there  is 
no  difficulty  in  explaining  it.  It  was 
of  the  return  from  Egypt  that  the  pro- 
phet here  speaks.  Comp.  Jer  xlii.  4— 
7.  After  this  flight  to  tgypt  they  re- 
turned again  to  Judea — together  with 
those  who  were  scattered  in  Moab,  and 
the  neighbouring  regions.  Jer.  xl.  II, 
12.  This  remnant  thus  collected  was 
what  the  prophet  referred  to  as  return- 
ing after  it  had  been  scattered  in  Egypt, 
and  Moab,  and  Edom,  and  among  the 
Ammonites.  1T  And  shall  be  eaten. 
This  is  an  unhappy  translation.    It  ha» 


B.C.  760.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


159 


shall   be   eaten :    as   a   te.il-tree, 
and  as  an  oak,  whose9  substance 


9  or,  stock  or  stem. 


arisen  from  the  difficulty  of  making 
sense  of  the  passage,  by  not  taking  into 
consideration  the  circumstances  just 
adveited  to.  The  word  translated 
"  eaten"  means  to  feed,  to  graze,  to 
consume  by  grazing,  to  consume  by  fire, 
to  consume  or  destroy  in  any  way,  to 
remove.  Gesenius  on  the  word  "?3  • 
Here  it  means  that  this  remnant  shall 
be  for  destruction;  that  judgments  and 
punishments  shall  follow  them  after 
heir  return  from  Egypt  and  Moab. 
Even  this  remnant  shall  be  the  object 
of  divine  displeasure,  and  shall  feel  the 
weight  of  his  indignation.  See  Jer. 
xliii.  xliv.  IT  As  a  teil-tree.  The 
word  teil  means  the  Linden,  though 
there  is  no  evidence  that  the  lin- 
den is  denoted  here.  The  word  here 
used — i"1?^ — is  translated  elm  in  Hos. 
iv.  13,  but  generally  oak.  Gen.  xxxv. 
4.  Judges  vi.  11,  19.  2  Sam.  xviii.  9, 
14.  It  is  here  distinguished  from  the 
"j"l3X  oak.  It  probably  denotes  the 
terebinth,  or  turpentine  tree,  for  a  de- 
scription of  which  see  Notes  on  ch.  i. 
29.  ^  Whose  substance.  Margin, 
stock  or  stem.  The  margin  is  the 
more  correct  translation.  The  word 
usually  denotes  the  upright  shaft,  stem, 
or  stock  of  a  tree.  It  means  here  whose 
vitality  shall  remain  ;  i.  e.  they  do  not 
entirely  die.  H  When  they  cast  their 
leaves.  The  words,  •'  their  leaves"  are 
not  in  the  original,  and  should  not  be 
in  the  translation.  The.  Hebrew  means, 
"  in  their  falling" — or  when  they  fall. 
As  the  evergreen  did  not  cast  its  leaves, 
the  reference  is  to  the  falling  of  the 
body  of  the  tree.  The  idea  is,  that 
when  the  tree  should  fall  and  decay, 
still  the  life  of  the  tree  would  remain. 
In  the  root  there  would  be  life.  It 
would  send  up  new  shoots,  and  thus 
a  new  tree  would  be  produced.  See 
Notes  on  chs.  iv.  2,  xi.  1.  This  was 
particularly  the  case  with  the  terebinth, 
as  it  is  with  the  fir,  the  chesnut,  the 
oak,  the  willow,  &c.     See  Job  xiv.  7. 


is  in  them  when  they  cast  their 
leaves,  so  the  holy  seed  shall  be 
the  substance  thereof. 

The  idea  is,  that  it  would  be  so  with 
the  Jews.  Though  desolate, and  though 
one  judgment  would  follow  another,  and 
though  even  the  remnant  would  be 
punished,  yet  the  race  would  not  be 
extinguished.  It  would  spring  up 
again,  and  survive.  This  was  the  case 
in  the  captivity  of  Babylon  ;  and  again 
the  case  in  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem ;  and  in  all  their  persecutions  and 
trials  since,  the  same  has  always  oc- 
curred. They  survive ;  and  though 
scattered  in  all  nations,  they  still  live 
as  demonstrative  of  the  truth  of  the 
divine  predictions.  Deut.  xxviii.  IT 
The  holy  seed.  The  few  remaining 
Jews.  They  shall  not  be  utterly  de- 
stroyed, but  shall  be  like  the  life  re- 
maining in  the  root  of  the  tree.  No 
prophecy,  perhaps,  has  been  more  re- 
markably fulfilled  than  that  in  this 
verse.  "  Though  the  cities  be  waste 
and  the  land  be  desolate,  it  is  not  from 
the  poverty  of  the  soil  that  the  fields 
are  abandoned  by  the  plough,  nor  from 
any  diminution  of  its  ancient  and  na- 
tural fertility,  that  the  land  has  rested 
for  so  many  generations.  Judea  was 
not  forced  only  by  artificial  means,  or 
from  local  and  temporary  causes  into  a 
luxuriant  cultivation,  such  as  a  barren 
country  might  have  been,  concerning 
which  it  would  not  have  needed  a  pro- 
phet to  tell  that,  if  once  devastated  and 
abandoned,  it  would  ultimately  revert 
to  its  original  sterility.  Phoenicia  at 
all  times  held  a  far  different  rank 
among  the  richest  countries  of  the 
world  ;  and  it  was  not  a  bleak  and 
sterile  portion  of  the  earth,  nor  a  land 
which  even  many  ages  of  desolation  and 
neglect  could  impoverish,  that  God  gave 
in  possession  and  by  covenant  to  the 
seed  of  Abraham.  No  longer  cultivated 
as  a  garden,  but  left  like  a  wilderness, 
Judea  is  indeed  greatly  changed  from 
what  it  was  ;  all  that  human  ingenuity 
and  labour  did  devise,  erect,  or  culti- 
vate, men  have  laid  waste  and  deso- 
late ;  all   the  '  plenteous  goods'    with 


1G0 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738. 


which  it  was  enriched,  adorned,  and 
blessed,  have  fallen  like  seared  and 
withered  ieaves  when  their  greenness 
;s  gone  ;  and  stripped  of  its  '  ancient 
splendour,'  it  is  left  as  an  oak  whose 
leaf  fadeth  : — but  its  inherent  sources 
of  fertility  are  not  dried  up  ;  the  natu- 
ral richness  of  the  soil  is  unblighted  . 
the  substance  is  in  //.strong  as  that  of 
the  teil-tree  or  the  solid  oak,  which  re- 
tain their  substance  when  they  cast 
their  leaves.  And  as  the  leafless  oak 
waits  throughout  winter  for  the  genial 
warmth  of  returning  spring,  to  be 
clothed  with  renewed  foliage,  so  the 
once  glorious  land  of  Judea  is  yet  full 
oi  latent  vigour,  or  of  vegetative  power, 
Btrong  as  ever,  ready  to  shoot  forth, 


even  '  better  than  at  the  beginning, 
whenever  the  sun  of  heaven  shall  shine 
on  it  again,  and  'the  holy  seed'  be 
prepared  for  being  finally  '  the  sub- 
stance thereof.'  The  substance  that  is 
in  it — which  alone  has  here  to  be 
proved — is,  in  few  words,  thus  de- 
scribed by  an  enemy  :  '  The  land  in 
the  plains  is  fat  and  loamy,  and  exhi- 
bits every  sign  of  the  greatest  fecundity. 
Were  nature  assisted  by  art,  the  fruits 
of  the  most  distant  countries  might  be 
produced  within  the  distance  of  twenty 
leagues.'  '  Galilee,'  says  Malte  Brun, 
'  would  be  a  paradise,  were  it  inhabited 
by  an  industrious  people,  under  an  en» 
lightened  government.'  " 


CHAPTER  VII. 


ANALYSIS. 


Probably  no  portion  of  the  Bible  has  been  regarded  as  so  difficult  of  interpretation,  anc!  has  given 
rise  to  so  great  a  variety  of  expositions,  as  the  prophecy  which  is  commenced  in  this  chanter,  and 
which  is  closed  in  ch.  ix.  7.  The  importance  of  the  prophecy  respecting  the  Messiah  (vif  14,  seq. 
viii.  7,  ix  1—7).  is  ime  reason  why  interpreters  have  been  so  anxious  to  ascertain  the  genuine  sense; 
and  the  difficulties  attending  the  supposition  that  there  is  reference  to  the  Messiah,  have  been  among 
the  causes  why  ->>  much  anxiety  lias  been  felt  to  ascertain  its  true  sense. 

Thi'  prophecy  which  commences  at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  is  continued  to  ch.  ix.  7.  All  this 
was  evidently  delivered  at  the  same  time,  and  constitutes  a  single  vision,  or  oracle.  This  should 
li  iv  ;  !(  u  indicated  in  the  division  of  the  chapters.  Great  obscurity  arises  from  the  arbitrary  and,  in 
many  instances,  absurd  mode  of  division  into  chapters  which  has  been  adopted  in  the  Bible. 

This  chapter,  for  sonvenience  of  illustration,  may  be  regarded  as  divided  into  four  parts. 

T.  The  historical  statement  with  which  the  whole  account  is  introduced  in  vs.  1,  -2.  The  principal 
occurrences  referred  to  in  the  chapter  took  place  in  the  time  of  Aha?..  For  an  account  of  his  charac- 
ter and  reign,  see  the  Introduction  §  3.  He  was  an  idolater,  and  erected  the  images,  ami  altars,  and 
groves  of  idolatry  every  where.  He  sacrificed  to  Baalim,  and  burned  bis  children  in  the  valley  of 
Hinnom  in  honour  of  Moloch,  and  filled  Jerusalem  every  where  with  abominations,  2  Kings  xvi  '.'--4. 
2  Ohron.  xxviii.  1—4  For  these  abominations,  he  was  delivered  into  the  hand  of  the  king  of  Syria, 
mid  was  subjected  to  calamities  from  the  threatened  invasion  of  the  united  armies  of  .Syria  and 
Samaria.  At  this  time  Rezin  was  king  of  Svria,  of  which  Damascus  was  the  capital :  and  Pekah 
was  king  of  Israel  or  Sam  iria.  These  kings,  during  the  concluding  part  of  the  reign  of  Jotham.  the 
predecessor  of  Ahaz,  had  formed  an  alliance  and  had  gone  up  towards  Jerusalem  to  make  war  upon 
It.  but  had  not  been  able  to  take  it.  The  formation  of  this  confederacy  in  the  time  of  Jotham  is  dis- 
tinctly  declared  in  'I  Kings  xv.  37.  To  this  confederacy  Isaiah  refers  in  vert  1.  where  fie  -.vs  thai  it 
occurred  in  the  days  of  Jotham.  The  statement  is  made  by  Isaiah  hire,  doubtless  in  order  to  trace 
the  important  matter  to  which  he  alludes  to  its  commencement,  though  what  lie  subsequently  says 
had  particular  relation  to  Ahaz.  Though  the  confederacy  was  formed  in  the  time  of  Jotham,  yet  the 
consequences  were  of  long  continuance,  and  were  not  terminated  until  the  defeat  of  Sennacherib  in 
the  time  of  Hezekiah  See  ch.  xxwii  Isaiah  here,  in  general,  says  (ver  1).  that  tiny  went  up 
against  Jerusalem  and  could  not  take  it.  He  may  refer-here  to  an  expedition  which  they  made  in  the 
time  of  Jotham.  or  he  may  design  this  as  a  general  statement,  indicating  the  result  of  all  their 
efforts,  that  they  could  not  take  Jerusalem  If  the  latter  is  the  proper  interpretation,  then  the  stale- 
Itient  in  ver.  I,  was  made  by  Isaiah  at  a  subsequent  period,  and  is  , I, 'signed  to  state  all  that  occurred. 
Jt  is  more  natural,  however,  to  suppose  that  they  made  an  attempt  m  the  time  of  Jotham  to  take 
Jerusalem,  but  that  they  were  unsuccessful  When  Ahaz.  came  to  the  throne,  the  alliance  was  con- 
tinued, and  the  effort  was  renewed  to  take  Jerusalem.  Formidable  preparations  were  made  for  the 
war, and  an  invading  army  came  up  upon  the  land.  Many  ofthe  subjects  of  Ahaz  were  taken  captive 
»nd  carried  to  Damascu-.  Pekah  slew  in  one  day  an  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  men.  and  took 
-WO  hundred  thousand  captives  and  carried  them  towards  Samaria.  They  were  released  from  bond- 
age by  the  solicitation  of  Oded.  a  prophet,  who  represented  to  them  the  impropriety  of  taking  then 
Wethren  captive,  and  they  were  re-conveyed  to  Jericho.  2  Chron.  xxviii.  5—15.    At  about  the  same 


£.C738.]  CHAPTER  VII.  161 

time,  the  Assyrians  took  Etath,  and  retained  it  as  a  city  belonging  to  them.  2  Kings xvi.  6.  From  the 
report  oi  this  strong  alliance,  and  from  the  ravages  which  were  committed  by  their  united  forces,  Ahaz 
was  alarmed,  and  trembled  for  the  safety  of  Jerusalem  itself,  ver.  3.  Eut  instead  of  looking  to  God  for 
aid,  he  formed  the  purpose  of  securing  the  alliance  of  the  king  of  Assyria,  and  for  this  purpose  sent 
messengers  toTiglath,-Pileser  with  professions  of  deep  regard,  and  with  the  most  costly  presents  which 
could  be  procured  by  exhausting  the  Treasury  (2  Kings  xvi.  7,  »),  to  secure  his  friendship  and  co-ope- 
ration. To  this  the  king  of  Assyria  agreed,  and  entered  into  the  war  by  making  an  assault  on  Damas- 
cus. 2  Kings  xvi.  9.  It  was  this  alliance,  and  the  confidence  which  Ahaz  had  in  it,  that  produced  his 
answer  to  Isaiah  (vii.  12).  and  his  refusal  to  ask  a  sign  of  the  Lord;  and  it  was  this  alliance  whr.h  sub- 
sequently involved  Jerusalem  in  somuch  ditllculty  from  the  invasion  of  the  Assyrians.  The  Assyrians, 
as  might  have  been  foreseen,  consulted  their  own  advantage,  and  not  the  benefit  of  Ahaz.  They 
meant  to  avail  themselves  of  ihe  opportunity  of  subduing,  if  possible,  Judea  itself;  and  consequently 
the  land  was  subsequently  invaded  by  them,  and  Jerusalem  itself  put  in  jeopardy.  This  consequence 
was  distinctly  foretold  by  Isaiah,  ch.  vii.  17-  25,  viii.  7,  8.  Yet  before  the  alliance  was  secured,  Ahaz 
was  in  dee  i'  consternation  and  alarm,' and  it  was  at  this  point  of  time  that  Isaiah  was  sent  lobim,  vs.  2,3. 

II.  At  this  time  of  consternation  and  alarm,  Isaiah  was  sent  to  Ahaz  to  assure  him  that  Jerusalem 
would  ue  sate,  and  that  there  was  no  real  cause  of  alarm,  vs.  3—9.  His  main  object  was  to  induce  the 
monarch  to  repose  confidence  in  Jehovah,  and  to  believe  that  his  kingdom,  protected  by  God,  could  not 
be  overthrow  n.     Isaiah  was  directed  to  take  with  him  his  son,  whose  name  (Shear-jashub— Hh&rehrir- 

■■'i,'l  return)  was  itself  a  sign  or  pledge  that  the  nation  should  not  be  utterly  destroyed,  and  that 
consequently  it  could  not  become  permanently  subject  to  Syria  or  Samaria,  ver.  3.  He  Went  to  meet 
Ahaz  at  the  uppei  pool!  whither  probably  Ahaz  had  gone  attended  by  many  of  the  court,  to  see 
whether  it  was  practicable  to  slop  the  water  so  as  to  prevent  an  enemy  from  procuring  it.  Comp.  2 
ChroD.  xxxu.  4.  He  directed  him  not  to  be  afraid  of  the  enemies  that  were  coming,  lor  they  were  like 
imoking,  half-extinguished  brands  that  could  do  little  injury,  ver.  4.  He  assured  him  that  the  pur- 
pose of  the  confederated  kings  should  not  be  accomplished  ;  that  Jehovah  had  said  that  their  design 
could  not  be  established;  and  that  the  limits  of  their  respective  kingdoms  should  be  the  same  that 
they  were  then,  and  should  not  be  enlarged  by  the  conquest  and  accession  of  Jerusalem— for  that 
Damascus  should  sail  remain  the  capital  of  Syria,  and  Samaria  of  Ephraim,  and  that  within  sixly  live 
years  the  kingdom  of  Ephraim  should  be  totally  destroyed,  and  of  course  Jerusalem  and  Judah  could 
not  be  permanently  added  to  it.  So  tar  from  having  Jerusalem  as  a  tributary  and  dependent  province 
as  Renialiah  had  anticipated,  his  own  kingdom  was  to  be  completely  and  finally  destroyed,  vs.  4—9. 
The  design  of  all  this  was  to  allay  the  fears  of  Ahaz,  and  to  induce  him  to  put.  confidence  in  God. 

III.  A  sign  is  promised— a  proof  or  demonstration  of  the  truth  of  what  the  prophet  had  spoken, 
vs.  10  —  17.  To  the  assurance  which  Isaiah  (vs.  4—9)  had  given  of  the  safety  of  Jerusalem,  Ahaz  makes 
no  reply.  His  whole  conduct,  however,  shows  that  he  is  wholly  unimpressed  and  unaffected  by  what 
he  had  said,  and  that  he  put  no  confidence  in  the  assurances  of  the  prophet.  He  was  not  looking  to 
God  for  aid,  but  to  the  king  of  Assyria ;  and  he  doubtless  felt  that  if  his  aid  was  not  obtained,  his 
kingdom  would  be  destroyed.  He  evidently  had  no  belief  in  God,  and  no  confidence  in  the  prophet. 
His  mind  was  in  a  restless,  uneasy  condition  from  the  impending  danger,  and  from  uncertainty  whether 
the  aid  of  the  king  of  Assyria  could  be  procured.  In  order  to  induce  him  to  turn  his  attention  to  God, 
the  only  Protector,  and  to  calm  his  fears.  Ahaz  is  commanded  to  ask  of  Jehovah  any  sign  or  miracle 
which  he  might  desire  in  order  to  confirm  what  the  prophet  had  spoken,  vs.  10,  11.  This  Ahaz 
refuses,  ver.  12.  He  does  it  under  the  semblance  of  piety,  and  an  unwillingness  to  appear  to  tempt 
Jehovah.  But  the  real  cause  was,  doubtless,  that  he  had  no  confidence  in  Jehovah ;  he  had  no 
belief  in  what  he  had  spoken  ;  and  he  was  secretly  depending  on  the  aid  of  the  king  of  Assyria. 
His  reply  was  couched  in  respectful  terms,  and  had  the  appearance  of  piety,  and  was  even  ex- 
pressed in  language  borrowed  from  the  law.  Deut.  v.  16.  Yet  important  purposes  were  to  be  an- 
swered by  there  being  a  sign  or  proof  that  what  the  prophet  had  said  should  take  place.  It  was  im- 
portant that  Ahaz,  as  the  King  of  Judah,  and  as  the  head  of  the  people,  should  have  evidence  that 
what  was  said  was  true.  It  was  important  that  a  suitable  impression  should  be  made  on  those  who 
were  present,  and  on  the  mass  of  the  people,  inducing  them  to  put  confidence  in  Jehovah.  It  was 
important  that  they  should  look  to  future  times  ;  to  the  certain  security  of  the  nation,  and  to  the  evi- 
dence that  the  nation  must  be  preserved  until  the  great  deliverer  should  come.  A  sign  is,  therefore, 
forced  upon  the  attention  of  Ahaz.  The  prophet  tells  him  that  however  reluctant  he  may  be  to  seek 
a  sign,  or  however  incredulous  he  might  be,  yet  that  Jehovah  would  give  a  token,  proof,  or  demon- 
stration which  would  be  a  full  confirmation  of  all  that  he  had  said.  That  would  be  done  which  could 
be  done  only  by  Jehovah,  and  which  could  be  known  only  by  him ;  and  that  would  be  the  demonstra- 
tion that  Jerusalem  would  be  safe  from  this  impending  invasion.  A  virgin  should  bear  a  son,  and 
before  he  should  arrive  at  years  of  discretion,  or  be  able  to  discern  the  difi'erence  between  good  and 
evil— i.  e.  in  a  short  space  of  time,  the  land  would  be  forsaken  of  both  its  kings,  vs.  14 — 16.  Who  this 
virgin  was,  and  what  is  the  precise  meaning  of  this  prediction,  has  given  perhaps  more  perplexity  to 
commentators  than  almost  any  other  portion  of  the  Bible.  The  obvious  meaning  seems  to  be  this. 
Some  young  female,  who  was  then  a  virgin,  and  who  was  unmarried  at  the  time  when  the  prophet 
spoke,  would  conceive,  and  bear  a  son.  To  that  son  a  name  would  be  given,  or  his  birth  in  the  cir- 
cumstances in  which  it  occurred  would  make  such  a  name  proper,  as  would  indicate  that  God  was 
with  them,  and  would  be  their  protector.  Maternal  affection  would  give  the  child  the  name  Immanuel. 
The  child  would  be  nurtured  up  in  the  usual  way  among  the  Jews  (ver.  15)  until  he  would  be  able  to 
discern  between  good  and  evil— i.  e.  until  he  should  arrive  at  years  of  discretion.  Between  the  time 
which  should  elapse  from  the  conception  of  the  child,  and  the  time  when  he  should  arrive  at  an  age 
to  distinguish  good  from  evil,  that  is  in  about  three  years,  the  land  should  be  forsaken  of  the  hostile 
kings,  ver.  16.  This  seems  to  be  the  obvious  meaning  of  this  passage ;  and  in  this  way  only  could  thin 
be  a  clear  and  satisfactory  evidence  to  Ahaz  of  the  certainty  that  the  land  would  be  entirely  and  per- 
manently free  from  the  invasion.  God  only  could  know  this ;  and  therefore  this  was  a  proof  of  ths 
certainty  of  what  Isaiah  had  said.  But  though  this  is  the  obvious  meaning,  and  though  such  an  evenl 
only  could  be  a  sign  to  Ahaz  that  the  land  would  be  forsaken  of  both  the  invading  kings,  yet  there  is 
no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  prophet  so  couched  what  he  said — so  expressed  this  by  direction  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  to  be  applicable  also  to  another  much  more  important  event  whicn  was  to  be  also,  and 
in  a  much  more  important  sense,  a  sign  of  the  protection  of  God— the  birth  of  the  Messiah.  He  there- 
fore selected  words  which,  while  they  were  applicable  to  the  event  immediately  to  occur,  would  also 
:over  much  larger  ground,  and  be  descriptive  ofmore  important  events— and  events  which  were  in  the 
scrme  line  and  direction  with  that  immediately  to  come  to  pass— the  certainty  of  the  divine  protection, 
and  of  ultimate  freedom  from  all  danger.  The  language,  therefore,  ha«  at  the  commencement  of  the 
prophecy  a  fullness  of  meaning  which  is  not  entirely  met  by  the  immediate  event  which  was  to  occur 
and  whit  h  can  be  entirely  fulfilled  only  by  the  great  event  which  Isaiah  evei  h  d  in  his  eye — the  b;rtl 


162 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.735. 


ery  M 
accordance  with  the  lawn  of  what  maj  be  called  ,  rop  a   i  Bee  Intra  §7. 

i  'h,  bis  mind  would  ii\  on  better  times,  and  mote 
bappy  events  He  saw  the  birth  of  a  child  in  a  future  age  ofwhi  h  this  wi  -  but  the  Btnbli  m.  That 
was  to  be  bom  literal!]  of  d  virgin,    I  e  name,  from  his  nature,  and  from  bis  being  the 

evidence  of  the  divine  favour  and  pri  ence,  would  be  Immai  o       te  name  01  his 

child  would  be  Immanuel  because  lie  would  he  the  pledge  of  the  divine  protection  and  presence. 

-  i  is,  itiai  there  is  a  fiUinem fif meaning  in  the  words  used,  which  will  apply  to  future  ev<  uta 
□u>re  appropriately  than  to  the  one  immediately  beibre  the  writer.  That  there  is  rapid  transition-^ 
a  sudden  carrying  the  mind  forward  to  reel  on  ■  future  more  important  event  which  has  been 
tuggtsted  by  the  laqguage  used,  and  which  i-  in  the  mind  of  the  speaker  or  writer  bo  much  more 
important  than  that  which  was  tirst  mentii  pletely  to  absorb  tin:  attention.    The  reasons 

for  thc-M,w  here  given  are  detailed  at  length  in  thi  Notes  on  eh.  vii.  vs  h— 16. 

iv.  The  prophet  had  thus  for  directed  all  his  efforts  to  convince  Ahax  that  from  the  quarter  from 
which  the]  had  apprehended  danger,  nothing  was  to  be  feared.    He  now,  however  (vs  17   26),  pro- 

tu  assure  thi  m  Ih  il  dangei  would  comi  from  the  quarter  where  thej  least  expected  H  from  Ihe 
very  quarter  where  Ahaz  was  Becking  aid  and  deliverance— the  king  of  Assyria  Hi 
that  the  king  of  Assyria  would  take  advantage  or  .in-  alliance, and  under  pretence  of  aiding  bim, 
would  tum .every  thing  to  his  own  account,  and  would  ultimately  bring  de  clarion  on  thi  land  of  Judah, 
The  calami  ies  which  would  ml  low  from  this  unhappy  alliance,  the  prophet  proceeds  to  state  and 
uii.pld,  and  with  that  concludes  thi  i  is  evident  from  2  Kings  xvi.  7,  thai  thi  di  couraeof 

no  impression  on  tb    t  i  dof  A,haz.    He  Bent  messengers  with' valuabli    presents  to 
Pileser,  king  of  Assyria.    TigUith-Pileser  professedly  entered  into  the  views  of  Aha/,  and 
promised  his  aid,    He  wenl  up  against  Damascus  and  took  i'  (2  Kings  xi  uffi  red 

a  terrible  overthrow  from  the  united  armies  <i  Rezin  and  Pekah     The  land  of  Samaria  was  laid 

by  him,  and  a  large  pan  ol  thi  inhabitants  carried  cai  tive  to  lasyria.  •-■  Kings  xv.  29.  Thus  the 
prediction  of  Isaiah,  that  the  land  should  be  forsaken  by  two  kings  (en  vii.  16),  was  fulfilled.  But  this 
deliver  ince  from  iheir  invasion  was  purchased  bj  Ahaz  at  a  vai  I  price.  The  real  purpose  ofTiglath- 
was  not  io  .ml  Ahaz,  but  to  make  him  and  his  kingdom  dependent  and  tributary  (2r<  hron. 
xwiii  21) ;  unil  this  alliance  was  the  first  in  the  succession  ol  calamities  w  hich  came  upon  Judah  and 
Jerusalem,  and  which  ended  only  under  Hczekiah  by  the  entire  destruction  of  the  army  of  Sennache- 
rib. See  ch.  xxxvii.  During  the  (emainder  of  the  reign  of  Ahax.  he  was  tributary  to  Assyria.;  and 
w  hen  Hezekiah  C2  Kings  xvii.  7)  endeavoured  to  throw  oil'  the  yoke  of  Assyria,  the  attempt  involved 
him  in  war;  subjected  his  kingdom  to  invasion  i  and  was  attended  with  a  loss  pi  no  small  part  of  the 

ind  towns  of  his  kingdom.    Bee  -  Kings  xviii,  rix.  tx.    !  i  xxxvi.  xxxvii.    Comp.  Notes  on  ch. 

yiii.  8.  .v.  28     •'  8.     Thus  the  -     ond  part  of  this  prophecy  was  fulfilled.     The  fuller  statement  of  these 
important  transactions  w  ill  be  found  in  the  Notes  on  the  various  passages  which  relate  to  these  events. 


1  And  *it  came  to  pass  in  the 
days  of  Ahaz  the  son  of  Jotham, 
the  son  of  Uzziah  king  of  Judah, 
that  Rezin  the  Icing  of  Syria,  and 

V  2  Kings  16.  5. 


1.  In  the  day*  of  Ahaz.  Ahaz  be- 
gan to  reign  about  738  years  before 
Christ.  By  a  comparison  of  2  Kings 
xvi.  5,  &c,  with  2  Chron.  xxviii.  5, 
&.c,  it  will  be  seen  that  Judea  was 
twice  invaded  by  Rezin  and  Pekah 
in  the  reign  of  Ahaz.  .See  the  Analy- 
sis of  the  chapter.  IT  That  Rezin,  &c. 
This  confederacy  was  formed  in  the 
time  of  Jotham.  2  Kings  xv.  37.  But 
it  was  not  carried  into  execution  during 
his  reign.  It  is  evident  from  this  place 
that  it  was  executed  in  the  early  part 
of  the  reign  of  Ahaz  ;  probably  in  the 
first  or  second  year  of  his  reign.  IT  Sy- 
ria— E"lit  Ardm,  so  called  from  Aram 
(Gen.  x.  22,23),  a  son  of  Shem,  and 
who  peopled  its  chief  provinces.  It 
comprehended  the  country  lying  be- 
tween the  Euphrates  east,  the  Medi- 
terranean west,  Cilicia  north,  and 
Phenicia,  Judea  and  Arabia  south. 
Bee  Notes  on  ch.  xvi:      Syria  of  the 


Pekah  the  son  of  Rental iah,  king 
of  Israel,  went  up  toward  Jeru- 
salem, to  war  against  it,  but  could 
not  prevail  against  it. 


two  rivers  is  Mesopotamia.  Syria  of 
Damascus,  So  called  because  Damascus 
was  its  capital,  extended  eastward 
along  Mount  Libanus,  but  its  limits 
varied  according  to  the  power  of  the 
princes  of  Damascus.  After  the  reign 
of  the  Seleucidae,  Syria  came  to  denote 
the  kingdom  or  region  of  which  Anti- 
och  was  the  capital.  Here  it  denotes 
the  Syria  lying  around  Damascus,  and 
of  which  Damascus  was  the  capital. 
Calmet.  IT  King  Off  Israel,  Of  the 
ten  tribes  called  the  Kingdom  of  Israel, 
or  Samaria  Note  ch.  i  1.  t  Went 
up.  Jerusalem  was  situated  on  hills, 
and  on  the  highest  part  of  the  land. 
But  it  is  possible  that  this  language  is 
derived  from  the  fact  that  it  was  the 
capital.  The  language  is  used  even 
when  the  region  from  which  the  trav- 
eller comes  does  not  lie  lower  than  the 
city.  Thus  it  is  not  uncommon  to 
speak  of  going  up  to  London,  Paris,  &c 


J5.C.738.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


163 


2  And  it  was  told  the  house 
of  David,  saying,  Syria  sis  con- 
federate with  Ephraim  :  and  his 
heart  was  moved  and  the  heart 
of  his  people,  as  the  trees  of  the 
wood  are  moved  with  the  wind. 


^  Could  not  prevail.  Heb,  "  could  not 
fight  against  it,"  i  e.  with  happy  result, 
or  with  success.  He  was  not  able  to 
take  it.  That  the  allied  kings  really 
besieged  Ahaz,  is  evident  from  2  Kings 
xvi.  5  :  They  "  came  up  to  Jerusalem 
to  war,  and  they  besieged  Ahaz,  but 
they  could  not  overcome  him."  The 
reason  why  they  could  not  take  Jeru- 
salem was  probably  not  only  because 
it  was  a  strong  place  and  well  defend- 
ed, but  because  there  was  intelligence 
that  their  own  dominions  were  threat- 
ened with  an  invasion  by  the  Assyrians, 
and  they  could  not  protract  their  siege 
of  Jerusalem  long  enough  to  take  it. 

2.  And  it  Uhm  told  the  house  of  Da- 
vid. That  is,  the  royal  family  ;  or  the 
king  and  princes  ;  the  government. 
Ahaz  was  the  descendant  and  succes- 
sor of  David.  IT  Syria  is  confederate 
with  Ephraim.  Ephraim  was  one  of 
the  tribes  of  Israel,  and  the  kingdom 
of  Israel  was  often  called  Ephraim,  or 
the  kingdom  of  Ephraim  ;  in  the  same 
way  as  the  tribes  of  Judnh  and  Benja- 
min were  called  the  kingdom  of  Judah. 
The  phrase  "  is  confederate  with,"  is 
in  Hebrew  "  resteth  on."  See  margin. 
The  meaning  is,  that  Syria  was  sup- 
ported by  Ephraim,  or  was  allied  with 
Ephraim.  The  kingdom  of  Israel  or 
Ephraim  was  situated  between  Syria 
and  Jerusalem.  Of  course,  the  latter 
could  not  be  attacked  without  march- 
ing through  the  former,  and  without 
their  aid.  In  this  sense  it  was  that 
Syria,  or  the  Aramaeans,  relied  or 
•■ested  on  Ephraim.  Though  Syria 
was  by  far  the  stronger  power,  yet  it 
was  not  strong  enough  to  attack  Jeru- 
salem had  the  kingdom  of  Israel  been 
opposed  to  it.  1  And  his  heart.  The 
heart  of  the  king — of  Ahaz.  IT  Was 
moved  as  the  trees  of  the  wood.     This 


3  Then  said  he  Lord  untc 
Isaiah,  Go  forth  now  to  meet 
Ahaz,  thou  and  4Shear-ja;$hub 
thy  son,  at  the  end  of  the  conduit 
of  the  upper  pool,  in  the  high- 
way of  the  fuller's  field  ; 

4  i.  e.  the  remnant  shall  return. 
5  or,  causeway. 

is  a  very  beautiful  and  striking  image 
It  expresses  universal  trembling,  con- 
sternation, and  alarm,  as  the  trees  are 
moved  together  when  the  wind  passes 
violently  over  them.  A  similar  ex- 
pression is  found  in  Ovid.  In  Canaces, 
Epist.  xi.  vs.  76,  77. 

Dt  tjuatitttr  tcpido  fraxina  virga  r<  to 

Sic  moa  vibruri  pailentia  membra  videres. 

3.  Then  said  the  Lord.  In  regard 
to  the  purposes  for  which  Isaiah  was 
sent  to  meet  Ahaz,  and  the  reason  why 
this  place  was  selected,  see  the  Analy- 
sis of  the  chapter.  V  Thou  and  Shear- 
jashub.  The  meaning  of  the  name 
Shear-jashub  is,  "  the  remnant  shall 
return."  The  names  which  Isaiah 
gave  to  his  sons  were  significant  or 
emblematic  of  some  important  events 
which  were  to  occur  to  the  Jews. 
They  were  for  signs  to  the  people,  and 
had  been  given  in  order  to  keep  before 
the  nation  the  great  truth  that  God 
was  their  protector,  and  that  however 
much  they  might  suffer  or  be  punished, 
yet  the  nation  would  not  be  totally  de- 
stroyed until  the  great  Deliverer  should 
come.  See  Note  on  ver.  14,  and  ch. 
viii.  3.  Why  this  name  was  given  to 
this  son,  or  on  what  occasion,  is  not 
certainly  known.  It  is  probable,  how- 
ever, that  it  was  with  reference  to  the 
future  calamities  and  captivity  of  the 
Jews,  denoting  that  a  part  of  the  peo- 
ple would  return  to  the  land  of  their 
fathers.  Comp.  ch.  x.  21,  22.  The 
name  was  a  remembrancer  given  by 
him  as  a  prophet  perhaps,  some  time 
before  this,  that  the  nation  was  not  to 
be  wholly  annihilated — a  truth  which 
Isaiah  every  where  keeps  before  them 
in  his  prophecies.  Comp.  Note  ch.  vi. 
13.  Why  Shear-jashub  accompanied 
Isaiah  now  is  not  recorded.     It  might 


164 


ISAIAH 


[B.C. 12%. 


oe  as  a  pledge  to  Ahaz  of  the  purpose 
of  the  Lord  that  the  people  should  not 
be  destroyed.  Ahaz  may  have  been 
apprised  of  the  reason  why  the  name 
was  given,  and  his  presence  might 
serve  to  mitigate  his  fears.  H  At  the 
end  of  the  conduit.  A  conduit  is  a 
pipe,  or  other  conductor  of  water.  The 
water  flowed  from  a  fountain,  but  was 
conducted  to  different  receptacles  for 
the  supply  of  the  city,  f  Of  the  upper 
pool.  <  >i  the  upper  receptacle,  or  pond. 
Robinson  (Bib.  Research  i.  -1KJ)  and 
Pococke  Descr  of  the  East,  ii.  25,26) 
Buppose  that  the  Upper  and  Lower 
Pools  referred  to  by  Isaiah  wen-  on  the 
west  side  of  the  city,  the  ruins  of  which 
now  remain.  The  Upper  Pool  la  now 
commonly  called  by  the  monss  Gihon, 
and  by  the  natives  Birkct  el  Mamilla. 
It  lies  in  the  basin  forming  the  head  of 
the  Valley  of  Hinnom  or  Gihon,  about 
seven  hundred  yards  wesi-iionhwest 
from  the  Yafa  Gate,  on  the  west  of 
Jerusalem.  The  sides  of  this  pool  are 
built  of  hewn  stones  laid  in  cement, 
with  steps  at  the  corners  by  which  to 
descend  into  it.  The  bottom  is  level. 
The  dimensions  are  as  follows: 

r    i    th  from  east  to  west 316  Eng.  feet. 

Breadth  at  the  west  end 200 

ul  the  cast  eiul 218 

Depth  at  each  end 18 

There  is  no  water-course,  or  other 
visihle  means,  by  which  water  is  now 
brought  into  this  reservoir,  but  it  is 
probable  that  it  was  filled  in  the  rainy 
seasons  by  the  waters  which  flowed 
from  the  higher  ground  round  about. 
From  this  Upper  Pool  a  part  of  the 
water  was  conveyed  into  the  city  to 
the  Pool  of  Hezekiah,  lying  within  the 
walls  and  situated  some  distance  to 
the  northeastward  of  the  Yafa  Gate. 
"  Hezekiah  stopped  the  upper  water- 
course of  Gihon,  and  brought  it  straight 
down  to  the  west  side  of  the  city  of 
David."  2  Chron.  xxxii.  30.  Comp. 
Notes  on  ch.  xxii.  !).  This  Upper 
Pool  had  a  trench  or  '  conduit,'  and  a 
considerable  part  of  the  waters  were 
allowed  to  flow  through  this  to  the 
Lower  Pool.  The  "Lower  Pool"  is 
mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament  only 
nice,  and  that  by  Jsatah  (ch   xxii.  'J), 


and  there  without  any  hint  of  its  lo» 
cality.  There  is  now  a  large  Lower 
Pool  on  the  western  side  of  Jerusalem, 
which  is  not  improbably  the  one  in- 
tended, and  which  stands  in  contrast 
with  the  one  here  mentioned.  Tins 
pool  is  called  by  the  Arabs  Birket  es- 
Sultdn.  There  is  at  present  no  other 
pool  iii  the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem  to 
which  the  description  in  Isaiah  can  be 
well  applied.  This  reservoir  is  situ- 
ated in  the  Valley  of  Hinnom  or  Gihon, 
southward   from   the    V.'iia  Gate,     Its 

.  northern  end  is  nearly  upon  a  line  with 
the   southern    wall    of  the    city.      The 

;  pool  was  formed  by  throwing  strong 
wails  across  the  bottom  of  the  valley, 
between  which  the  earth  was  wholly 
removed.  A  road  crosses  on  the 
eauseway  at  the  southern  end.     The 

I  following  are  the  measurements  of  tlua 
pooj : 

l    n    h  alons  the  middle 592  Eng.  feet 

Breadth  at  the  north  end 246 

ut  the  south  end-. 278 

Depth  at  north  end 35 

"    at  south  end 42 

This  reservoir  was  probably  filled  from 
the  rains,  and  from  the  superfluous 
waters  of  the  Upper  Pool.  It  is  now 
in  ruins.  The  water  from  this  pool 
would  flow  off  into  the  vailey  of  Hin- 
nom, and  thence  into  the  valley  of  Je- 
hoshaphat  or  Kedron,  or  subsequently 
into  the  pool  of  Hezekiah,  situated 
within  the  city.  See  Notes  on  ch.  xxii. 
f),  11.  Why  Ahaz  was  at  that  place, 
the  prophet  does  not  say.  It  is  possi- 
ble he  was  examining  it  to  sec  whether 
the  fountain  could  be  stopped  up,  or 
the  water  diverted,  so  that  it  could  not 
be  used  by  the  enemy,  and  so  that  they 
could  be  prevented  from  maintaining 
a  protracted  siege.  Comp  2  Chron. 
xxxii.  4.  It  is  probable  that  the  king 
had  gone  to  this  place  attended  by 
many  of  his  counsellors,  and  as  this 
was  the  main  source  of  the  supply  of 
water  to  the  city,  a  multitude  would 
be  there,  and  Isaiah  could  have  an  op- 
portunity not  only  to  deliver  his  mes- 
sage to  Aha/  and  his  court,  but  in  the 
presence  of  a  considerable  concourse 
of  people,  and  might  thus  inspire  con- 
fidence among  the  alarmed  and  deject- 
ed  inhabitants  of   the  city.     H  lit  th* 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


155 


4  And  say  unto  him,  Take 
heed,  and  be  quiet ;  fear  not, 
6neither  be  faint-hearted  for  the 
two  tails  of  these  smoking  fire- 
brands, for  the  fierce  anger  of 
Rezin  with  Syria,  and  of  the  son 
of  Remaliah. 

5  Because  Syria,  Ephraim, 
and  the  son  of  Remaliah,  have 
taken  evil  counsel  against  thee, 
saying, 

highway  of  the  fuller's  field.  In  the 
place  occupied  as  a  situation  on  which 
to  spread,  or  suspend  cloth  that  was 
Dleached,  or  dyed.  This  situation 
would  be  chosen  because  much  water 
was  needed  in  bleaching-  or  dying  cloth. 
The  name  "  highway,"  denotes  the 
public  path,  or  road  that  led  to  this 
field.  Probably  on  one  side  of  this 
highway  was  the  aqueduct,  and  on 
the  other  the  fuller's  field.  Of  the 
Fuller's  Field,  Eusebius  and  Jerome 
merely  say  that  it  was  shown  in  their 
day  in  the  suburbs  of  the  city.  Onom. 
an.  Ager  Fullonis. 

4.  Take  heed.  Heb.,  Keep  thyself, 
that  is,  from  fear.  IT  Neither  be  faint- 
hearted. Heb.  Let  not  thy  heart  be 
tender.  That  is,  let  it  not  be  easily 
moved  ;  be  strong,  fearless.  IT  For  the 
tails,  &c.  There  is  much  beauty  and 
force  in  this  comparison.  The  design 
of  Isaiah  is  to  diminish  the  fear  of 
Ahaz.  Instead  therefore  of  calling 
them  firebrands — burning  and  setting 
on  fire  every  thing  in  their  way,  he 
calls  them  the  tails — i.  e.  the  ends,  or 
remains  of  firebrands — almost  consum- 
ed themselves,  and  harmless.  And 
instead  of  saying  that  they  were  burn- 
iug  and  blazing,  he  says  that  they  were 
merely  smoking — the  half-burnt,  decay- 
ing remains  of  what  might  have  been 
•nee  formidable.  The  prophet  also  is 
just  about  to  announce  their  approach- 
ing destruction  by  the  Assyrians.  See 
ver.  fe.  He  therefore  speaks  of  them 
as  already  almost  extinguished,  and 
incapable  of  doing  extensive  injury. 
"i  Son  of  Remaliah.   Pekah,ver.  1.  "It 


6  Let  us  go  up  against  Judan, 
and  7vex  it,  and  let  us  make  a 
breach  therein  for  us,  and  set  u 
king  in  the  midst  of  it,  even  the 
son  of  Tabeal : 

7  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God, 
It  shall  not  stand,  neither  shall 
it  come  to  pass. 

8  For  the  head  of  Syria  is 
Damascus,  and  the  head  of  Da- 

6  let  not  thy  heart  be  tender.       7  or,  weaken. 

is  by  way  of  contempt  that  the  king  of 
Israel  is  not  called  by  his  own  name. 
The  Hebrews  and  Arabians,  when  they 
wish  to  speak  reproachfully  of  any  one, 
omit  his  proper  name  and  call  him 
merely  the  son  of  this  or  tht  t,  especial- 
ly when  his  father  is  but  little  known 
or  respected.  So  Saul  names  David 
in  contempt  the  son  of  Jesse.  1  Sam. 
xx.  27,  31."  Hengstenberg. 

6.  And  vex  it.  Margin,  or  weaken 
it.  Probably  the  word  means  to  throw 
into  consternation  or  fear  by  besieging 
it.  Gesenius.  IT  And  let  us  make  a 
breach  therein.  Let  us  break  down 
the  walls,  &c.  IT  And  set  a  king. 
Subdue  it,  and  make  it  tributary  to  the 
allied  kingdoms  of  Syria  and  Ephraim. 
1T  The  son  of  Tabeal.  Nothing  more 
is  known  of  this  person.  He  might 
have  been  some  disaffected  member  of 
the  royal  family  of  David  who  had 
sought  the  aid  of  Rezin  and  Pekah, 
and  who  would  be  allied  to  them,  or 
tributary  to  them.  It  is  possible  that 
he  had  already  a  party  in  Jerusalem  in 
his  favour.  Comp.  ch.  viii.  12.  Pro- 
bably the  two  kings  wished  to  cut  olf 
such  portions  of  the  territory  of  Judah 
as  should  be  convenient  to  them,  and 
to  set  a  king  over  the  remainder  who 
should  be  under  their  control,  or  to 
divide  the  whole  between  themselves 
by  setting  up  a  king  who  would  be  tri- 
butary to  both. 

8.  For  the  head  of  Syria.  The 
capital.  The  had  is  often  used  in  this 
sense.  IT  Is  Damascus.  For  an  ac- 
count of  this  city  see  Notes  on  chap. 
rvii.  1.  Comp.  Notes  Acts  ix.  2.    Tha 


lfifi 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738 


mascus   is    Rezin  ;    and    within 
threescore   and   five  years  shall 


sense  of  this  passage  is,  '  Do  not  be 
alarmed  as  if  Rezin  was  aboul  to  en- 
large his  kingdom  by  taking  Judea 
and  making  Jerusalem  bis  capital.  The 
revolution  which  these  kings  contem- 
plate cannot  he  accomplished.  The 
kingdoms  of  Syria  and  Israel  shall  not 
be  enlarged  by  the  conquest  of  Judah. 
The  centre  of  their  power  shnll  remain 
where  it  is  now,  and  t li< •  i r  dominion 
shall  not  be  extended  by  conquest. 
The  capital  of  Syria  is,  and  shall  con- 
tinue to  be,  Damascus.  The  king  of 
Syria  shall  be  confined  within  his  pre- 
sent limits,  and  Jerusalem  therefore 
shall  be  safe.'  IT  The  head  of  Damas- 
rux.  The  ruler,  or  king  of  Damascus 
is  Rezin.  IT  And  within  threescore  and 
fire  years.  There  has  been  some  in- 
quiry why  Ephraim  is  mentioned  here, 
as  the  prophet  in  the  former  part  of  the 
verse  was  speaking  of  Syria.  But  it 
should  be  remembered  that  he  was 
speaking  of  Syria  and  Ephraim  as  con- 
federate. It  was  natural  therefore  to 
intimate,  in  close  connection,  that  no 
fear  was  to  be  apprehended  from  either 
of  them. — There  has  been  much  diffi- 
culty experienced  in  establishing  the 
fact  of  the  exact  fulfilment  of  this,  and 
in  fixing  the  precise  event  to  which  it 
refers.  One  catastrophe  happened  to 
the  kingdom  of  Ephraim  or  Israel 
within  one  or  two  years  of  this  time, 
when  Tiglath-Pileser,  king  of  Assyria, 
invaded  the  land  and  carried  no  small 
part  of  the  people  to  Assyria,  2  Kings 
xv.  29.  Another  occurred  in  the  next 
reign,  the  reign  of  Hoshea,  king  of  Is- 
rael, when  Shalmaneser  king  of  Assy- 
ria took  Samaria,  and  carried  Israel 
away  captive  into  Assyria,  2  Kings 
xvii.  1-6.  This  occurred  in  the  twelfth 
year  of  Ahaz.  But  that  the  Israelites 
remained  in  Samaria,  and  kept  up  the 
forms  of  a  civil  community,  and  were 
not  finally  carried  away  until  the  time 
of  Gsarhaddon  is  evident.  Compare 
2  Chron.  xxxiv.  6,  7,  33,  xxxv.  18. 
2  Kings  xxiii.  19,20.  Jtf  anasseh,  king 
Of  Judah,   was   taken    captive    by   the 


Ephraim   be  broken,  2that  it  be 
not  a  people. 


2  from  a. 


king  of  Assyrians  captains  (2  Chron. 
x.xxiii  2)  in  the  twenty-second  year 
of  his  reign — that  is,  sixty-five  years 
from  the  second  year  of  Ahaz,  when 
this  prophecy  is  supposed  to  have  been 
delivered.  And  it  is  also  supposed  that 
at  this  time  Esarhnddon  took  away  the 
remains  of  the  people  in  Samaria,  and 
put  an  end  to  the  kingdom,  and  put  in 
their  place  the  people  who  are  men- 
tioned in  Ezra  iv  3  Dr.  Jubb  ax  qm><<  d 
by  Luwth.  The  entire  extinction  of 
the  people  of  Israel  and  the  kingdom 
did  not  take  place  till  Esarhaddon  put 
new  colonists  from  Babylon,  and  from 
Cuthah,  and  from  Ava,  and  from  H. 
math,  and  from  Sepharvaim  in  the 
cities  ot  Samaria,  instead  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel.  2  Kings  xvii  24.  Camp. 
Ezra  iv.  %J,  10.  Long  before  this,  in- 
deed, the  power  of  the  kingdom  had 
been  on  the  wane  ;  a  large  portion  of 
the  people  had  been  removed  (2  Kings 
xvii.  5,  6,  18) ;  but  its  entire  extinc- 
tion was  not  accomplished,  and  the 
kingdom  utterly  destroyed,  until  this 
was  done.  Till  this  occurred  the  land 
might  he  still  regarded  as  in  the  pos- 
session somewhat  of  its  former  people, 
and  all  hopes  of  their  rising  again  to 
the  dignity  of  a  kingdom  was  not  ex- 
tinguished. But  when  foreigners  were 
introduced,  and  took  possession  of  the 
land  ;  when  all  the  social  organization 
of  the  ancient  people  was  dissolved  ; 
then  it  might  be  said  that  '  Ephraim 
was  for  ever  broken,'  and  that  it  was 
demonstrated  that  it  '  should  be  no 
more  a  people.'  Its  inhabitants  were 
transferred  to  a  distant  land — no  longer 
to  be  organized  into  a  peculiar  com" 
munity,  hut  to  mingle  with  other  peo- 
ple, and  finally  all  traces  of  their  origin 
as  Jews  were  to  be  lost  This  event 
of  placing  the  foreigners  in  the  cities 
of  Samaria  occurred  just  sixty-five 
years  after  it  had  been  predicted  by 
Isaiah.  Archbishop  I'xhrr. 

It  may  be  asked  here  how  the  state- 
ment of  what  was  to  occur  at  so  remote 
a  period  as  sixty-five    years   could    be 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


167 


9  And  the  head  of  Ephraim 
is  Samaria,  and  the  head  of  Sa- 
maria is  Remaliah's  son.     6If  ye 

6  or,  Do  yc  not  believe?  it  is  because  ye  are  not 
stable. 


any  consolation  to  Ahaz,  or  any  secu- 
rity that  the  designs  of  the  kings  of 
Syria  and  Samaria  should  tlien  fail  of 
being  accomplished  ]  To  this  we  may 
reply, — (1.)  It  was  the  assurance  that 
Jerusalem  could  not  be  finally  and  per- 
manently reduced  to  submission  before 
these  dreaded  enemies.  Their  power 
was  to  cease,  and  of  course  Jerusalem 
had  nothing  ultimately  and  finally  to 
dread.  (2.)  The  design  was  to  inspire 
confidence  in  Jehovah,  and  to  lead 
Ahaz  to  look  directly  to  him.  If  these 
formidable  powers  could  not  ultimately 
prevail,  and  if  there  was  a  certain  pre- 
diction that  they  should  be  destroyed, 
then  it  was  possible  for  God,  if  Ahaz 
would  look  to  him,  noic  to  interpose, 
and  save  the  city.  To  inspire  that 
confidence  in  Jehovah  was  the  leading 
purpose  of  Isaiah.  (3  )  This  predic- 
tion is  in  accordance  with  many  which 
occur  in  Isaiah,  that  all  the  enemies 
of  the  people  of  God  would  be  ulti- 
mately defeated,  and  that  God  as  the 
head  of  the  theocracy  would  defend 
and  deliver  his  people.  See  Notes  on 
ch.  xxxiv.  A  kingdom  that  was  so 
soon  to  be  destroyed  as  Ephraim  was, 
could  not  be  an  object  of  great  dread 
and  alarm. — Rosenmtiller  conjectures, 
that  Isaiah  refers  to  some  unrecorded 
prophecy  made  before  his  time,  that  in 
sixty-five  years,  Israel  would  be  de- 
stroyed ;  and  that  he  refers  here  to  that 
oropheey  to  encourage  the  heart  of 
Ahaz,  and  to  remind  him  that  a  king- 
dom could  not  be  very  formidable  that 
was  so  soon  to  come  to  an  end.  At 
all  events,  there  is  no  contradiction  be- 
tween the  prophecy  and  the  fulfilment, 
for  within  the  time  here  mentioned 
Ephraim  ceased  to  be  a  kingdom.  The 
ancient  Jewish  writers,  with  one  con- 
sent, say,  that  Isaiah  referred  here  to 
the  prophecy  of  Amos  who  prophesied 
in  the  days  of  Uzziah,  and  whose  pre- 
dictions relate  mainly  to  the  kingdom 
of  Israel.     But  as  Amos  does  not  spe- 


will  not  believe,  surely  ye  shall 
not  be  established. 

10  Moreover,  7the  Lord  spake 
again  unto  Ahaz,  saying, 


cify  any  particular  time  when  the  king- 
dom should  be  destroyed,  it  is  apparent 
that  Isaiah  here  could  not  have  referred 
to  any  recorded  prophecy  of  his.  11  Be 
broken.  Its  power  shall  be  destroyed  ; 
the  kingdom,  as  a  kingdom,  shall  come 
to  an  end. 

9.  And  the  head  of  Ephraim.     The 
capital   city  of  Ephraim,  or   of  Israel. 
IT   Is   Samaria.      This    was    long    the 
capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel.     For 
a  description  of  this  city,  see  Notes  on 
ch.    xxviii     1.     The   meaning    of  the 
prophet   is,  that  Samaria   should  con- 
tinue to  be  the  head  of  Ephraim  ;  that 
is,  Jerusalem  should  not  be  made  its 
capital      ^  If  ye  will  not  believe,  surely 
ye  shall  not  be  established.     There   is 
considerable  variety  in  the  interpreta- 
tion of  these  words,  though  the  gene- 
ral   sense    is    evident.      The    Chaldee 
renders  them,  "  If  ye  will  not  believe 
the  words  of  the  prophet,  ye  shall  not 
]  remain."      It   is  probable  that   Ahaz, 
who   was    greatly   alarmed,  and   who 
trembled   at  the  formidable   power  of 
Syria   and   Israel  united,  received  the 
1  annunciation  of  the  prophet  with  much 
!  distrust.     He  was  anxious    about  the 
j  means  of  defence,  but  did  not  trust  in 
i  the   promise  of  God   by    the    prophet. 
j  Isaiah,  therefore,  assures  him  that  if 
he  did  not  believe  him  ;  if  he  did  not 
put   confidence   in   God,  and  his  pro- 
mises, he  should  not  be  protected  from 
]  Syria  and  Ephraim.  They  would  come 
I  and  destroy  his  kingdom.     '  You  have 
j  no   occasion/   is   the   language  of  the 
prophet,   '  to  fear.     God  has  resolved 
to  protect  you,  and  no  portion  of  your 
land  shall  be  taken  by  your  enemies. 
Nevertheless,  in    order  that  you  may 
obtain   deliverance,  you  must    believe 
his  promise,  and   put  your  confidence 
in  him,  and  not  in  the  aid  of  the  Assy- 
rians.    If  you  do  this,  your  mind  shall 
be  calm,  peaceful,  and  happy.     But  if 
you  do  not  do  this ;  if  you  rely  on  the 
aid  of  Assyria,  you  shall  be  troubled, 


168 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738. 


11  Ask  thee  a  sign"*  of  the 
Lord   thy    God :    ask9   it  either 

7  And  the  LORD  added  to  speak. 

llnrmed,  unsuccessful,  and  bring  ruin 
upon  yourself  and  nation.'  Thie,  there- 
to! e,  is  an  exhortation  to  confide  solely 
in  the  promises  of  God  ;  and  is  one  of 
the  instances  constantly  occurring  in 
the  Old  Testament  and  the  New,  show- 
ing that  by  faith  or  confidence  in  God 
only  can  the  mind  be  preserved  calm 
when  in  the  midst  of  dangers. 

11.  Ask  thee.  Ask.  for  thy self ;  ask 
a  sign  that  shall  be  convincing  to  thy- 
se If  since  thou  dost  not  fully  credit  the 
words  of  the  prophet.  It  is  evident  that 
the  words  of  the  prophet  had  made  no 
impression  on  the  mind  of  Ahaz.  God, 
therefore,  proposes  to  him  to  ask  any 
proof  or  demonstration  which  he  might 
select  ;  any  thing  that  would  be  an  in- 
dication of  divine  power  that  should 
put  what  the  prophet  had  said  beyond 
doubt.  Had  Ahaz  put  confidence  in 
God,  he  would  have  believed  what  the 
prophet  said  without  miraculous  proof. 
But  he  had  no  such  confidence.  The 
prophet,  therefore,  proposes  that  he 
should  ask  any  miraculous  demonstra- 
tion that  what  he  said  would  come  to 
pass.  '1  his  proposition  was  made, 
probably,  not  so  much  from  respect  to 
Ahaz  as  to  leave  him  without  excuse, 
and  in  order  that  the  people  might  have 
the  assurance  that  the  city  and  king- 
dom were  safe.  TT  A  sign.  A  demon- 
stration that  shall  confirm  the  promise 
now  made,  and  that  shall  be  an  evi- 
dence that  Jerusalem  shall  be  sale. 
The  word  used  here,  and  translated 
sign — r*HSt  nth — means  a  flag,  or  stand- 
ard, Num.  ii.  2  ;  a  memorial  or  pledge 
of  a  covenant,  Gen.  xvii.  1 1  ;  any 
pledge,  token  or  proof  of  a  divine  mis- 
sion. Judges  vi.  17  ;  or  a  miracle 
wrought  in  attestation  of  a  divine  pro- 
mise or  message.  This  is  its  sense 
here.  That  which  Isaiah  had  spoken 
seemed  highly  improbable  to  Ahaz,  and 
he  asked  him  to  seek  a  proof  ■>{  it,  if 
he  doubted,  by  any  prodigy  or  miracle. 
It  was  costomary  for  miracles  or  prodi- 
gies to  be  exhibited  on  similar  occa- 


in  the   depth,   or   in  the    height 
above. 

d  ch.  38.  7.  22.       9  or,  make  thy  petition  deep. 

sions.  See  ch.  xxxviii.  7,  where  the 
shadow  on  the  dial  of  this  same  Ahaz 
was  carried  backward  ten  degrees  in 
proof  of  what  the  prophet  Isaiah  had 
spoken.  Comp.  1  Sam.  ii.  27-30.  1 
Kings  xiii.  1-3.  Ex.  iii.  12.  Judg.  xliv. 
29,  30.  That  the  word  here  refers  to 
some  event  which  could  be  brought 
about  only  by  divine  power,  is  evidi  nt 
from  the  whole  connexion  No  mere 
natural  occurrence  could  have  satisfied 
Ahaz,  or  convey  to  the  people  a  de- 
monstration of  the  truth  of  what  the 
prophet  was  saying  And  if  the  pro- 
phet had  been  unable  or  unwilling  to 
give  a  miraculous  sign,  where  is  the 
fitness  of  the  answer  of  Ahaz  !  How 
could  he  be  regarded  as  in  any  way 
templing  God  by  asking  it,  unless  it 
was  something  which  God  only  could 
do  I  And  how  could  the  prophet  bring 
the  charge  (ver.  13),  that  be  hail  not 
merely  offended  men  but  God  also  ? 
It  is  clear,  therefore,  that  Isaiah  was 
conscious  that  he  was  invested  by  God 
with  the  power  of  working  a  miracle, 
and  that  he  proposed  to  perform  any 
miracle  which  Ahaz  should  suggest  that 
would  serve  to  remove  his  doubts,  and 
lead  him  to  put  confidence  in  God  If 
Ask  it  either  in  the  depth,  &,c.  He 
gave  him  his  choice  of  a  miracle — 
any  sign  or  wonder  in  heaven,  or  on 
earth — above  or  below  ;  a  miracle  in 
the  sky,  or  from  beneath  the  earth. 
Many  of  the  versions  understand  the 
expression  "  the  depth,"  as  referring  to 
the  grace,  or  to  the  region  of  departed 
souls — hades.  So  the  Vulgate,  Aquila, 
Symmachus.  The  Chaldee  reads  it, 
'■  Seek  that  there  may  be  a  miracle  to 
thee  upon  the  earth,  or  a  sign  in  the 
heavens."  The  literal  meaning  of  the 
Hebrew  is,  "  make  low,  ask  for  ;"  thai 
is,  ask  for  a  sign  below;  obtain,  by  ask- 
ing for  thyself,  a  miracle  that  shall  take 
place  below.  1 1  may 
or  to  the  region  under  the  earth,  since 
it  stands  in  contrast  with  that  which  is 
above      If  it  refers  to  the  region  under 


#.£.738.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


169 


12  But  Ahaz  said,  I  will  not    ask,  neither  w.ll  I  tempt  the  Lord. 


the  earth,  it  means  that  Isaiah  would 
raise  the  dead  to  lif*3-  if  Ahaz  desired 
it  ;  if  to  the  earth,  that  any  wonder  or 
miracle  that  should  take  place  in  the 
elements — as  a  tempest,  or  earthquake, 
should  be  performed.  IP  The  height 
above.  The  heaven,  or  the  sky.  So 
the  Pharisees  desired  to  see  a  sign 
from  heaven.  Matt.  xvi.  1. 

12.  /  will  not  ask.  In  this  case 
Ahaz  assumed  the  appearance  of  piety, 
or  respect  for  the  command  of  God 
In  Deut.  vi.  16,  it  is  written,  "  Thou 
sijalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God  ;" 
and  Ahaz  perhaps  had  this  command 
in  his  eye.  It  was  a  professed  rever- 
ence for  God.  But  the  true  reason 
why  he  did  not  seek  this  sign,  was  that 
he  had  already  entered  into  a  negotia- 
tion with  the  king  of  Assyria  to  come 
and  defend  him  ;  and  that  he  was  even 
stripping  the  temple  of  God  of  its  silver 
and  gold  to  secure  this  assistance.  2 
Kings  xvi  7,  8.  When  men  are  de- 
pending on  their  own  devices  and  re- 
sources, they  are  unwilling  to  seek  aid 
from  God  ;  and  it  is  not  uncommon  if 
they  excuse  their  want  of  trust  in  him 
by  some  appearance  of  respect  for  reli- 
gion. 1T  Tempt.  Try,  or  do  a  thing 
that  shall  provoke  his  displeasure,  or 
seek  his  interposition  in  a  case  where 
he  has  not  promised  it.  To  tempt  God 
is  the  same  as  to  put  him  to  the  proof; 
to  see  whether  he  is  able  to  perform 
what  he  proposed.  It  is  evident,  how- 
ever, that  here  there  would  have  been 
no  temptation  of  God,  since  a  sign  had 
been  offered  him  by  the  prophet  in  the 
name  of  God.  "  The  answer  of  Ahaz 
can  be  regarded  either  as  one  of  bitter 
scorn,  as  if  he  had  said, '  I  will  not  put 
thy  God  to  the  proof,  in  which  he  will 
be  found  wanting.  I  will  not  embar- 
rass thee  by  taking  thee  at  thy  word  ;' 
or  as  the  language  of  a  hypocrite  who 
assumes  the  mask  of  reverence  for 
God  and  his  command  "  Hengstritberg 
Chrysostom  and  Calvin  regard  the  lat- 
ter as  the  correct  interpretation  — If  it 
be  asked  here  why  Ahaz  did  not  put 
Jsaiah  to  the  test,  and  serine,  if  possi- 
ble, the  divine  confirmation  to  the  assu- 
8 


ranee  that  Jerusalem  would  be  safe,  the 
following  may  be  regarded  as  the  proba- 
ble reasons.  (1.)  He  was  secretly  re« 
lying  on  the  aid  of  Assyria.  He  be- 
lieved that  he  could  fortify  the  city,  and 
distress  the  enemy  by  turning  away  the 
supply  of  water  so  that  they  could  no» 
carry  on  a  siege,  and  that  all  the  fur- 
ther aid  which  he  needed  could  be  de- 
rived from  the  Assyrians.  (2.)  If  the 
miracle  had  been  really  tcroughl,  it 
would  have  been  a  proof  that  Jehovah 
was  the  true  God — a  proof  which  Ahaz 
had  no  desire  of  witnessing.  He  was 
a  gross  idolater  ;  and  he  was  not  anxious 
to  witness  a  demonstration  which  would 
have  convinced  him  of  the  folly  and  sin 
of  his  own  course  of  life.  (3.)  If  the 
miracle  could  not  be  wrought,  as  Ahaz 
seems  to  have  supposed  would  be  the 
case,  then  it  would  have  done  much  to 
unsettle  the  confidence  of  the  people, 
and  to  have  produced  agitation  and 
alarm.  It  is  probable  that  a  considera- 
ble portion  of  the  people  were  worship- 
pers of  Jehovah,  and  were  looking  to 
him  for  aid.  The  pious,  and  the  great 
mass  of  those  who  conformed  to  the 
religion  of  their  fathers,  would  have 
been  totally  disheartened — and  this 
was  a  result  which  Ahaz  had  no  desire 
to  produce.  (4  )  Michaelis  has  sug- 
gested another  reason  drawn  from  the 
character  of  idolatry. '  According  to 
the  prevailing  notions  at  that  period, 
every  nation  had  its  own  gods.  Those 
of  one  people  were  more,  and  those  of 
another  less  powerful.  See  Isa.  x.  10, 
11,  xxxvi.  18-20,  xxxvii.  10-13.  If  a 
miracle  had  been  performed,  Ahaz 
might  have  believed  that  it  was  per- 
formed by  the  god  of  the  country,  who 
might  have  had  the  disposition,  but  not 
the  power,  to  defend  him.  It  would 
have  been  to  the  mind  of  the  idolater 
no  proof  that  the  god  of  Syria  or  Sa- 
maria was  not  more  powerful,  and 
might  not  have  easily  overcome  him. 
Ahaz  seems  to  have  regarded  Jehovah 
as  sur'u  it  God— as  one  of  the  numerous 
'gods  which  were  to  be  worshipped,  and 
peihaps  as  not  the  most  powerful  of  the 
tutelary  divinities  of  the  nations    Thia 


170  ISAIAH.  [B.C.  738. 

13  And  he  said,  Hear  ye  now,    will  ye  weary  my  God  also  ? 
O  house  of  David  ;   Is  it  a  small         14  Therefore  the  Lord  him. 
thing  for  you  to  weary  men,  but    self  shall  give   you  a  sign  :  Be- 


was  certainly  the  view  of  the  surround- 
ing idolaters  (ch.  x.  10,  ll.xxxvi.  18- 

2U)  ;  and  it  is  highly  probable  that  this 
view  prevailed  among  the  idolatrous 
Israelites 

13  <>  house  of  David  (ver.  2)  By 
this  is  to  be  understood  not  only  the 
king  himself,  but  the  princes  and  ru- 
lers. Perhaps  in  addressing  him  thus, 
there  was  implied  no  small  irony 
and  reproach.  David  confided  in  God. 
But  Ahaz,  his  descendant,  feared  to 
tempt  God  !  As  if  God  could  not  aid 
him  !  Worthy  descendant  he  of  the 
pious  and  devoted  David  !  !  IT  Is  it  a 
small  iking.  You  are  not  satisfied  with 
wearying  men,  but  you  would  also 
fatigue  and  wear  out  the  patience  of 
God.  IT  Weary.  Exhaust  their  pa- 
tience ;  oppose  them ;  prevent  their 
sayings  and  messages  ;  try  their  spirits, 
&c.  1f  Men.  Prophets  ;  the  men  who 
are  sent  to  instruct,  and  admonish. 
T  Will  ye  weary  my  God  also  ?  Will 
you  refuse  to  keep  his  commands  ;  try 
his  patience  ;  and  exhaust  his  long- 
suffering  ?  Comp.  ch.  i.  14.  The  sense 
of  this  passage  seems  to  be  this  :  When 
Ahaz  refused  to  believe  the  bare  pre- 
diction of  the  prophet,  his  transgres- 
sion was  the  more  excusable.  He  had 
wearied  and  provoked  him,  but  Isaiah 
had  as  yet  given  to  Ahaz  no  direct  de- 
monstration that  he  was  from  God  ;  no 
outward  proof  of  his  divine  mission  ; 
and  the  offence  of  Ahaz  might  be  re- 
garded as  in  a  sense  committed  against 
man.  It  was  true,  also,  that  Ahaz  had, 
by  his  unbelief  and  idolatry,  greatly 
tried  the  feelings  of  the  pious,  and 
wearied  those  who  were  endeavouring 
to  promote  true  religion.  But  now  the 
case  was  changed.  God  had  offered  a 
sign,  and  it  had  been  publicly  rejected, 
it  was  a  direct  insult  to  God  ;  and  an 
offence  that  demanded  reproof.  Ac- 
cordingly the  manner  of  Isaiah  is  at 
once  changed.  Soft,  and  gentle,  and 
mild  before,  he.  now  became  bold,  open, 
vehement.     The  honour  of  God  was 


concerned  ;  a  direct  affront  had  been 
offered  to  him  by  the  sovereign  of  the 
people  of  God  ;  and  it  was  proper  for 
the  prophet  to  show  that  that  was  an 
offence  which  affected  the  Divine 
Majesty,  and  demanded  the  severest 
reproof. 

14.  Therefore.  Since  you  will  no*. 
ask  a  pledge  that  the  land  shall  lie  safe, 
Jehovah  will  furnish  one  unasked.  A 
Sign  or  proof  is  desirable  in  the  case, 
and  Jehovah  will  not  withhold  it  because 
a  proud  and  contemptuous  monarch  re- 
fuses to  seek  it.  Perhaps  there  is  no 
prophecy  in  the  Old  Testament  on 
which  more  has  been  written,  and 
which  has  produced  more  perplexity 
among  commentators  than  this.  And 
after  all  it  still  remains,  in  many  re- 
spects, very  obscure.  Its  general  ori- 
ginal meaning  is  not  difficult.  It  is, 
that  in  a  short  time — within  the  time 
when  a  young  woman,  then  a  virgin, 
should  conceive  and  bring  forth  a  child, 
ami  that  child  should  grow  old  enough 
to  distinguish  between  good  and  evil- 
the  calamity  which  Ahaz  feared  would 
be  entirely  removed.  The  confederacy 
would  be  broken  up,  and  the  land  for- 
saken by  both  those  kin^s  The  con- 
ception and  birth  of  a  child — which 
could  be  known  only  by  him  who 
knows  all  future  events — would  be  the 
evidence  of  such  a  result.  His  appro- 
priate name  would  be  such  as  would 
be  a  sign,  or  an  indication  that  God 
was  the  protector  of  the  nation,  or  was 
stili  with  them. — In  the  examination 
of  this  difficult  prophecy,  my  lirst  ob- 
ject will  be  to  give  an  explanation  of 
the  meaning  of  the  words  &nd  phraset 
as  they  occur  in  the  passage,  and  then 
to  show,  as  far  as  I  may  be  able,  what 
was  the  design  of  the  passage.  T  The 
Lorp  himself.  Heb.  Adonai.  See 
this  word  explained  in  the  Note  on  ch. 
i.  24.  He  will  do  it  without  being 
asked  to  do  it  ;  he  will  do  it  though  it 
is  rejected  and  despised  ;  he  will  do  il 
because  it  is  important  for  the  welfare 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


171 


hold,  fa.   virgin    shall   conceive,  I  and    bear  a  son,  and  ^shall  cal\ 
/Luke  1.31-35.     g  Matt.  i.  23.  I  his  name3  Immanuel. 

3  or,  thou,  O  Virgin,  slialt. 


of  the  nation,  and  for  the  confirmation 
of  his  religion,  to  furnish  a  demonstra- 
tion to  the  people  that  he  is  the  only 
true  God.  It  is  clearly  implied  here, 
that  the  sign  should  be  such  as  Jeho- 
vah alone  could  give.  It  would  be 
such  as  would  be  a  demonstration  that 
he  presided  over  the  interests  of  the 
people.  If  this  refers  to  the  birth  of  a 
child,  then,  it  means  that  this  was  an 
event  which  could  be  known  only  to 
God,  and  which  could  be  accomplished 
only  by  his  agency.  If  it  refers  to  the 
miraculous  conception  and  birth  of  the 
Messiah,  then  it  means  that  that  was 
an  event  which  none  but  God  could 
accomplish  The  true  meaning  I  shall 
endeavour  to  state  in  the  Notes  at  the 
close  of  ver  16.  IT  Shall  give  you. 
Primarily  to  the  house  of  David — the 
king  and  royal  family  of  Judah.  It 
was  especially  designed  to  assure  the 
government  that  the  kingdom  would 
be  safe.  Doubtless,  however,  the  word 
"  you"  is  designed  to  include  the  na- 
tion, or  the  people  of  the  kingdom  of 
Judah.  It  would  be  so  public  a  sign, 
and  so  clear  a  demonstration,  as  to  con- 
vince them  that  their  city  and  land 
must  be  ultimately  safe.  IT  A  sign. 
A  pledge  ;  a  token  ;  an  evidence  of  the 
fulfilment  of  what  is  predicted.  The 
word  does  not  of  necessity  denote  a 
miracle,  though  it  is  often  so  applied. 
See  Notes  on  ver.  1 1.  Here  it  means 
a  proof,  a  demonstration,  a  certain  in- 
dication that  what  he  had  said  should 
be  fulfilled.  As  that  was  to  be  such  a 
demonstration  as  to  show  that  he  was 
able  to  deliver  the  land,  the  word  here 
denotes  that  which  was  miraculous,  or 
which  could  be  effected  only  by  Jeho- 
vah. IT  Behold.  n:n  .  This  inter- 
jection is  a  very  common  one  in  the 
Old  Testament,  it  is  used  to  arrest 
attention  ;  to  indicate  the  importance 
oi  what  was  about  to  b«  said.  It 
Serves  to  designate  persons  t.nd  things  ; 
places  and  actions.  It  is  used  in  lively 
descriptions,  and  animated  discourse  ; 
when  any  thing  unusual  was  said,  or 


occurred  ;  or  any  thing  which  pecu- 
culiarly  demanded  attention.  Gen. 
xii.  19,  xvi.  16,xviii.  9,  i.  29,  xl.  9.  Ps. 
cxxxiv.  1.  It  means  here,  that  an 
event  was  to  occur  which  demanded 
the  attention  of  the  unbelieving  mo- 
narch, and  the  regard  of  the  people — 
an  event  which  would  be  a  full  demon- 
stration of  what  the  prophet  had  said, 
that  God  would  protect  and  save  the 
nation.  IT  A  virgin.  This  word  pro- 
perly means  a  girl,  maiden,  virgin,  a 
young  woman  who  is  unmarried,  and 
who  is  of  marriageable  age.  The  word 
•*TC55  ,  d!ind,  is  derived  from  the  verb 
E'2  >  aldm,  to  conceal,  to  hide,  to  cover. 
The  word  C33?  ,  tlem,  from  the  same 
verb,  is  applied  to  a  young  man  in  1 
Sam.  xvi  56,  xx.  22.  The  word  here 
translated  a  virgin  is  applied  to  Re- 
becca, Gen.  x.xiv.  43,  and  to  Miriam, 
the  sister  of  Moses,  Ex.  ii.  8.  It  oc- 
curs in  only  seven  places  in  the  Old 
Testament.  Besides  those  already 
mentioned  it  is  found  in  Ps.  lxviii.  25. 
Cant,  i  3,  vi.  8,  and  Prov.  xxx.  19.  In 
all  these  places,  except,  perhaps,  in 
Proverbs,  it  is  used  in  its  obvious  natu- 
ral sense  to  denote  a  young,  unmarried 

female.  In  the  Syriac  the  word  >^— i^» 
alcm,  means  to  grow  up,  juvenis  factua 
est ;  juvenesrere  fecit.  Hence  the  de- 
rivatives are  applied  to  youth  ;  to  young 
men  ;  to  young  women — to  those  who 
are  growing  up,  and  becoming  youths. 
The  etymology  of  the  word  requires  us 
to  suppose  that  it  means  one  who  is 
growing  up  to  a  marriageable  state,  or 
to  the  age  of  puberty.  The  word 
maiden,  or  virgin,  expresses  the  correct 
idea.  Hengstenberg  contends  that  it 
means  one  in  the  unmarried  state; 
Gesenius,  that  it  means  simply  the  be- 
ing of  marriageable  age,  the  age  of 
puberty.  The  Hebrews  usually  em- 
ployed the  word  SibilTS  bethuld,  to  de- 
note a  pure  virgin  (a  word  which  the 
Syriac  translation  uses  here)  ;  but  the 
word  here  evidently  denotes  one  who 


172 


ISAIAH. 


[fl.C.738 


was  then  unmarried  ;  and  though  its 
primary  idea  is  that  of  one  who  is 
growing  up,  or  in  a  marriageable  state, 
yet  the  whole  connection  requires  us  to 
understand  it  of  one  who  was  not  then 
married,  and  who  was,  therefore,  re- 
garded and  designated  as  a  virgin. 
The  Vulgate  renders  it  "  virgo."  The 
LXX  faapiivos, a  virgin — a  word  which 
they  use  as  a  translation  of  the  Hebrew 
inb^ra  in  Ex  xxii.  16,  17.  Lev  xxi. 
3,  14.  'Deut  xxii.  19,  2.'),  28,  xxxii.  25. 
Judges  xix  24,  xxi.  12,  and  in  thirty- 
three  other  places  (See  Trommius' 
Concord.)  ;  of  |™1^??  nddra,  a  girl,  in 
Gen.  xxiv.  14,  16,  55,xxxiv.  3  (twice), 
1  Kings  i  2  ;  and  of  frO??  almft  only 
in  Gen.  xxiv.  43,  and  in  Isa.  vii.  14. 
The  word  in  the  view  of  the  LXX 
translators,  therefore,  conveyed  the 
proper  idea  of  u  virgin.  The  Chaldee 
uses  substantially  the  same  word  as  the 
Hebrew.  The  ideaofa  virgin vb  there- 
fore the  most  obvious  and  natural  idea 
in  the  use  of  this  word.  It  doe9  not, 
however,  imply  that  the  person  spoken 
of  should  be  a  virgin  when  the  child 
should  be  born  ;  or  that  she  should  ever 
after  be  a  virgin.  It  means  simply 
that  one  who  was  then  a  virgin,  but 
who  was  of  marriageable  age,  should 
conceive,  and  bear  a  son.  Whether 
she  was  to  be  a  virgin  at  the  time  when 
the  child  was  born,  or  was  to  remain 
such  afterwards,  are  inquiries  which 
cannot  be  determined  by  a  philological 
examination  of  the  word.  It  is  evi- 
dent, also,  that  the  word  is  not  opposed 
to  either  of  these  ideas. —  Why  the 
name  which  is  thus  given  to  an  unmar- 
ried woman  was  derived  from  the  verb 
to  hide,  to  conceal,  is  not  agreed  among 
Lexicographers.  The  more  probable 
opinion  is,  that  it  was  because  to  the 
time  of  marriage,  the  daughter  was  sup- 
posed to  be  hidden  or  concealed  in  the 
family  of  the  parents;  she  was  kept 
shut  up,  as  it  were,  in  the  paternal 
dwelling.  This  idea  is  given  by  Je- 
rome, who  says,  "  The  name  is  given 
to  a  virgin  because  she  is  said  in  be 
hidden  or  secret;  because  she  does  not 
expose  herself  to  the  gaze  of  men,  but 
IS  kept  with  great  care  under  the  cus- 


tody of  parents  "  The  sum  of  the  in- 
quiry here  into  the  meaning  of  the 
word  translated  virgin  is,  that  it  does 
not  differ  from  that  word  as  used  by 
us.  The  expression  means  no  more 
than  that  one  who  was  then  a  virgin 
should  have  a  son,  and  that  this  should 
be  a  sign  to  Ahaz.  IT  And  shall  call 
his  name.  It  was  usual  for  mothers  to 
give  names  to  their  children.  Gen.  iv. 
l.xix.  37,  xxix.  32,  xxx.  18.  There 
is,  therefore,  no  reason  to  suppose,  as 
many  of  the  older  interpreters  did,  that 
the  fact  that  it  is  said  the  mother  shot. hi 
give  the  name,  was  a  proof  that  the 
child  should  have  no  human  father 
Such  arguments  are  unworthy  of  notice  ; 
and  only  show  to  what  means  men 
have  resorted  in  defending  the  doc- 
trines, and  in  interpreting  the  pages  of 
the  Bible.  The  phrase,  "she  will  nann  .," 
is  moreover  the  same  as  '  they  shall 
name,'  or  he  shall  be  named.  "  We 
are  not  then  to  suppose  that  the  child 
should  actually  receive  the  name  Im- 
manuel  as  a  proper  name,  since  accord- 
ing to  the  usage  of  the  prophet,  and 
especially  of  Isaiah,  that  is  often  as- 
cribed to  a  person  or  thing  as  a  name 
which  belongs  to  him  in  an  eminent 
degree  as  an  attribute.  See  ch.  ix.  5, 
lxi.  6,  lxii.  4."  Heogstenberg.  The 
idea  is,  that  that  would  be  a  name  that 
might  be  appropriately  given  to  the 
child.  Another  name  was  also  given 
to  this  child,  expressing  substantially 
the  same  thing,  with  a  circumstantial 
difference.  See  Note  on  ch.  viii.  3. 
IT  Immanuel.  Heb.  God  with  us — 
l>««»»— from  *>»  God,  and  "3ES  with 
us.  The  name  is  designed  to  denote 
that  God  would  be  with  the  nation  as  its 
protector,  and  the  birth  of  this  child 
would  he  a  sign  or  pledge  of  it  The 
mere  circumstances  that  this  name  is 
given,  however,  does  not  imply  any 
thing  in  regard  to  the  nature  or  rank 
of  the  child  ;  for  nothing  was  more 
common  among  the  Jews  than  to  in- 
corporate the  name,  or  a  part  of  the 
name  of  the  Deity  with  the  names 
which  they  gave  to  their  children. 
Thus  Isaiah  denotes  the  salvation  of 
Jehovah  ;  Jeremiah,  the  exaltation  oi 


tf.C.738.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


173 


15   Butter 
he   eat,  that 


and    honey    shall 
he    may    know    to 


refuse 
good. 


the  evil,  and   choose   the 


grandeur  of  Jehovah,  each  compounded 
of  two  words  in  which  the  name  Jeho- 
vah constitues  a  part.  Thus  also  in 
Elijah  the  two  names  of  God  are  com- 
bined, and  it  means  literally  God  the 
Jehovah.  Thus  also  Eliab,  God  my 
father;  Eliada,  knowledge  of  God; 
Eliakim,  the  resurrection  of  God  ;  Elihu, 
he  is  my  God  ;  Elisha,  salvation  of  God. 
In  none  of  these  instances  is  the  fact 
that  the  name  of  God  is  incorporated 
with  the  proper  name  of  the  individual 
any  argument  in  respect  to  his  rank  or 
character.  It  is  true  that  Matthew, ch.  i. 
23,  uses  this  name  as  properly  express- 
ing the  rank  of  the  Messiah  ;  but  all 
that  can  be  demonstrated  from  the  use 
of  the  name  by  Matthew  is,  that  it  pro- 
perly designated  the  nature  and  rank 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  It  was  a  pledge, 
then,  that  God  was  with  his  people,  and 
the  name  designated  by  the  prophet 
had  a  complete  fulfilment  in  its  use  as 
applied  to  the  Messiah.  Whether  the 
Messiah  be  regarded  as  himself  a  pledge 
and  demonstration  of  the  presence  and 
protection  of  God,  or  whether  the  name 
be  regarded  as  descriptive  of  his  nature 
and  dignity,  yet  there  was  an  appro - 
pr lateness  in  applying  it  to  him.  It 
was  fully  expressive  of  the  event  of  the 
incarnation.  Jerome  supposes  that  the 
name  Immanuel  denotes  nothing  more 
than  divine  aid  and  protection.  Others 
have  supposed,  however,  that  the  name 
must  denote  the  assumption  of  our  na- 
ture by  God  in  the  person  of  the  Mes- 
siah, i.  e.  that  God  became  man.  So 
Theodoret,  Irenaeus,  Tertullian,  Lac- 
tantius,  Chrysooiom,  Calvin,  Rosen- 
miiller,  and  others.  The  true  interpre- 
tation is,  that  no  argument  to  prove 
that  can  be  derived  from  the  use  of  the 
jiaine  ;  but  when  the  fact  of  the  incar- 
nation has  been  demonstrated  from 
oilier  sources,  the  name  is  appropriately 
expressive  of  that,  event.  So  it  seems 
to  be  used  by  Matthew. 

15.  Butter  and  honey.  The  word 
rendered  butter  (•"INTSil  hemah),  de- 
notes not  butter,  but  thick  and  curdled 


milk.  This  was  the  common  mode 
of  using  milk  as  an  article  of  food  in 
the  East,  and  is  still.  In  no  passage 
in  the  Old  Testament  does  butter  seem 
to  be  meant  by  the  word.  Jarchi  says, 
that  this  circumstance  denotes  a  state 
of  plenty,  meaning  that  the  land  should 
yield  its  usual  increase  notwitstanding 
the  threatened  invasion.  Eustatius  on 
this  place  says,  that  it  denotes  delicate 
food.  The  more  probable  interpreta- 
tion is,  that  it  was  the  usual  food  of 
children,  and  that  it  means  that  the 
child  should  be  nourished  in  the  cus- 
tomary manner.  That  this  was  the 
common  nourishment  of  children  is 
abundantly  proved  by  Bochart.  Hieioz. 
F  I.  lib.  11.  ch.  51,  p.  630.  Barnabas 
in  his  epistle  says,  "  the  infant  is  first 
nourished  with  honey,  and  then  with 
milk."  This  was  done  usually  by  the 
prescription  of  physicians.  Paulus  says, 
"  it  is  fit  that  the  first  food  given  to  a 
child  be  honey,  and  then  milk."  So 
Aetius,  "  give  to  a  child  as  its  first 
food  honey."  See  Bochart.  Some  have 
indeed  supposed  that  this  refers  to  the 
fact  that  the  Messiah  should  be  man  as 
well  as  God,  and  that  his  eating  honey 
and  butter  was  expressive  of  the  fact 
that  he  had  a  human  nature  .'  But 
against  this  mode  of  interpretation,  it 
is  hoped,  it  is  scarcely  needful  now  to 
protest.  It  is  fitted  to  bring  the  Bible 
into  contempt,  and  the  whole  science 
of  exegesis  into  scorn.  The  Bible  is  a 
book  of  sense,  and  it  should  be  inter- 
preted on  principles  that  commend 
themselves  to  the  sober  judgment  of 
mankind  The  word  rendered  honey — 
£35"? — is  the  same  word — dibs — which 
is  now  used  by  the  Arabs  to  denote  tne 
syrup  or  jelly  which  is  made  by  boiling 
down  wine.  This  is  about  the  con- 
sistence of  molasses,  and  is  used  as  an 
article  of  food.  Whether  it  was  so 
employed  in  the  time  of  isaiah  cannot 
now  be  determined,  but  the  word  here 
may  be  used  to  denote  honey.  Comp. 
Note  ver.  '22.  IT  Tnat  he  may  know. 
As  this  translation  now  stands,  it  is  uii- 


174 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. 13* 


16  For  before  the  child  shall 
know  to  refuse  the  evil,  and 
choose   the   good,   the  hind   that 

Intelligible.  It  would  seem  from  this, 
that  his  eating  butter  and  honey  would 
contribute  to  his  knowing  good  and 
evil.     But  this  cannot  be  the  meaning. 

It  evidently  denotes  '  until  he  shall 
know,'  or  '  at  his  knowing.'  Nord. 
Heb.  Gram.  §  1026.  3.  He  shall 
be  nourished  in  the  usual  way,  until 
he  shall  arrive  at  such  a  period  of  life 
as  to  know  good  from  evil.  The  LXX 
render  it  -  .u /,  yvuivai  avrdv,  before  he 
knows.  The  Cnaldee  "  until  he  shall 
know."  IT  To  refuse  the  evil,  &c. 
Ignorance  of  good  and  evil  denotes 
infancy.  Thus  in  Nineveh  it  is  said 
there  were  "  more  than  sixscore  thou- 
sand persons  that  cannot  discern  be- 
tween their  right  hand  and  left  hand," 
commonly  supposed  to  denote  infants. 
Jonah  iv.  11.  Comp.  Deut.  i.  39.  The 
meaning  is,  that  he  should  be  nourished 
in  the  usual  mode  in  infancy,  and  be- 
fore he  should  be  able  to  discern  right 
from  wrong,  the  land  should  be  for- 
saken of  its  kings.  At  what  particular 
period  of  life  this  occurs  it  may  not  be 
easy  to  determine.  A  capability  to 
determine  in  some  degree  between 
good  and  evil,  or  between  right  and 
wrong,  is  usually  manifest  when  the 
child  is  two  or  three  years  of  age.  It  is 
evinced  when  there  is  a  capability  of 
understanding  /«?'',  and  feeling  that  it 
is  wrong  to  disobey  it.  This  is  cer- 
tainly shown  at  a  very  early  period  of 
life  ;  and  it  is  not  improper  therefore 
to  suppose  that  here  a  time  was  desig- 
nated which  was  not  more  than  two 
or  three  years. 

16.  The  land  that  thou  abhorrest. 
The  land  concerning  which  thou  art  so 
much  alarmed  or  distressed;  that  is, 
the  united  land  of  Syria  and  Ephraim. 
It  is  mentioned  here  as  "  the  land," 
or  as  one  Land,  because  they  were 
united  then  in  a  firm  alliance,  so  as  to 
constitute,  in  fact,  or  for  the  purposes 
of  invasion  and  conquest,  one  peopie 
or  nation.  The  phrase  "  which  thou 
ibhorrest,"  means  properly,  which  thou 


thou  abhorrest  shall 
of  both  her  kines. 


be  forsaken 


loathest — the  primary  idea  of  the  word 
S'lp  quiz  being  to  feel  a  nausea,  or  to 
vomit.  It  then  means,  to  fear,  or  to 
feel  alarm  ;  and  this  probably  is  the 
meaning  here.  Ahaz,  however,  evi- 
dently looked  upon  the  nations  of  Syria 
and  Samaria  with  disgust,  as  well  as 
with  alarm.  This  is  the  construction 
which  is  given  of  this  passage  by  the 
Vulgate,  Calvin,  Grotius,  Junius,  Ga- 
taker,  and  Piscator,  as  well  as  by  our 
common  version.  Another  construc- 
tion, however,  has  been  given  of  the 
passage  by  Vitringa,  J.  D.  Michaelis, 
Lowth,  Gesenius,  Rosenmtlller,  Heng- 
stenberg,  and  Hendewerk.  According 
to  this,  the  meaning  is  not  that  the 
land  should  be  the  object  of  abhorrence, 
but  that  the  kings  themselves  were  the 
object  of  dislike  or  dread ;  and  not 
merely  that  the  two  kings  should  be 
removed,  but  that  the  land  itself  was 
threatened  with  desolation.  This  con- 
struction is  free  from  the  objections  of 
an  exegetical  kind  to  which  the  other 
is  open,  and  agrees  better  with  the 
idiom  of  the  Hebrew.  According  to 
this,  the  correct  translation  would  be  : 

"  For  before  the  child  shall  learn  to  refuse  the 

evil  and  to  choose  the  good, 
Desolate  9haJI  he  the   land,   before   whose   two 

kings  thou  art  in  terror." 

IT  Of  both  her  kings.  Ahaz  took  the 
silver  and  gold  that  was  found  in  the 
temple,  and  sent  it  as  a  present  to  tiie 
king  of  Assyria.  Induced  by  this,  the 
king  of  Assyria  marched  against  Da- 
mascus and  slew  Rezin,  2  Kinirs  xvi  9. 
This  occurred  but  a  short  time  after 
the  threatened  invasion  of  the  land  by 
Rezin  and  Remaliah,  in  the  third  year 
of  the  reign  of  Ahaz,  and  consequently 
about  one  year  after  this  prophecy  was 
delivered.  Fekah,  the  son  of  Rema- 
liah, was  slain  by  Hoshea,  the  son  of 
Elah,  who  conspired  against  him,  slew 
him,  and  reigned  in  his  stead.  This 
occurred  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign 
of  Ahaz,  for  Pekah  reigned  twenty 
years.     Ahaz  began  to    reign    in  the 


B.C. 138.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


175 


BPventeenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Pekah, 
and  as  Pekah  was  slain  after  he  had 
reigned  twenty  years,  it  follows  that  he 
was  slain  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign 
of  Ahaz — perhaps  not  more  than  two 
years  after  this  prophecy  was  delivered. 
See  2  Kings  xv.  27,  30,  xvi.  I.  We 
have  thus  arrived  at  a  knowledge  of 
the  time  intended  by  Isaiah  in  v.  16 
The  whole  space  of  time  was  not  pro- 
bably more  than  two  years. 

A  great  variety  of  opinions  have  been 
entertained  by  interpreters  in  regard 
to  this  passage  (vs.  14—16).  It  may 
be  useful,  therefore,  to  state  briefly 
what  those  opinions  have  been,  and 
then  what  seems  to  be  the  true  meaning. 

1.  The  first  opinion  is  that  which 
supposes  that  by  the  '  virgin '  the  wife 
of  Ahaz  is  referred  to,  and  that  by  the 
child  which  should  be  born,  the  prophet 
refers  to  Hezekiah.  This  is  the  opi- 
nion of  the  modern  Jewish  commen- 
tators generally.  This  interpretation 
prevailed  among  the  Jews  in  the  time 
of  Justin.  But  this  was  easily  shown 
by  Jerome  to  be  false.  Ahaz  reigned 
in  Jerusalem  but  sixteen  years  (2  Kin. 
xvii.  2),  and  Hezekiah  was  twenty-five 
years  old  when  he  began  to  reign  (2 
Kings  xviii.  2),  and  of  course  was  not 
less  than  nine  years  old  when  this  pro- 
phecy was  delivered.  Kimchi  and 
Abarbanel  then  resorted  to  the  suppo- 
sition that  Ahaz  had  a  second  wife, 
and  that  this  refers  to  a  child  that  was 
to  be  born  of  her.  This  supposition 
cannot  be  proved  to  be  false,  though  it 
is  evidently  a  mere  supposition.  It  has 
been  adopted  by  the  Jews  because  they 
were  pressed  by  the  passage  by  the 
early  Christians  as  constituting  an 
argument  for  the  divinity  of  Christ. 
The  ancient  Jews,  it  is  believed,  re- 
ferred it  mainly  to  the  Messiah. 

2.  Others  have  supposed  that  the 
prophet  designated  some  virgin  who 
was  then  present  when  the  king  and 
Isaiah  held  their  conference,  and  that 
the  meaning  is,  '  as  surely  as  this  vir- 
gin shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  son,  so 
surely  shall  the  land  be  forsaken  of  its 
kings.'  Thus  Isenbiehl,  Bauer,  Cube, 
and  Steudel  held,  as  quoted  by  Hengs- 
lenberg,  Christol   i  p.  341. 


3.  Others  suppose  that  the  'virgin' 
was  not  an  actual,  but  only  an  ideal 
virgin.  Thus  Michaelis  expresses  it : 
"  By  the  time  when  one  who  is  yet  a 
virgin  can  bring  forth  (i.  e.  in  nine 
months),  all  will  be  happily  changed, 
and  the  present  impending  danger  so 
completely  passed  away,  that  if  you 
were  yourself  to  name  the  child  you 
would  call  him  Immanuel."  Thus 
Eichhorn,  Paulus,  Hensler,  and  Am- 
nion understand  it.  See  Hengstenberg. 

4.  Others  suppose  that  the  '  virgin' 
was  the  prophet's  wife.  Thus  Eben 
Ezra,  Jarehi,  Faber,  and  Gesenius. 
Against  this  supposition  there  is  only 
one  objection  which  has  been  urged 
that  is  of  real  force,  and  that  is  that 
the  prophet  already  had  a  son,  and  of 
course  his  wife  could  not  be  spoken 
of  as  a  virgin.  But  this  objection  is 
entirely  removed  by  the  supposition, 
which  is  by  no  means  improbable,  that 
the  former  wife  of  the  prophet  was 
dead,  and  that  he  was  about  to  be 
united  in  marriage  to  another  who  was 
a  virgin. 

In  regard  to  the  prophecy  itself,  there 
have  been  three  opinions.  1.  That  it 
refers  exclusively  to  some  event  in  the 
time  of  the  prophet  ;  to  the  birth  of  a 
child  then,  either  of  the  wife  of  Ahaz, 
or  of  the  prophet,  or  of  some  other  un- 
married female.  This  would,  of  course, 
exclude  all  reference  to  the  Messiah. 
This  was  formerly  my  opinion  ;  and 
this  opinion  I  expressed  and  endeavored 
to  maintain,  in  the  first  composition  of 
these  Notes.  But  a  more  careful  exa- 
mination of  the  passage  has  convinced 
me  of  its  error,  and  satisfied  me  that 
the  passage  has  reference  to  the  Mes- 
siah. The  reasons  for  this  opinion  I 
shall  soon  state. 

2.  The  second  opinion  is,  that  it  has 
exclusive  and  immediate  reference  to 
the  Messiah  ;  that  it  does  not  refer  at 
all  to  any  event  which  was  then  to  oc- 
cur, and  that  to  Ahaz  the  future  birth 
of  a  Messiah  from  a  virgin  was  to  be 
regarded  as  a  pledge  of  the  divine  pro- 
tection, and  an  assurance  of  the  safety 
of  Jerusalem.  Some  of  the  objections 
to  this  view  I  shall  soon  state. 

3.  The  third  opinion,  therefore,  is 


176 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738 


that  which  blends  these  two,  and  which 
regards  the  prophet  as  speaking  of  the 
birth  of  a  child  which  would  soon  take 
place  of  some  one  who  was  then  a  vir- 
gin—an event  which  could  be  known 
only  to  God,  and  which  would  there- 
hre  constitute  a  sign,  or  demonstration 
to  Ahaz  of  the  truth  of  what  Isaiah 
said,  but  that  the  prophet  intentionally 
so  used  language  which  would  also 
mark  a  more  important  event,  and 
direct  the  minds  of  the  king  and  people 
onward  to  the  future  birth  of  one  who 
should  more  fully  answer  to  all  that  is 
here  said  of  the  child  that  would  be 
born,  and  to  whom  the  name  Im- 
manuel  would  be  more  appropriately 
given.  This  I  shall  endeavour  to  show 
must  be  the  correct  interpretation.  In 
exhibiting  the  reasons  for  this  opinion, 
we  may,  first,  state  the  evidence  that 
the  prediction  refers  to  some  child  that 
would  be  born  soon  as  a  pledge  that 
the  land  would  be  forsaken  of  its  kings  ; 
and  secondly,  the  evidence  that  it  re- 
fer.-, also  to  the  Messiah  in  a  higher 
and  fuller  sense. 


I.    EVIDENCE    THAT     THE     PROPHECY      RE- 
FERS TO  SOME  EVENT  WHICH  WAS  SOON 

TO  OCCUR TO    THE    BIRTH  OF  A  CHILD 

OF  SOME  ONE  WHO  WAS  THEN  A  VIRGIN, 
OR  UNMARRIED. 

(1  )  It  is  the  obvious  interpretation. 
It  is  that  which  would  strike  the  great 
mass  of  men  accustomed  to  interpret 
language  on  the  principles  of  common 
sense.  If  the  passage  stood  by  itself; 
if  the  seventh  and  eighth  chapters  were 
all  that  we  had  ;  if  there  were  no  allu- 
sion to  the  passage  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment ;  and  if  we  were  to  sit  down  and 
merely  look  at  the  circumstances,  and 
contemplate  the  narrative,  the  unhesi- 
tating opinion  of  the  great  mass  of  men 
would  be  that  it  must  have  such  a  re- 
ference. This  is  a  good  rule  of  inter- 
pretation. That  which  strikes  the  mass 
of  men  ;  which  appears  to  men  of  sound 
sense  as  the  meaning  of  a  passage  on  a 
mnple  perusal  of  it,  is  likely  to  be  the 
rue  meaning  of  a  writing. 

(2 )  Such  an  interpretation  is  de- 
manded   by  the   circumstances  of  the 


case.  The  immediate  point  of  the  in- 
quiry was  not  about  the  ultimate  and 
final  safety  of  the  kingdom — which 
would  be  demonstrated  indeed  by  the 
announcement  that  the  Messiah  would 
appear — but  it  was  about  a  present 
matter  ;  about  impending  danger.  An 
alliance  was  formed  between  Syria  and 
Samaria.  An  invasion  was  threatened. 
The  inarch  of  the  allied  armies  had 
commenced.  Jerusalem  was  in  con- 
sternation, and  Aha/  had  gone  forth  to 
see  it  there  were  any  means  of  defence. 
In  this  state  of  alarm,  and  at  this 
juncture,  Isaiah  went  to  assure  him 
that  there  was  no  cause  for  fear  It 
was  not  to  assure  him  that  the  nation 
should  be  ultimately  and  finally  sale— 
which  might  be  proved  by  the  fact 
that  the  Messiah  would  come,  and 
that,  therefore,  God  would  preserve  the 
nation  ;  but  the  pledge  was,  that  he 
had  no  reason  to  fear  this  invasion,  and 
that  within  a  short  space  of  time  the 
land  would  "  be  forsaken  of  both  its 
kings."  How  could  the  fact  that  the 
Messiah  would  come  more  than  seven 
hundred  years  afterwards,  prove  this  ? 
Might  not  Jerusalem  be  taken  and 
subdued — as  it  was  afterwards  by  the 
Chaldeans — and  yet  it  be  true  that  the 
Messiah  would  come,  and  that  God 
would  manifest  himself  as  the  protector 
of  his  people  ?  Though,  therefore,  the 
assurance  that  the  Messiah  would  come 
would  be  a  general  proof  and  pledge 
that  the  nation  would  be  preserved  and 
ultimately  safe,  yet  it  would  not  be  a 
pledge  of  the  specific  and  inunediuie 
thing  which  occupied  the  attention  of 
the  prophet,  and  of  Ahaz.  It  would 
not,  therefore,  be  a  "sign"  such  as  the 
prophet  offered  to  give,  or  a  proof  of 
the  iulfihuent  of  the  specific  prediction 
under  consideration.  This  argument  1 
regard  as  unanswerable.  It  is  so  ob- 
vious, and  so  strong,  that  all  the  at- 
tempts to  answer  it  by  those  who  sup- 
pi  ise  there  was  an  immediate  and  ex- 
clusive reference  to  the  Messiah  have 
been  entire  failures. 

(3.)  It  is  a  circumstance  of  some  im- 
portance that  Isaiah  regarded  himself 
and  his  children  as  "  situs''  to  the  peo- 
ple of  his  time.     See  ch.  vui   16-     in 


B.C.1S8.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


177 


accordance  with  this  view  it  seems  he 
had  named  one  child  Shear-jashub, 
vii.  3  ;  and  in  accordance  with  the 
same  view  he  afterwards  named  ano- 
ther Maher-shalal-hash-baz — both  of 
which  names  are  significant.  This 
would  seem  to  imply  that  he  meant 
here  to  refer  to  a  similar  fact,  and  to 
the  birth  of  a  son  that  should  be  a  sign 
also  to  the  people  of  his  time. 

(4.)  An  unanswerable  reason  for 
thinking  that  it  refers  to  some  event 
which  was  soon  to  occur,  and  to  the 
birth  of  a  child  before  the  land  should 
be  forsaken  of  the  two  kings,  is  the  re- 
cord contained  in  ch.  viii.  1-4.  That 
record  is  evidently  connected  with  this 
account,  and  is  intended  to  be  a  public 
assurance  of  the  fulfilment  of  what  is 
here  predicted  respecting  the  deliver- 
ance of  the  land  from  the  threatened 
invasion.  In  that  passage,  the  prophet 
is  directed  to  take  a  great  roll  (ver.  1), 
and  make  a  record  concerning  the  son 
that  was  to  be  born  ;  he  calls  public 
witnesses,  men  of  character  and  well 
known  reputation,  in  attestation  of  the 
transaction  (ver.  2)  ;  he  approaches  the 
prophetess  (ver.  3)  ;  and  it  is  expressly 
declared  (ver.  4)  that  before  the  child 
should  have  "  knowledge  to  say  my 
lather  and  my  mother,"  i.  e.  be  able  to 
discern  between  good  and  evil  (eh.  viii. 
16),  "  the  riches  of  Damascus  and  the 
spoil  of  Samaria"  should  be  "  taken 
away  before  the  king  of  Assyria."  This 
is  so  evidently  a  completion  of  the  pro- 
phecy in  ch.  vii.  ;  and  a  solemn  fulfill- 
ing of  it  in  a  manner  that  should  be 
satisfactory  to  Ahaz  and  the  people, 
that  it  is  impossible,  it  seems  to  me,  to 
regard  it  any  otherwise  than  as  a  real 
transaction  Hengstenberg,  and  those 
who  suppose  the  prophecy  to  refer  im- 
mediately and  exclusively  to  the  Mes- 
siah, are  obliged  to  maintain  that  that 
was  a  "  symbolical  transaction," — an 
opinion  which  might  with  the  same 
propriety  be  held  of  any  historical 
statement  in  the  Bible,  since  there  is 
nowhere  to  be  found  a  more  simple 
ana  unvarnished  account  of  mere  mat- 
ter of  historical  fact  than  that.  The 
statement,  therefore,  in  ch  viii  is  con- 
clusive, demonstration,  I  think,  that 
8* 


there  was  a  reference  in  ch  vii.  14—16, 
to  a  child  of  the  prophet  that  would  be 
soon  born,  and  that  would  be  a  pledge 
of  the  divine  protection,  and  a  proof  or 
sign  to  Ahaz  that  his  land  would  be 
safe. 

It  is  no  objection  to  this  that  Isaiah 
then  had  a  son  (ch.  vii.  3),  and  that 
therefore  the  mother  of  that  son  couUl 
not  be  a  virgin.  There  is  no  improba- 
bility in  the  supposition  that  the  mother 
of  that  son  was  deceased,  and  that 
Isaiah  was  about  again  to  be  married. 
Such  an  event  is  not  so  uncommon  as  to 
make  it  a  matter  of  ridicule  (see 
Hengs.  p.  34'?)  ;  or  to  render  the  sup- 
position wholly  incredible. 

Nor  is  it  any  objection  that  another 
name  was  given  to  the  child  thta  was 
born  to  Isaiah,  ch.  viii.  1,  3.  No'hing 
was  more  common  than  to  givt*  two 
names  to  children  It  might  have  been 
true  that  the  name  usually  given  to  him 
was  Mahar-shalal-hash-baz  ;  and  still 
true  that  the  circumstances  of  his  birth 
were  such  an  evidence  of  the  divine 
protection,  and  such  an  emblem  of  the 
divine  guardianship,  as  to  make  proper 
the  name  Iminanuel.  See  Note  on 
ver.  14.  It  may  be  observed,  also,  that 
on  the  supposition  of  the  strict  and  ex- 
clusive Messianic  interpretation  the 
same  objection  might  be  made,  and  the 
same  difficulty  would  lie.  It  was  no 
more  true  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  than 
of  the  child  of  Isaiah  that  he  was  com- 
monly called  Emmanuel.  He  had  ano- 
ther name  also,  and  was  called  by  that 
other  name.  Indeed,  there  is  not  the 
slightest  evidence  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
was  ever  designated  by  the  name  1m- 
nianuel  as  a  proper  name.  All  that 
the  passage  means  is,  that  such  should 
be  the  circumstances  of  the  birth  of  the 
child  as  to  render  the  name  Immanuel 
proper  ;  not  that  it  would  be  applied  to 
him  in  fact  as  the  usual  appellation. 

Nor  is  it  any  objection  to  this  view, 
that  the  mind  of  the  prophet  is  evidently 
directed  onward  to  the  Messiah  ;  and 
that  the  prophecy  terminates  (ch.  viii. 
8,  ix.  1—7)  with  a  reference  to  him. 
That  this  is  so,  1  admit  ;  but  nothing 
is  more  common  in  Isaiah  than  for  him 
to  co>  nmence  a  prophecy  with  reference 


178 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.738 


to  some  remarkable  deliverance  which 
was  soon  to  occur,  and  to  terminate  it 
by  a  statement  of  events  connected 
with  a  higher  deliverance  under  the 
Messiah.  By  the  laws  of  prophetic 
suxsestion,  the  mind  of  the  prophet 
seized  upon  resemblances  and  analo- 
gies ;  was  carried  on  to  future  times 
which  were  sztggeeted  by  something 
that  he  was  saying  or  contemplating 
as  about  to  occur,  until  the  mind  was 
absorbed,  and  the  primary  object  tor- 
gotten  in  the  contemplation  of  the  more 
remote  and  glorious  event.  See  Intro- 
duction to  Isaiah,  §  7.  Ill   (3.) 

It.    EVIDENCE    THAT     THE     PROPHECY    RE- 
FERS   TO    THE    MESSIAH. 

(1.)  The  passage  in  Matthew  i.  22, 
23,  is  an  evidence  that  he  regarded  this 
as  having  a  reference  to  the  Messiah, 
and  that  it  had  a  complete  fulfilment  in 
huh."  This  quotation  of  it  also  shows 
that  that  was  the  common  interpreta- 
tion of  the  passage  in  his  time,  or  he 
would  not  thus  have  introduced  it.  It 
cannot  be  proved,  indeed,  that  Mat- 
thew means  to  affirm  that  this  was  the 
primary  and  original  meaning  of  the 
prophecy,or  that  the  prophet  had  a  di- 
rect and  exclusive  reference  to  the 
Messiah  ;  but  it  proves  that  in  his  ap- 
prehension the  words  had  a  fulness  of 
meaning,  and  an  adaptedness  to  the 
actual  circumstances  of  the  birth  of  the 
Messiah,  which  would  accurately  and 
appropriately  express  that  event.  See 
Notes  on  the  passage  in  Matthew. 
The  prophecy  was  not  completely  ful- 
filled, jilleil  up,  fully  and  adequately 
7iirt,  until  applied  to  the  Messiah. 
That  event  was  so  remarkable ;  the 
birth  of  Jesus  was  so  strictly  of  a  vir- 
gin, and  his  nature  so  exalted,  that  it 
might  be  said  to  be  a  complete  and 
entire  fulfilment  of  it.  The  language 
of  Isaiah  indeed  was  applicable  to  the 
event  referred  to  immediately  in  the 
time  oi"  Aha/,  and  expressed  that  with 
clearness  ;  but  it  more  appropriately 
and  fully  expressed  the  event  referred  to 
by  Matthew,  and  thus  shows  that  the 
prophet  designedly  made  use  of  language 
which  would  be  appropriate  to  a  future 
Mid  most  glorious  event. 


(2.)  An  argument  of  no  slight  im- 
portance on  this  subject  may  be  drawn 
from  the  fact,  that  this  has  been  the 
common  interpretation  in  the  Christian 
church.  I  know  that  this  argument  is 
not  conclusive  ;  nor  should  it  be  press- 
ed beyond  its  due  and  proper  weight. 
It  is  of  force  only  because  the  united 
and  almost  uniform  impression  of  man- 
kind for  many  generations  in  regard  to 
the  meaning  of  a  written  document,  is 
not  to  be  rejected  without  great  and 
unanswerable  arguments.  I  know  that 
erroneous  interpretations  of  many  pas- 
sages have  prevailed  in  the  church  ; 
and  that  the  interpretation  of  many 
passages  of  Scripture  which  have  pre- 
vailed from  age  to  age,  have  been  such 
as  have  been  adapted  to  bring  the 
whole  subject  of  Scriptural  exegesis 
into  contempt.  But  we  should  be  slow 
to  reject  that  which  has  had  in  its 
favour  the  suffrages  of  the  unlearned,  as 
well  as  the  learned,  in  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  Bible.  The  interpretation 
which  refers  this  passage  to  the  Mes- 
siah has  been  the  prevailing  one  in  all 
ages.  It  was  followed  by  all  the  fathers 
and  other  Christian  expositors  until  the 
middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  (Heng- 
stenberg)  ;  and  is  the  prevailing  inter- 
pretation at  the  present  time.  Among 
those  who  have  defended  it,  it  is  sulli- 
eient  to  mention  the  names  of  Lowth, 
Koppe.Rosenmuller  and  Hengstenberg, 
in  addition  to  those  names  which  are 
found  in  the  well  known  English  com- 
mentaries. It  has  been  opposed  by  the 
modern  Jews,  and  by  German  neolo- 
g  sts ;  but  has  not  been  regarded  as 
false  by  the  great  mass  of  pious  and 
humble  Christians.  The  argument  here 
is  simply  that  which  would  be  applied 
in  the  interpretation  of  a  passage  in 
Homer  or  Virgil  ;  that  where  the  great 
mass  of  readers  of  all  classes  have  con* 
curred  in  any  interpretation,  there  is 
presumptive  evidence  that  it  is  correct 
— evidence,  it  is  true,  which  may  be  set 
aside  by  argument,  but  which  is  to  be 
admitted  to  be  of  some  account  in 
making  up  the  mind  as  to  the  meaning 
of  the  passage  in  question. 

(3.)  The  reference  to  the  MeSsian 
in  the  prophecy  accords  with  the  gene' 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


L79 


ral  strain  and  manner  of  Isaiah.     It  is 
in  accordance  with  his  custom,  at  the 
mention  of  some  occurrence  or  deliver- 
ance which   is   soon   to  take  place,  to 
surfer  the  mind  to  fix  ultimately  on  the 
more  remote  event  of  the  same  general 
character,  or  lying,  so  to  speak,  in  the 
same  range  of  vision  and  of  thought. 
See   the   Introduction,  §  7.     It  is  also 
the  custom  of  Isaiah  to  hold  up  to  pro- 
minent view  the  idea   that  the  nation 
would  not  be  ultimately  destroyed  till 
ike  great  Deliverer  should  come  ;  that 
it  was  safe  amidst  all  revolutions  ;  that 
vitality  would  remain  like  that  of  a  tree 
in  the   depth  of  winter,  when   all   the 
leaves  are  stripped  off  (ch.  vi.  13)  ;  and 
tuit   all   their  enemies  would   be   de- 
stroyed, and  the  true  people  of  God  be 
ultimately  secure  and  safe  under  their 
great    Deliverer.     See   Notes  on    chs. 
xxxiv.,  xxxv.    It  is  true  that  this  argu- 
ment will  not  be  very  striking  except 
to  one  who  has  attentively  studied  this 
prophecy  ;  but   it   is  believed  that   no 
one  can  profoundly  and   carefully  exa- 
mine   the    manner   of  Isaiah,  without 
being  struck  with  it  as  a  very  import- 
ant feature  of  his  mode  of  communi- 
cating truth.     In  accordance  with  this, 
the  prophecy  before  us  means,  that  the 
nation    was    safe   from    this    invasion. 
Ahaz  feared  the  extinction  of  his  king- 
dom,  and  the    permanent    annexation 
of  Jerusalem    to    Syria    and    Samaria. 
Isaiah   told   him    that   that   could   not 
occur  ;  and  proffered  a  demonstration 
that  in  a  very  few  years  the  land  would 
be  forsaken  of  both  its  kings. — On  an- 
other ground  also  it  could  not  be.  The 
people  of  God  were  safe.     His  king- 
dom   could    not    be    permanently    de- 
stroyed     It   must   continue   until   the 
Messiah   should  come,  and  the  eye  of 
the    prophet,   in   accordance  with    his 
usual   custom,  glanced   to  that   future 
event,  and  he  became  totally  absorbed 
in  its  contemplation,  and  the  prophecy 
is  finished  (ch.  ix.  1-7)  by  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  characteristics  of  the   light 
that  he  saw  in   future  times  rising  in 
dark  Galilee  (ch    ix.  1,2),  and  of  the 
child   that  should  be   born  of  a  virgin 
then 

In  accordance  with  the  same  view, 


we  may  remark,  as  Lowth  has  done, 
that  to  a  people  accustomed  to  look 
for  a  great  Deliverer  ;  that  had  fixed 
their  hopes  on  one  who  was  to  sit  on 
the  throne  of  David,  the  language 
which  Isaiah  here  used  would  natural- 
ly suggest  the  idea  of  a  Messiah.  It 
was  so  animated,  so  ill-adapted  to  de- 
scribe his  own  son,  and  so  fitted  to 
convey  the  idea  of  a  most  remarkable 
and  unusual  occurrence,  that  it  could 
scarcely  have  been  otherwise  than  that 
they  should  have  thought  of  the  Mes- 
siah. This  is  true  in  a  special  manner 
of  the  language  in  ch   ix.  1-7. 

(4.)  An  argument  for  the  Messianic 
interpretation  may  be  derived  from  the 
public  expectation  which  was  excited 
by  some  such  prophecy  as  this.  There 
is  a  striking  similarity  between  it  and 
one  which  is  uttered  by  Micah  who 
was  contemporc-v  with  Isaiah.  Which 
was  penned  first  it  would  not  be  easy 
to  show  ;  but  they  have  internal  evi- 
dence that  they  both  had  their  origin 
in  an  expectation  that  the  Messiah 
would  be  born  of  a  virgin.  Comp. 
Note  ch.  ii.  2.  In  Micah  v.  2,  3,  the 
following  prediction  occurs:  "  But  thou, 
Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though  thou  be 
little  among  the  thousands  of  Judah, 
yet  out  of  thee  shall  he  come  forth 
unto  me  that  is  to  be  ruler  over  Israel  ; 
whose  goings  forth  have  been  from  of 
old,  from  the  days  of  eternity.  There- 
fore will  he  give  them  up,  until  the 
time  when  she  which  travaileth  hath 
brought  forth."  That  this  passage  refers 
to  the  birth  of  the  Messiah  is  demon- 
strable from  Matt  ii.  G.  Nothing  can 
be  clearer  than  that  this  is  a  prediction 
respecting  the  place  of  his  birth.  The 
Sanhedrim  when  questioned  by  Herod 
respecting  the  place  of  his  birth,  an- 
swered without  the  slightest  hesitation, 
and  referred  to  this  place  in  Micah  for 
proof  The  expression,  "  she  which 
travaileth,"  or  "  she  that  bears  shall 
bear,"  ""^^t  '",'7?'1",  the  bearing  shall 
bear,  refers  evidently  to  some  predic- 
tion of  such  a  birth  ;  and  the  word 
'•  she  that  bears"  ('",'7•?^",)  seems  to 
have  been  used  somewhat  in  the  set  se 
of  a   proper  name,    to  designate   one 


180 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.1'4* 


who  was  well  known,  and  of  whom 
there  had  been  a  definite  prediction. 
Rosenmuller  remarks,  "  she  is  not  in- 
deed expressly  called  a  virgin,  but  that 
she  is  so  is  self-evident,  since  she  shall 
bear  the  hero  of  divine  origin  (from 
everlasting),  and  consequently  not  be- 
gotten by  a  mortal.  The  predictions 
throw  light  on  each  other  ;  Micah  dis- 
closes the  divine  origin  of  the  person 
predicted,  Isaiah  the  wonderful  man- 
ner of  his  birth."  Ros.  as  quoted  by 
Hengst.  In  his  first  Edition  Rosen- 
muller remarks  on  Micah  v.  2  :  "  The 
phrase, '  9he  who  shall  bear  shall  bear,' 
denotes  the  virgin  from  whom,  in  a 
miraculous  manner,  the  people  of  that 
time  hoped  that  the  Messiah  would  be 
born."  If  Micah  refers  to  a  well-known 
existing  prophecy,  it  must  evidently  be 
this  in  Isaiah,  since  no  other  similar 
prophecy  occurs  in  the  Old  Testament : 
ami  if  he  wrote  subsequently  to  Isaiah 
the  prediction  in  Micah  must  be  re- 
garded as  a  proof  that  this  was  the 
prevailing  interpretation  of  his  time. 

That  this  was  the  prevailing  inter- 
pretation of  those  times  is  confirmed 
by  the  traces  of  the  belief  which  are  to 
be  found  extensively  in  ancient  nations 
that  some  remarkable  person  would 
appear  who  should  be  born  in  this 
manner.  The  idea  of  a  deliverer  to 
be  born  of  a  virgin  is  one  that  some- 
how had  obtained  an  extensive  preva- 
lence in  Oriental  nations,  and  traces 
of  it  may  be  found  almost  every  where 
among  them.  In  the  Hindoo  Mytho- 
logy it  is  said  respecting  Budhu  that 
he  was  born  of  Maya,  a  goddess  of  the 
imagination — a  virgin.  Among  the 
Chinese  there  is  an  image  of  a  beauti- 
ful woman  with  a  child  in  her  arms, 
which  child  they  say  was  born  of  a 
virgin.  The  passage  in  Virgil  is  weli 
known  : 

Jam  ndit  rt  Virgo,  redennt  Saturnia  regna  : 
Jam  nova  progenies  coelo  Remittitur  alto. 
Tii  niodo  nascent!  puero,  quoforrea  prirnum 
Desinet.  ac  toto  sur^r  gens  aurea  roundo. 
Casta  hive  Lucina:  tuusjam  regnat  Apollo. 

Eclog.  iv   i,  scq. 

Coraesthe  last  age.  by  Cums's  mairl  foretold: 
Afresh  the  mighty  line  of  years  unrolled. 
The  Virgin  now.  now  Saturn's  sway  returns  ; 
Nofw  the  blest  globe  a  heaven-sprung  child  adorns, 
Whose  genial  powet  shall  whelm  earth's  iron  race, 
and  plant  once  ruort  the  golden  in  its  place  - 


Thou  chaste  Lucina,  but  that  child  sustain, 
And  lo  t  disclosed  thine  own  Apollo's  reign. 

WraiiL-liam. 

This  passage,  though  applied  by  Virgil 
to  a  different  subject,  has  been  usually 
regarded  as  having  been  suggested  by 
that  in  Isaiah.  The  coincidence  of 
thought  is  remarkable  on  any  suppo- 
sition ;  and  there  is  no  improbability 
in  the  supposition  that  the  expectation 
of  a  Great  Deliverer  to  be  born  of  a 
virgin  had  prevailed  extensively,  and 
that  Virgil  wrought  it  up  in  this  beau- 
tiful manner,  and  applied  it  to  a  prince 
in  his  own  time.  On  the  prevalent 
expectation  of  bjch  a  deliverer,  see 
Note  on  Matt.  ii.  2. 

(5.)  But  the  great  and  the  unanswer- 
able argument  for  the  Messianic  inter- 
pretation is  derived  from  the  conclusion 
of  the  prophecy  in  ch.  viii  8,  and  espe- 
cially in  ch.  ix.  1-7.  The  prophecy 
in  ch.  ix.  1-7,  is  evidently  connected 
with  this  ;  and  yet  cannot  be  applied 
to  a  son  of  Isaiah,  or  to  any  other  child 
that  should  be  then  born  If  there  is 
any  passage  in  the  Old  Testament  that 
must  be  applied  to  the  Messiah,  that  is 
one.  See  Notes  on  the  passage  And 
it  SO,  it  proves,  that  though  the  pro- 
phet at  first  had  his  eye  on  an  event 
which  was  soon  to  occur,  and  which 
would  be  to  Ahaz  full  demonstration 
that  the  land  would  be  safe  from  the 
impending  invasion,  yet  that  he  em- 
ployed language  which  would  describe 
also  a  future  glorious  event,  and  which 
would  be  a  fuller  demonstration  that 
God  would  protect  the  people.  lie 
became  fully  absorbed  in  that  event, 
and  his  language  at  last  referred  to 
that  alone.  The  child  then  about  to 
be  born  would,  in  most  of  the  circum- 
stances of  his  birth,  be  an  apt  emblem 
of  him  who  should  be  born  in  future 
times,  since  both  would  be  a  demon- 
stration of  the  divine  power  and  pro- 
tection. To  both,  the  name  Immanuel 
though  not  the  common  name  by  which 
either  would  be  designated,  night  be 
appropriately  given.  Both  would  be 
born  of  a  virgin ; — the  former,  of 
one  who  was  then  a  virgin,  and  the 
birth  of  whose  child  could  be  known 
only  to  God  : — the    latter,  of  one  who 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


181 


17  The  Lord  shall  bring  upon 
thee,  and  upon  thy  people,  and 
upon  thy  father's  house,  days 
that  have  not  come,  from  the  day 

should  be  appropriately  called  the  vir- 
gin, and  who  should  remain  so  at  the 
time  of  his  birth. — This  seems  to  me 
to  be  the  meaning  of  this  difficult  pro- 
phecy. The  considerations  in  favour 
of  referring  it  to  the  birth  of  a  child  in 
the  time  of  Isaiah,  and  which  should 
be  a  pledge  to  him  of  the  safety  of  his 
kingdom  then,  seem  to  me  to  be  un- 
answerable. And  the  considerations 
in  favour  of  an  ultimate  reference  to 
the  Messiah — a  reference  which  be- 
comes in  the  issue  total  and  absorbing 
— are  equally  unanswerable  ;  and  if 
so,  then  the  two-fold  reference  is  clear. 
17.  The  Lord  shall  bring,  &c.  The 
prophet  having  assured  Ahaz  that  his 
kingdom  should  be  free  from  the  inva- 
sion that  then  threatened  it,  proceeds, 
however,  to  state  to  him  that  it  would  be 
endangered  from  another  source.  11  Thy 
father's  house.  The  royal  family — the 
princes  and  nobles.  II  Buys  that  have 
not  come.  Times  of  calamity  that  have 
not  been  equalled.  If  From  the  day 
that  Ephraim  departed  from  Judah. 
From  the  time  of  the  separation  of  the 
ten  tribes  from  the  tribes  of  Judah 
and  Benjamin.  %  Even  the  king  of 
Assyria.  This  was  done  in  the  follow- 
ing manner.  Though  the  siege  which 
Rezin  and  Pekah  had  undertaken  was 
not  at  this  time  successful,  yet  they 
returned  the  year  after  with  stronger 
forces,  and  with  counsels  better  con- 
certed, and  again  besieged  the  city. 
This  was  in  consequence  of  the  con- 
tinued and  increasing  wickedness  of 
Ahaz,  2  Chron.  xxvh'i.  1-5.  In  this  ex- 
pedition a  great  multitude  were  taken 
captives,  and  carried  to  Damascus, 
2  Chron.  xxviii.  5.  Pekah  at  this  time 
also  slew  120,000  of  the  Jews  in  one 
day,  2  Chron.  xxviii.  6  ;  and  Zichri,  a 
valiant  man  of  Ephraim,  slew  Maaseiah 
the  son  of  Ahaz.  At  this  time  also 
Pekah  took  no  less  than  200,000  of  the 
kingdom  of  Judah,  proposing  to  take 
them  to  Samaria,  but  was  prevented 


that  Ephraiu  departed  from  Ju- 
dah ;  even  the  king  of  Assyria. 

18  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
in  that  day,  that  the  Lord  shall 

by  the  influence  of  the  prophet  Oded, 
2  Chron.  xxviii.  8—15.  In  this  cala- 
mity, Ahaz  stripped  the  temple  of  its 
treasures  and  ornaments,  and  sent 
them  to  Tiglath-Pileser,  king  of  Assy- 
ria, to  induce  him  to  come  and  defend 
hiin  from  the  united  arms  of  Syria  and 
Ephraim.  The  consequence  was,  as 
might  have  been  foreseen,  that  the  king 
of  Assyria  took  occasion  from  this  to 
bring  increasing  calamities  upon  the 
kingdom  of  Ahaz.  He  first,  indeed, 
slew  Rezin,  and  took  Damascus,  2 
Kings  xvi.  7.  Having  subdued  the 
kingdoms  of  Damascus  and  Ephraim, 
Tiglath-Pileser  became  a  more  formi- 
dable enemy  to  Ahaz,  than  both  of 
them.  His  object  was  not  to  aid  Ahaz, 
but  to  distress  him  (2  Chron.  xxviii. 
20)  ;  and  his  coming  professedly  and 
at  the  request  of  Ahaz,  to  his  help,  was 
a  far  more  formidable  calamity  than 
the  threatened  invasion  of  both  Rezin 
and  Pekah. — God  has  power  to  punish 
a  wicked  nation  in  his  own  way.  When 
they  seek  human  aid  he  can  make  this 
a  scourge  He  has  kings  and  nations 
under  his  control ;  and  though  a  wick- 
ed prince  may  seek  earthly  alliance, 
yet  it  is  easy  for  God  to  allow  such 
allies  to  indulge  their  ambition  and 
love  of  rapine,  and  make  them  the 
very  instruments  of  punishing  tiie  na- 
tion which  they  were  called  to  defend. 
It  should  be  observed  that  this  phrase 
"  even  the  king  of  Assyria"  is  by  many 
critics  thought  to  be  spurious,  or  a 
marginal  reading  or  gloss  that  has  by 
some  means  crept  into  the  text.  The 
ground  of  this  opinion  is,  that  it  does 
not  harmonize  entirely  with  the  follow- 
ing verse  where  Egypt  is  mentioned 
as  well  as  Assyria,  and  that  it  does  not 
agree  with  the  poetical  form  of  the 
passage. 

18.  In  that  day  the  Lord  shall  hiss. 

See  Note  ch.  v.  26.      IT  For   the  fly. 

That  is,  for  the  army,  or  the  multitude 

i  of  people.    The  comparison  of  a  nume* 


is-i 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  7S8. 


hiss  for  the  fly  that  is  in  the 
uttermost   part  of  the   rivers  of 

rous  army  with  flies  is  not  uncommon. 
See  Homer's  Iliad,  B.  ii.  4G9,  &c. 

Thick  as  inserts  piny, 

Tin'  wandering  nation  of  a  summer's  day, 
That,  drawn  liy  milky  streams  at  evening  hours, 
In  gathered  swarms  surround  the  rural  bowers; 
From  pail  to  pail  with  busy  murmur  run 
The  gilded  legions,  glittering  in  the  sun. 

Pope. 

The  comparison  is  drawn  probably 
from  tlie  number,  but  also  is  intended 
to  indicate  the  troublesome  character, 
of  the  invaders.  Perhaps  also  there  is 
an  allusion  here  to  the  well-known  fact 
that  one  of  the  ten  plagues  of  Egypt 
was  caused  by  numerous  swarms  of 
flies.  Ex  viii.  21-24.  An  army  would 
be  brought  up  from  that  country  as 
numerous,  as  troublesome,  and  as  de- 
Btructive  as  was  that  swarm  of  flies 
The  following  description  by  Bruce  of 
a  species  of  flies  in  Abyssinia  and  the 
adjacent  regions,  will  give  an  idea  of 
the  character  of  this  calamity  and  the 
force  of  the  language  used  here. 

"  This  insect  is  called  Zimb  ;  it  has 
not  been  described  by  any  naturalist. 
It  is,  in  size,  very  little  larger  than  a 
bee,  of  a  thicker  proportion,  and  has 
wings,  which  are  broader  than  those,  of 
a  bee,  placed  separate,  like  those  of  a 
fly  :  they  are  of  pure  gauze,  without 
colour  or  spot  upon  them  ;  the  head  is 
large,  the  upper  jaw  or  lip  is  sharp,  and 
has  at  the  end  of  it  a  strong  pointed 
hair,  of  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  long  ; 
the  lower  jaw  has  two  of  these  pointed 
hairs  ;  and  this  pencil  of  hairs,  when 
joined  together,  makes  a  resistance  to 
the  finger,  nearly  equal  to  that  of  a 
strong  hog's  bristle  ;  its  legs  are  serrated 
in  the  inside,  and  the  whole  covered 
with  brown  hair  or  down. 


Egypt,  anH  for  the  bee  that  is  in 
the  land  of  Assyria  : 

As  soon  as  this  plague  appears,  and 
their  buzzing  is  heard,  all  the  cattle 
forsake  their  food,  and  run  wildly  about 
the  plain,  till  they  die,  worn  out  with 
fatigue,  fright,  and  hunger.  No  re- 
medy remains,  but  to  leave  the  black 
earth,  and  hasten  down  to  the  sands  of 
Atbara  ;  and  there  they  remain,  while 
the  rains  last,  this  cruel  enemy  never 
daring  to  pursue  them  farther.  Though 
his  size  be  immense,  as  is  his  strength, 
and  his  body  covered  with  a  thick  skin, 
defended  with  strong  hair,  yet,  even 
the  camel  is  not  capable  to  sustain  the 
violent  punctures  the  fly  makes  with 
his  pointed  proboscis.  He  must  lose 
no  time  in  removing  to  the  sands  of 
Atbara  ;  for  when  once  attacked  by 
this  fly,  his  body,  head,  and  legs,  break 
out  into  large  bosses,  which  swell ,' 
break,  and  putrify,  to  the  certain  de- 
struction of  the  creature.  Even  the 
elephant  and  rhinoceros,  who,  by 
reason  of  their  enormous  bulk,  and  the 
vast  quantity  of  food  and  water  they 
daily  need,  cannot  shift  to  desert  and 
dry  places,  as  the  season  may  require, 
are  obliged  to  roll  themselves  in  mud 
and  mire,  which,  when  dry,  coats  them 
over  like  armour,  and  enables  thein  to 
stand  their  ground  against  this  winged 
assassin  ;  yet  I  have  found  some  of  these 
tubercles  upon  almost  every  elephant 
and  rhinoceros  that  I  have  seen,  and 
attribute  them  to  this  cause.  All  the 
inhabitants  of  the  sea-coast  of  Melinda, 
down  to  Cape  Gardefan,  to  Saba,  rind 
the  south  coast  of  the  Red  Sea,  are 
obliged  to  put  themselves  in  motion, 
and  remove  to  the  next  sand,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  rainy  season,  to  pre- 
vent all  their  stock  of  cattle  from  being 
destroyed.  This  is  not  a  partial  emi- 
gration ;  the  inhabitants  of  all  the 
countries,  from  the  mountains  of  Abys- 
sinia northward,  to  the  confluence  of 
the  Nile,  and  Astaboras,  are  once  a 
year  obliged  to  change  their  abode,  and 
seek  protection  in  the  sand  of  Beja  ; 
nor  is  there  any  alternative,  or  means 
of  avoiding  this,  though  a  hostile  band 
were  in  their  way,  capable  of  spoiling 


#.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


183 


19  And  'they  shall  come,  and  j  the    rocks,   and   upon  all  thorns, 
shall  rest  all  of  them  in  the  deso-  i  and  upon  all  'bushes, 
late  valleys,  and  in  the   holes  of 


them  or  half  their  substance.  This  fly 
has  no  sting,  though  he  seemed  to  me 
to  he  rather  of  the  bee  kind  ;  but  his 
motion  is  more  rapid  and  sudden  than 
that  of  the  bee,  and  resembles  that  of 
the  gad-fly  in  England.  There  is 
something  particular  in  the  sound  or 
buzzing  of  this  insect  ;  it  is  a  jarring 
noise,  together  with  a  humming,  which 
induces  me  to  believe  it  proceeds,  at 
least  in  part,  from  a  vibration  made 
with  the  three  hairs  at  his  snout."  V 
The  uttermost  part  of  the  rivers  of 
Egypt.  The  remotest  part  of  the  land 
■ — that  is,  from  the  whole  country 
Egypt  was  watered  by  a  single  river — 
the  Nile.  But  this  river  emptied  into 
the  Mediterranean  by  several  mouths  ; 
and  from  this  river  also  were  cut  nu- 
merous canals  to  water  the  land. 
These,  are  intended  by  the  rivers  of 
Egypt.  See  Notes,  ch.  xix.  6,  7. 
Those  canals  would  be  stagnant  for  no 
small  part  of  the  year  ;  and  around 
them  would  be  produced,  as  is  usual 
near  stagnant  waters,  great  quantities 
of  flies.  This  prophecy  was  fulfilled 
by  the  invasion  of  the  land  in  subse- 
quent times  by  the  Egyptians.  2  Kings 
xxiii.  33,  34.  2  Chron.  xxxv.  20,  24, 
xxxvi  1,2.  T  And  for  the bee.  That 
is,  for  the  army.  An  army  is  compared 
to  bees  on  account  of  their  number  ; 
perhaps  also  on  account  of  the  pun- 
gency and  severity  of  the  sting.  The 
comparison  is  common.  See  Deut  i 
44,  vii.  20.  Ps.  cxviii.  12.  The  Chal- 
dee  has  rendered  this  verse,  "  The 
Lord  shall  call  to  a  people  girded  with 
the  armies  of  the  brave,  who  are  nume- 
rous as  flies,  and  shall  bring  them  from 
the  ends  of  the  land  of  Egypt  ;  and 
strong  armies,  strong  as  bees,  and  shall 
bring  them  from  the  land  of  Assyria." 
No  prophecy  was  ever  more  completely 
fulfilled  than  this  by  the  successive  inva- 
sions of  I'haraoh-Necho,  Esarhaddon 
and  Nebuchadnezzar.  See  Isa.  xxxvi., 
xxxvii.  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  7-21. 

19.    And  they  shall  come.     The  idea 


i  Jer.  16.  16.       1  or,  commcnuaWc  trees. 

in  this  verse  is,  that  they  would  spread 
over  the  land,  and  lay  it  waste.     The 
poetic  image  of  flies  and  bees  is  kept 
up — meaning  that  the  armies  would  be 
I  so  numerous  as  to  occupy  and  infest 
I  all  the  land.     V  And  shall  rest.     As 
bees  do.     Thus  the  locusts  are  said  to 
have  rested  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt. 
Ex.  x.  14.     IT  In  the  desolate  valleys. 
,  The   word    translated   valleys   usually 
|  means  a  valley  with  a  brook,  or  a  brook 
!  itself.     The  Chaldee  translates  it,  "  in 
the  streets  of  cities."     But  the  idea  is 
derived    from  the   habits   of   flies  ana 
bees    The  meaning  is,  that  they  should 
fill  all  the  land — as  innumerable  swarms 
of  flies  and  bees    would    settle    down 
every  where,  and  would  infest  or  con- 
sume   every    thing.       Bees,    probably, 
chose     situations    near     to      running 
streams.    Virgil  in  his  directions  about 
selecting  a  place  for  an  apiary,  gives 
the  following  among  others  : 

At  liquidi  fontes,  et  stagna  virentia  musco 
Adsint,  et  tenuis  fugiens  per  gramina  rivus— 
Georg.  iv.  18,  19. 

But  there  let  pools  invite  with  moss  arrayed 
Clear  fount  and  rill  that  purls  along  the  glade. 
Hollieby. 

IT  In  the  holes  of  the  rocks  Proba- 
bly the  same  image  is  referred  to  here. 
It  is  well-known  that  in  Judea,  as  well 
as  elsewhere,  bees  were  accustomed  to 
live  in  the  holes  or  caverns  of  the  rocks. 
They  were  very  numerous  ;  and  (he 
figure  here  is,  that  the  Assyrians  would 
be  numerous  as  the  swarms  of  bees 
were  n  that  land,  even  in  the  high  and 
inaccessible  rocks.  Comp.  Isa.  ii  19, 
20,  21.  1T  Upon  all  thorns.  The 
image  here  is  kept  up  of  flies  and  bees 
resting  on  every  thing.  Thorns  here 
refer  to  those  trees  and  shrubs  that 
were  of  little  value — but  even  on  these 
they  would  rest.  IT  All  bushes.  Heb. 
All  trees  that  are  commendable,  or  that 
are  to  be  praised  See  Margin.  The 
word  denotes  those  shrubs  and  trees 
that  were  objects  of  praise ;  that  is, 
that  were  cultivated  with  great  atten 


184 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738 


20  In  the  same  day  shall  the 
Lord  shave  with  a  razor  that  is 
hired,  namely,  by  them  beyond 
the  river,  by  the  king  of  Assy- 
ria, the  head,  and  the  hair  of  the 
feet :  and  it  shall  also  consume 
the  beard. 

21  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 

tion  and  care  in  opposition  to  thorns 
that  grew  wild,  and  without  cultivation, 
and  that  were  of  little  value.  The 
meaning  of  the  passage  is,  that  the 
land  would  be  invaded  in  every  part, 
and  that  every  thing,  valuable  or  not, 
would  be  laid  waste. 

20.  In  llie  same  day,  &.c.  The  idea 
in  this  verse  is  the  same  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding, though  presented  in  a  different 
form.  The  meaning  is,  that  God  would 
brim;  upon  them  this  punishment,  but 
that  he  would  make  use  of  the  Assy- 
rian as  an  instrument  by  which  to  do  it. 
V  Shave.  The  act  of  shaving  off  the 
nair  denotes  punishment  or  disgrace. 
Conip.  2  8am.  x  4.  "  Hanan  took 
David's  servants,  and  shaved  off  one 
half  of  their  beards."  1  Chron.  xix.  4. 
IF  With  a  razor.  Using  them  as  an 
instrument.  God  here  claims  the  power 
of  directing  them,  and  regards  them  as 
employed  by  him.  See  eh.  x.  5,  I),  7. 
If  That  is  land.  This  is  an  allusion 
to  the  custom  of  hiring  soldiers,  or  em- 
ploying mercenary  armies.  Thus  Great 
Britain  employed  mercenary  troops,  or 
hired  of  the  Germans  bodies  of  Hessians 
to  carry  on  the  war  in  this  country. 
The  meaning  here  is,  that  God  would 
employ  the  Assyrians  as  his  instru- 
ments, to  effect  his  purposes — as  though 
they  were  hired  and  paid  by  the  plunder 
and  spoil  of  the  nation  ^  By  them 
beyond  the  river.  The  river  Euphrates. 
The  Euphrates  is  usually  meant  in  the 
Scriptures  where  "  the  river"  is  men- 
tioned without  specifying  the  name. 
Ps.  lxxii.  8,  lxxx  2.  This  was  the 
river  which  Abraham  had  passed  ;  and 
this  perhaps  was,  for  a  long  time,  the 
eastern  boundary  of  their  geographi- 
cal knowledge.  See.  Note  ch.  xi.  15. 
H    The  head.     The  hair  of  the  head. 


in  that  day,  that  a  man  shall  nou 
rish  a  young  cow  and  two  sheep  . 
22  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
for  the  abundance  of  milk  that 
they  shall  give  that  he  shall  eat 
butter  :  for  butter  and  honey 
shall  every  one  eat  that  is  left 
3in  the  land. 

3  in  the  midst  of. 

IT  The  hair  of  the.  feet.  Or  the  other 
parts  of  the  body — of  the  lower  parts 
of  the  body.  11  Shall  consume  the 
ieard.  Shall  cut  off  the  beard.  This 
was  esteemed  particularly  disgraceful 
among  the  Jews.  It  is  at  th's  day 
among  all  Eastern  nations.  The  beat  d 
is  regarded  as  a  distinguished  orna- 
ment ;  among  the  Mahometans  it  is 
sworn  by,  and  no  higher  insult  can  be 
offered  than  to  treat  the  beard  with  in- 
dignity. Comp.  Note  Isa.  1.  6.  The 
meaning  is  here,  that  God  would  em- 
ploy the  Assyrian  as  his  instrument  to 
lay  waste  the  land. 

21.  In  that  day.  In  the  time  speci- 
fied in  the  previous  verses — in  the 
judgments  that  should  be  brought  upon 
the  land  by  the  Egyptians  and  Assy- 
rians. II  Shall  a  man  nourish.  Heb 
make  to  live  ;  that  is,  he  shall  own.  or 
feed  IT  A  young  cine  The  Hebrew 
denotes  a  heifer  that  gives  milk.  The 
state  which  is  denoted  by  this,  is  that 
of  great  poverty.  Instead  of  being  en- 
gaged in  agriculture. of  possessing  great 
resources  in  that  time,  a  man  should 
depend  for  the  subsistence  of  himself 
and  his  family  on  what  a  single  cow 
and  two  sheep  would  yield  Probably 
this  is  intended  also  as  a  description 
of  the  general  stale  of  the  tuition,  that 
it  would  be  reduced  to  great  poverty. 
IT  And  two  sheej)  Two  here  seems  to 
be  used  to  denote  a  very  small  number. 
A  man,  i.  e.  the  generality  of  men, 
would  be  so  reduced  as  to  be  able  to 
purchase  and  keep  no  more. 

22.  For  the  abundance  of  milk.  <Stc. 
On  account,  or  by  means  of  the  great 
quantity  of  milk.  This  image  also  de- 
notes that  the  land  should  be  desolate, 
and  abandoned  by  its  inhabitants.  Such 
a  range  would  the  cow  and  sheep  have 


B.C.  739.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


185 


23  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
in  that  day,  that  every  place  shall 
be,  where  there  were  a  thousand 
vines  at  a  thousand  silverlings, 

in  the  lands  lying  waste  and  unculti- 
vated, that  they  would  yield  abundance 
of  milk.  IT  For  butter  and  honey. 
This  shall  be  the  condition  of  all  who 
are  left  in  the  land.  Agriculture  shall 
be  abandoned.  The  land  shall  be  deso- 
late. The  few  remaining  inhabitants 
shall  be  dependent  on  what  a  very  few 
cows  and  sheep  shall  produce,  and  on 
the  subsistence  which  may  be  derived 
from  honey  obtained  from  the  rocks 
where  bees  would  lodge.  Perhaps, 
also,  the  swarms  of  bees  would  be  in- 
creased by  the  fact  that  the  land  would 
be  forsaken,  and  that  it  would  produce 
abundance  of  wild  flowers  for  their 
subsistence.  The  general  idea  is  plain, 
that  the  land  would  be  desolate.  But- 
ter and  honey,  that  is,  butter  mingled 
with  honey,  is  a  common  article  of  food 
in  the  East.  See  Note  on  ver.  15. 
D'Arvieux  being  in  the  camp  of  an 
Arab  prince  who  lived  in  much  splen- 
dour, and  who  treated  him  with  great 
regard,  was  entertained,  he  tells  us,  the 
first  morning  of  his  being  there,  with 
little  loaves,  honey,  new-churned  baiter, 
and  cream  more  delicate  than  any  he 
ever  saw,  together  with  coffee.  Voy. 
dans  la  Pal.  p.  24.  And  in  another 
place  he  assures  us,  that  one  of  the 
principal  things  with  which  the  Arabs 
regale  themselves  at  breakfast  is  cream, 
or  new  butter  mingled  with  honey  ;  p. 
1U7.  The  statement  of  the  prophet 
here,  that  the  poor  of  the  land  should 
eat  butter  and  honey,  is  not  inconsistent 
with  this  account  of  D'Arvieux,  that  it 
is  regarded  as  an  article  of  food  with 
which  even  princes  treat  their  guests  ; 
for  the  idea  of  the  prophet  is,  that  when 
the  land  should  be  desolate  and  compa- 
ratively uninhabited,  the  natural  luxu- 
riant growth  of  the  soil  would  produce 
an  abundance  to  furnish  milk,  and  that 
honey  wouid  abound  where  the  bees 
would  be  allowed  to  multiply  almost 
without  limit.  See  Harmer's  Obs.  vol. 
ii.  p.  55.     F.d.  Lond.  1808. 


it  shall  even  be   for  briers   and 

thorns. 

24  With  arrows  and  with  bows 
shall  men  come  thither  ;  because 

23.  '1  he  remainder  of  this  chapter 
is  a  description  of  great  desolation 
produced  by  the  invasion  of  the  Assy- 
rians. IT  Where  there  were  a  thousand 
vines.  Where  there  was  a  valuable 
vineyard.  In  every  place,  that  is,  that 
was  well  cultivated  and  valuable. 
^1  At  a  thousand  silverlings.  The 
word  rendered  "  silverlings"  here,  *|CO 
kSseph,  denotes  properly  silver — of  any 
amount.  But  it  is  also  used  to  denote 
the  silver  coin  which  was  in  use  among 
the  Jews,  the  shekel  Perhaps  this 
was  the  only  silver  coin  which  in  early 
times  they  possessed,  and  hence  the 
word  shekel  is  omitted,  and  so  many 
pieces  of  sihier  are  mentioned.  Thus 
in  Gen.  xx.  16,  Abimelechsays,  that  he 
had  given  Abraham  "  a  thousand  of 
silver" — that  is,  a  thousand  shekels. 
The  shekel  was  worth  about  fifty  cents 
of  our  money.  It  is  probable  that  a 
vineyard  would  be  valued  in  proportion 
to  the  number  of  vines  that  could  be 
raised  on  the  smallest  space  ;  and  the 
meaning  is  here,  that  the  land  that  was 
most  fertile,  and  that  produced  the 
most,  would  be  desolate,  and  would 
produce  only  briers  and  thorns.  The 
land  in  Judea  admits  of  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  and  requires  it,  in  order 
to  make  it  productive.  When  ne- 
glected, it  becomes  as  remarkably  ste- 
rile. At  present,  it  generally  bears  the 
marks  of  great  barrenness  and  sterility. 
It  is  under  the  oppression  of  Turkish 
power  and  exactions ;  and  the  conse- 
quence is,  that  to  a  traveller  it  has  the 
appearance  of  great  barrenness.  But 
in  the  high  state  to  which  the  Jews 
brought  it,  it  was  eminently  fertile,  and 
is  capable  still  of  becoming  so,  if  it 
should  be  placed  under  a  government 
that  would  encourage  agriculture  and 
bestow  freedom.  This  is  the  account 
which  all  travellers  give  of  it  now. 

24.  With  arrows  and  with  hows, 
&c.  This  is  a  continuation  of  the  de- 
scription of  its  desolation.     So  entirely 


186 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738 


all  the  land  shall  become  briers 
and  thorns. 

25  And  on  all  hills  that  shall 
be  digged  with  the  mattock,  there 
shall   not   come  thither  the  fear 

would  it  be  abandoned,  so  utterly  deso- 
late  would  it  be,  that  it  would  become 
a  vast  hunting-ground.  It  would  be 
covered  with  shrubs  and  trees  that 
would  afford  a  convenient  covert  for 
wild  beasts  ;  and  would  yield  to  its 
few  inhabitants  a  subsistence,  not  by 
cultivation,  but  by  the  bow  and  the 
arrow.  There  can  scarcely  be  a  more 
striking  description  of  utter  desolation. 
But,  perhaps,  the  long  captivity  of 
seventy  years  in  Babylon  literally  ful- 
filled it.  Judea  was  a  land  that  at  all 
times  was  subject  to  depredations  from 
wild  beasts.  On  the  banks  of  the 
Jordan — in  the  marshes,  and  amid  the 
reeds  that  sprung  up  in  the  lower  bank 
or  border  of  the  river,  the  lion  found  a 
home,  and  the  tiger  a  resting  place. 
Cotnp.  Jer.  xlix.  19.  When  the  land 
was  for  a  little  time  vacated  and  for- 
saken, it  would  be,  therefore,  soon 
filled  with  wild  beasts ;  and  during  the 
desolations  of  the  seventy  years'  cap- 
tivity, there  can  be  no  doubt  that  this 
was  literally  fulfilled. 

25.  And  on  all  hills.  &c.  All  the 
fertile  places  in  the  mountains  that 
used  to  be  cultivated  with  the  spade. 
Vineyards  were  often  planted  on  the 
sidrs  of  hills ;  and  those  places  were 
among  the  most  productive  and  fertile 
in  the  land.  See  eft.  v.  1.  IT  The 
mattock.  The  spade  ;  the  garden  hoe  ; 
or  the  weeding-hook-  An  instrument 
chiefly  used  probably  in  vineyards. 
H  There  shall  not.  come  thither.  There 
shall  not  be.  IT  The  fear  of  briers  and 
thorns.     This  does  not  make  sense  ;  or 


of  briers  and  thorns  ;  but  it  shall 
be  for  the  sending  forth  of  oxen, 
and  for  the  treading  of  lesser 
cattle. 


if  it  does,  it  is  not  a  sense  consistmt 
with  the  connection.  The  idea  of  the 
whole  passage  is,  that  the  land — even 
the  most  fertile  parts  of  it — should  be 
given  up  to  briers  ami  thorns;  that  is, 
to  desolation.  The  Hebrew  here  is 
ambiguous.  It  may  mean  '  thou  shalt 
not  come  there  for  fear  of  the  briers 
and  thorns.'  That  is,  the  place  that 
was  formerly  so  fertile,  that  was  culti- 
vated with  the  spade,  shall  now  be  so 
completely  covered  with  thorns,  and 
shall  furnish  so  convenient  a  resting 
place  for  wild  beasts  and  reptiles,  as  to 
deter  a  man  from  going  there.  The 
LXX,  and  the  Syriac,  however,  under- 
stand it  differently — as  denoting  that 
those  places  should  be  still  cultivated. 
But  this  is  evidently  a  departure,  from  the 
sense  of  the  connection.  Lowth  un- 
derstands it  in  the  past  tense  ;  "  where 
the  fear  of  briers  and  thorns  never 
came."  The  general  idea  of  the  pas- 
sage is  plain,  that  those  places  once  so 
highly  cultivated  would  now  be  deso- 
late. If  Shall  be  for  the  sending  forth, 
&c.  Shall  be  wild,  uncultivated,  and 
desolate — vast  commons  on  which  oxen 
and  sheep  shall  feed  at  large.  H  Lesser 
cattle.  Heb.  sheep,  or  the  flock.  Sheep 
were  accustomed  to  range  in  deserts 
and  uncultivated  places,  and  to  obtain 
there,  under  the  guidance  of  the  slit  p- 
herd,  their  subsistence.  The  descrip- 
tion, therefore,  in  these  verses,  is  one  of 
extensive  and  wide  desolation  ;  ami  one 
that  was  accomplished  in  the  calamities 
that  came  upon  the  land  in  the  inva- 
sions by  the  Egyptians  and  Assyrians. 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  VITI. 


187 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    CHAPTER. 

Inch,  vii  the  prophet  had  told  Aha?  that  God  would  give  him  a  sign  that  the  land  of  Judah  should 
be  sale  from  the  threatened  invasion  of  the  united  armies  of  Synu  and  Israel.  In  this  chapter,  there 
is  a  record  of  the  primary  fulfilment  of  I  hat  promise,  vs.  1—4.  From  ver.  5,  to  ver.  8,  the  prophet 
resumes  and  repeats  what  lie  hud  said  before  in  ch.  vii.  17-05,  that  although  the  land  should  be  safe 
from  this  invasion,  yet  one  more  formidable  would  occur  by  the  armies  of  Assyria.  the  cause  ot 
this  is  sta'ed  to  be.  that  Judah  bad  despise, I  the  Lord,  and  had  sought  alliances  with  .Syria  and  Israel. 
The  prophet  then  proceeds  to  exhort  the  people  to  put  confidence  in  Jehovah— assuring  them  that  ll 
they  refused  fo  confide  in  him  they  must  expect  to  be  destroyed,  vs.  9-18;  and  the  chapter  concludes 
with  denouncing  punishment  on  those  that  looked  to  necromancers  and  diviners,  rather  than  to  the 
true  Cod.  The  prophecy  is  intimately  connected  with  that  in  the  previous  chapter;  and  was  deli- 
vered, evidently,  not  far  from  the  same  time. 

corning  'Maher-shalal-hash-baz. 
2  And  I  took  unto  me  faithful 

1  771  77iaking  speed  to  the  spoil,  he  hasteneth 
the  prey,  or,  make  speed,  &c. 

open,  distinct  manner — without  using 
any  mysterious  emblems  or  characters, 
but  so  that  men  may  read  it  distinctly 
and  easily.'  A  parallel  place  occurs 
in  Hab.  ii.  2:  "  Write  the  vision  and 
make  it  plain  upon  tables,  that  he  may 
run  that  readeth  it."  IT  Concerning. 
Heb.  \  .  This  preposition  may  denote 
concerning,  of,  or  to.  I  understand  it 
here  as  referring  to  the  heading  or  title. 
of  the  prophecy.  This  was  to  be  set 
over  the  prophecy,  as  a  running  title, 
to  denote  the  main  subject  of  it.  The 
subject  is  indicated  in  the  name  which 
is  immediately  added.  IT  Maher.  Hast- 
en ;  or  he  shall  hasten.  IT  Shalal. 
Spoil,  or  prey,  t  Hash.  Hasten,  or 
make  speed.  Baz.  Spoil,  or  prey. 
The  name  used  here  is  a  repetition  of 
the  same  idea — denoting  haste  in  seiz- 
ing prey,  or  spoil  ;  and  is  repeated  to 
give  emphasis,  and  to  excite  attention. 
The  idea  is,  that  the  Assyrian  would 
hasten  to  his  plunder — that  it  would 
be  accomplished  with  speed.  This 
|  name  was  to  be  given  to  a  child  of 
',  Isaiah  ;  and  this  child  was  to  be  a  sign 
of  the  event  which  was  signified  by  the 
name.  See  ver.  18.  Conip.  Hab.  ii. 
2,3. 

2.  And  I  took  unto  me  faithful 
■witnesses.  What  was  the  precise  ob- 
ject in  calling  in  these  witnesses  is 
not  known.  Some  have  supposed  that 
it  was  to  bear  testimony  to  the  mar« 


1  Moreover  the  Lord  said  un- 
to me,  Take  thee  a  great  roll,  and 
write  in  it  with  a  man's  pen  con- 

1.    Take   thee   a   great   roll.       The 
word  which   is  here  translated  "roll" 
more  properly  signifies  tablet.     So  the 
Chaldee  renders  it.    Those  tablets  were 
made  of  wood,  metal,  or  stone,  for  the 
purpose  of  writing  on.    See  ch.  xxx.  8. 
Hab.  ii.  2.    On  these  tablets  or  smooth 
plates,  writing  was  performed  by  cut- 
ting the  letters  with  an  iron  stylus,  or 
small   chisel.     The   process  was  slow, 
but  the  writing  was  permanent.    They 
sometimes  used  the  skins  of  animals, 
or  the  bark  of  trees,  and  subsequently 
the    papyrus    of  Egypt    (comp.    Note 
ch.   xix.    7)  ;    and   it   is   possible    that 
Isaiah    may   have   used    such    a    roll 
or  volume    on   this  occasion.     Comp. 
ver.  16.     IT   With  a  man's  pen.     The 
word  pen  here  (B^H)  denotes  the  iron 
stylus  which  was   used  to  engrave  or 
cut  the   letters   in  the  metal  or  wood. 
The  phrase  "  a  man's   pen"  has  been 
variously    interpreted.      The    Chaldee 
renders  it  "write  in  it  an  open, or  clear 
writing,    or    an    expanded    writing  ;" 
meaning  that  he  should  make  it  clear 
and   distinct,   so  as  to  be   easily  read. 
The  Syriac,  "  write  on  it  in  the  [usual] 
custom  of  men."     The  word  which  is 
translated    "  man's"    ($^)     usually 
denotes  common  men,  the  lower  ranks, 
in   opposition   to  the   higher  ranks  of 
oociety.     And  probably   the   direction 
means  simply,  •  write   on  it  in  letters 
euch  as  men  commonly  use  ;  in  a  plain, 


188 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738 


witnesses  to  record,  Uriah"  the 
priest,  and  Zeehariah  the  son  of 
Jeberechiah. 

3  And  I  9\vent  unto  the  pro- 
phetess ;  and  she  conceived  and 
bare  a  son.  Then  said  the  Lord 
to  me,  Call  his  name  Maher- 
shalal-hash-baz  : 

a  2  Kincs  16.  10.      2  approached,      b  ch   7.  16. 
3  or,  lie  that  is  before  tin  king  of  Assyria  shall 
take  airay  r/te  riches. 

rir.ge  of  the  prophet  at  that  time.  But 
it  may  have  been  for  the  purpose  of  a 
public  record  of  the  prophecy  ;  a  record 
so  made,  that  the  prcci.tr  time,  when  it 
was  delivered  could  be  attested  with- 
out dispute.  The  prophecy  was  an 
important  one,  and  it  was  important 
to  know  in  the  most  authentic  and  un- 
disputed manner  that  such  a  prophecy 
had  been  delivered.  It  is  probable  that 
the  prophecy,  attested  by  the  names  of 
these  two  men,  was  suspended  in  some 
public  place  in  the  temple,  so  that  it 
might  he  seen  by  the  people,  and  allay 
their  fears  ;  and  in  order  to  remove 
from  the  multitude  every  suspicion  that 
it  was  a  prophecy  after  the  event.  That 
this  was  a  real,  and  not  a  symbolical 
transaction,  is  perfectly  manifest,  not 
only  from  the  narrative  itself,  but  from 
ver.  18.  They  are  called  "faithful,"  not 
on  account  of  their  private  character,  but 
because  their  public  testimony  would 
be  credited  by  the  people.  IT  To  record. 
To  bear  witness  If  Uriah  the  priest. 
This  is  doubtless  the  same  man  that  is 
mentioned  in  2  Kings  xvi.  10.  He  was 
a  man  of  infamous  character  ;  the  ac- 
complice of  Ahaz  in  corrupting  the  true 
religion  ;  but  still  his  testimony  might 
be  the  more  valuable  to  Ahaz,  as  he  was 
associated  with  him  in  his  plans.  If  And 
Zecharia/i,  &c.  It  is  not  certainly 
known  who  this  was.  Perhaps  he  was 
one  of  the  Levrtes  whose  name  is  men- 
tioned in  2  Ghron.  xxix    13. 

3.  Then  said  the  Lord,  &c.  The 
name  thus  given  was  to  be  emblematic 
of  a  particular  events — that  Assyria 
would  soon  take  way  the  spoil  of  Da- 
mascus and  Samaria  It  is  not  remark- 
able  that  the   name  Immanuel   should 


4  For  b  before  the  child  shall 
have  knowledge  to  cry,  My  fa- 
ther, and  my  mother,  the  'riches 
of  Damascus  and  the  spoil  of 
Samaria    shall    be    taken    away 

I  "before  the  king  of  Assyria. 

5  The  Lord  spake  also  unto 
me  again,  saying, 

6  Forasmuch    as  this    people 

C  2  Kings  15.  29,  16.  9.   ch.  17.  3. 

also  be  given  to  the  same  child,  as 
signifying  the  presence  and  protection 
of  God  in  defending  the  nation  from 
the  invaders.  See  Notes  on  ch.  vii.  14, 
15.  Calvin  thinks  that  all  this  passed 
in  a  vision  before  the  prophet  ;  but  it 
has  every  mark  of  being  a  literal  nar- 
rative of  the  birth  of  a  son  to  Isaiah  ; 
and  without  this  supposition,  it  is  im- 
possible to  understand  the  account  con- 
tained here. 

4.  For  before,  &c.  This  must  have 
occurred  in  a  short  time — probably  be- 
fore the  expiration  of  three  years.  A 
child  would  usually  learn  to  address 
his  parents  in  that  time.  In  fact,  the 
event  here  predicted  occurred  in  less 
than  three  years  from  the  time  when 
the  prophecy  was  spoken.  See  Notes 
on  ch.  vii.  16.  If  Before  the  king  of 
Assyria.  By  the  king,  or  by  his  con- 
quests. By  the  spoil  of  Samaria  here 
is  to  be  understood  not  the  plunder 
which  should  be  carried  away  from  the 
city,  but  from  the  kingdom  of  Samaria. 
In  other  places  the  land  is  called  by 
the  name  of  the  capital.  Comp  2  Kin. 
xvii.  2(3,  xxiii.  19.  Jer.  xxxi  5.  The 
city  of  Samaria  was  not  plundered  un- 
til eighteen  years  after  the  time  hew 
mentioned  by  the  prophet.  5,  (I  — 
These  verses  introduce  again  what 
was  predicted  in  ch.  vii.  17,  seq  ,  re- 
specting the  invasion  of  the  land  by 
the  king  of  Assyria.  The  cause  of  the 
invasion  is  specified,  ami  the  conse- 
quencea  are  foretold. 

(i.  Forasmuch  as  this  people.  There 
has  been  a  ionsiderable  difference  of 
opinion  amoi.g  interpreters  respecting 
the  "people"  to  whom  the  prophet 
here  refers.     Some  have  supposed  that 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


1»9 


refuseth  the  waters  of  Shiloah' 

e  Neh.  3.  !5.    John  9.  7. 

it  refers  to  the  kingdom  of  Judah  alone  ; 
others  to  a  party  in  that  kingdom  ;  and 
others  to  the  kingdom  of  Judah  in 
connection  with  the  ten  trihes,  or  the 
kingdom  of  Israel  also.  The  latter  is 
probably  the  correct  interpretation. 
The  prophet  reproves  the  whole  nation 
of  the  Jews  for  despising  the  mild  and 
gentle  reign  of  the  family  of  David, 
and  for  seeking  the  aid  of  foreign  na- 
tions ; — the  ten  tribes  as  seeking  an 
alliance  with  Rezin  and  Pekah,  and 
the  kingdom  of  Judah  as  seeking  an  al- 
liance with  the  king  of  Assyria.  It  was 
characteristic  of  the  nation — both  of 
the  ten  tribes,  and  of  the  tribe  of  Ju- 
dah— that  they  forsook  the  defence 
which  they  had  in  themselves,  and 
sought  foreign  alliances.  Hence  God 
says  that  he  will  bring  upon  them  the 
judgments  which  they  deserve.  That 
there  is  a  joint  reference  to  both  the 
kingdoms  of  Israel  and  Judah  is  ap- 
parent from  ver.  14.  It  cannot  refer 
to  the  kingdom  of  Judah  alone,  for  it 
could  not  be  brought  as  an  accusation 
against  them  that  they  took  pleasure 
in  Rezin.  In  the  opinion  that  it  refers 
to  the  kingdoms  of  Israel  and  of  Judah 
— to  the  whole  Jewish  people — Vitrin- 
ga,  Lowth,  and  Hengstenberg  concur. 
IF  The  waters  of  Shiloah  that  go  softly. 
That  flow  gently.  The  name  Siloah, 
or  Siloam,  is  found  only  three  times  in 
the  Scriptures  as  applied  to  waters  ; 
once  in  this  place  where  it  is  spoken 
of  a  running  water  ;  once  as  a  pool  in 
Nehemiah — nVrn  n?"!? — ch.  iii.  15, 
and  again  as  a  pool  in  the  account 
of  the  miracle  of  healing  the  man  who 
was  born  blind,  John  ix.  7, 11.  Siloam 
is  on  the  east  side  of  the  city  of  Jeru- 
salem, to  the  south-east  of  the  site  of 
the  temple,  and  its  waters  flow  into 
the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat.  The  name 
means  sent,  or  sending,  from  nbtt) 
to  send,  and  was  probably  given  to  it 
Because  the  waters  were  sent  or  made 
to  puss  through  a  subterranean  passage 
or  aqueduct.  At  present  it  properly 
consists  of  two  receptacles  or  reser- 


that  go  softly,  and  rejoice  in  Re. 
zin  and  Remaliah's  son  ; 

voirs,  the  waters  from  one  of  which 
flow  into  the  other.  The  first  or  upper 
one  is  now  called  the  '  Fountain  of  the 
Virgin,'  from  a  tradition  that  it  waa 
here  that  the  Virgin  Mary  resorted  be- 
fore her  purification,  in  order  to  wash 
her  child's  linen.  This  fountain  is  on 
the  west  side  of  the  valley  of  Jeho- 
shaphat, and  is  about  1550  feet  from 
the  south-east  corner  of  the  city  wall. 
The  cavity  of  this  fountain  is  wholly 
excavated  in  the  solid  rock.  To  enter 
it  there,  is  at  first  a  descent  of  sixteen 
steps,  to  a  level  place  or  platform  of 
twelve  feet  in  diameter,  and  then  an- 
other descent  of  ten  steps  to  the  water, 
making  the  whole  depth  twenty-five 
feet.  The  basin  here  is  about  fifteen 
feet  long  by  five  or  six  wide,  and  the 
height  six  or  eight  feet.  There  is  some 
reason  to  suppose  that  this  is  supplied 
by  a  fountain  lying  under  the  mosk  of 
Omaj",  on  the  site  of  the  temple  of  So- 
lomon. From  this  fountain  the  water 
is  conducted  by  a  subterranean  pas- 
sage, in  a  direction  a  little  to  the  west 
of  south  to  what  is  properly  called  the 
fountain  of  Siloam.  This  passage  runs 
under  the  extremity  of  Mount  Ophel  ; 
is  cut  entirely  from  the  solid  rock,  and 
is  found  by  measurement  to  be  1750 
feet  in  length.  At  the  lower  part 
it  is  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet  in  height 
by  two  in  breadth,  but  in  the  middle 
so  low  that  it  can  be  passed  only  by 
creeping  on  the  hands  and  knees.  The 
passage  is  partly  filled  up  with  sand. 
From  this  aqueduct  the  water  is  con- 
veyed into  the  pool  of  Siloam,  situated 
near  where  the  Tyropoeon  or  '  valley 
of  cheesemongers'  opens  into  the  val- 
ley of  Jehoshaphat.  This  reservoir  is 
fifty-three  feet  long,  eighteen  feet  broad, 
and  nineteen  feet  deep,  though  now 
there  is  usually  no  water  remaining 
within  it.  Irom  this  reservoir  the 
water  flows  off  into  the  vale  below, 
furnishing  water  for  the  gardens  which 
are  constructed  in  terraces  on  the  side 
of  the  valley.  The  water  in  both  theae 
fountains  is  the  same.  It  is  sweet,  and 
slightly  brackish,  but  not  diagreeable 


190  ISAIAH.  [B.C.  733. 

7  Now  therefore,   behold,  the    and  all  his  glory :  and  he  shall 
Lord  bringeth  up  upon  them  the    come  up  over  all   his   channels, 
waters  of  the  river,  strong  and     and  go  over  all  his  banks  : 
many,  evenfthe  king  of  Assyria,  j 

J  '  °  /ch.  7.  1—6. 


It  is  the  common  water  now  used  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  neighbouring 
village  of  Kefr  Selwane — or  the  stran- 
gling village  of  Siloam.  For  a  full 
description  of  this  fountain,  see  Robin- 
eon's  Bib.  Research,  vol.  i.  pp.  493-514. 
This  fountain  was  probably  formerly 
included  within  the  walls,  and  furnished 
a  part  of  the  supply  of  water  to  the 
city.  The  meaning  of  this  passage  is 
this.  The  waters  of  Siloam  denote 
the  reign  of  Jehovah,  as  manifesting 
itself  in  the  administration  of  the  fami- 
ly of  D&yid — a  mild,  gentle,  and  muni- 
ficent reign,  beautifully  represented  by 
the  unfailing  anil  gently-flowing  waters 
on  which  the  happiness  of  Jerusalem 
bo  much  depended.  That  reign  a  large 
part  of  the  nation — the  ten  tribes — had 
rejected,  and  had  set  up  a  separate 
kingdom,  and  had  sought  the  aid  of 
the  king  of  Damascus.  The  remain- 
der— the  kingdom  of  Judah — were  in 
like  manner  now  disposed  to  reject  the 
aid  of  Jehovah,  and  sought  an  alliance 
with  the  king  of  Assyria — beautifully 
represented  here  by  the  river  Euphra- 
tes. The  waters  of  Siloam — a  gentle, 
small,  sweetly-flowing  stream,  repre- 
sented the  government  of  JefdVah. 
The  waters  of  the  Euphrates — violent, 
rapid,  impetuous,  and  overflowing,  re- 
presented the  government  of  Assyria. 
The  one  they  despised — the  other  they 
sought  and  admired.  The  power  of 
the  kingdom  of  David  was  then  feeble 
and  decayed.  That  of  the  Assyrian 
monarch  was  vigorous,  mighty,  vast. 
They  despised  the  one,  and  sought 
the  alliance  of  the  other.  IT  And  re- 
joice. That  is,  they  confide  in,  and 
feel  that  in  their  protection  they  are 
safe,  t  In  Rezin.  King  of  Syria. 
IT  And  lie  urn  I  ink's  son.  Pekah — king 
of  Samaria,  ch.  vii.  1.  The  crime  here 
mentioned  was  peculiar  to  the  kingdom 
of  Israel — showing  that  the  prophet, 
in  part  at  least,  had  reference  to  them. 
7.   The  waters  of  t/ie  river.     By  the 


river  in  the  Scripture  is  commonly 
infant  the  river  Euphrates — as  being 
by  way  of  eminence  the  largest  rivei 
with  which  they  were  acquainted  ;  and 
also  as  being  that  distinguished  by  the 
fact  that  Abraham  had  lived  beyond  it, 
and  crossed  it.  See  Note  eh.  vii  20.  In 
this  verse  the  image  is  kept  up  which  was 
commenced  in  ver  6.  The.  Jews  rejected 
the  gentle  waters  of  Siloah,  and  sought 
the  alliance  of  a  foreign  king,  whose 
kingdom  stretched  along  and  extended 
beyond  the  Euphrates  it  was  natural 
therefore  to  compare  the  invasion  of 
the  land  to  the  overflowing  of  mighty 
waters  that  would  sweep  every  thing 
away.  A  similar  comparison  is  found 
in  Juvenal,  who,  in  describing  the  in- 
troduction of  Eastern  customs  into 
Rome,  represents  the  Otolites  as  flow- 
ing into  the  Tiber: 

Jampridem  Syrus  in  Tiberim  defluxit  Oronte.s. 

The  comparison  of  an  invading  army 
with  an  overflowing  stream,  or  an  in- 
undation, is  not  uncommon.  See  Lu- 
can's  Phars.  vi  272.  Hor.  Car.  iv. 
!4,  15,  seq.  H  Strong  and  many  Vio- 
lent waves,  and  numerous.  It  means 
that  a  mighty  host  would  come  up  upon 
the  land  If  Errn  the  king  of  Assyria. 
It  has  been  supposed  by  many  that  this 
is  a  gloss  or  explanation  which  has 
crept  into  the  text.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  it  expresses  the  true  sense  of  the 
passage,  but  it  is  remarkable  that  Isaiah 
himself  should  furnish  a  literal  expla- 
nation in  the  midst  of  a  figurative  de- 
scription. IT  And  nil  his  glory  Eastern 
kings  marched  in  the  midst  of  vast 
splendour.  They  moved  with  all  the 
magnificence  of  the  court,  and  were 
attended  usually  with  their  princes  and 
nobles  ;  with  a  splendid  retinue  ;  and 
with  all  the  insignia  of  royalty.  Such 
was  the  case  with  Xerxes  when  he  in- 
vaded Greece  ;  and  such  too  with  Da- 
rius, and  with  most  of  the  Oriental 
conquerors.      H  And  he  shall  come  upk 


B.C.TS8.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


191 


h  ch.  36.  1,  &c. 


8  And  he  shall  pass  through  I  neck :  and  the  'stretching  out  o\ 
Judah  ;  he  shall  overflow  and  go  his  wings  shall  fill  ;,the  breadt.i 
over  ;  he  shall  reach  even  to  the  j  of  thy  land,  O  Immanuel. 

7  fulness  of  the  breadth  of  thy  land  shall  be  the 
stretchings  out  of  his  lomgs. 

&c.  The  figure  of  overflowing  waters 
is  here  retained.  To  understand  this, 
it  is  necessary  to  remark  that  the  Eu- 
phrates annually  overflows  its  banks  to 
'  a  very  considerable  extent.  It  rises  in 
the  mountains  of  Armenia,  and  flowing 
for  a  considerable  distance  in  a  region 
where  the  mountains  are  covered  with 
snow,  it  falls  into  the  level  region  of 
Mesopotamia  or  Syria,  and  flows 
through  that  region  almost  parallel 
with  the  Tigris  towards  the  Persian 
Gulf.  From  its  banks  vast  numbers 
of  canals  were  made,  as  in  Egypt,  to 
receive  the  water,  and  to  render  the 
country  fertile.  By  the  melting  of  the 
snows  in  Armenia  in  the  summer,  the 
strt-am  becomes  greatly  enlarged,  and 
overflows  vast  portions  of  the  adjacent 
country  in  a  manner  similar  to  the 
Nile.  Usually  the  river  is  not  very 
large.  Otho  says  that  on  the  12th  of 
March,  when  he  crossed  the  Euphrates, 
it  was  not  more  than  200  paces  in 
width,  but  in  its  height,  it  extends  500 
or  600  paces  into  the  plains  on  the 
right.  Thevenot  observes  that  near  to 
Bir  the  Euphrates  seemed  no  larger 
than  the  Seine  at  Paris,  but  was  very 
large  when  it  was  swollen.  At  Baby- 
lon it  is  said  to  be  about  foU'  hundred 
feet  in  breadth  That  it  ovei'lows  its 
banks,  is  abundantly  attested  by  an- 
cient as  well  as  modern  travellers.  See 
Rosenmuller,  and  Gesenius  on  this 
verse.  If  Its  channels.  This  word 
means  either  brooks,  or  valleys,  or  ca- 
nals, or  channels  of  a  river.  The  Eu- 
phrates flowed  through  a  level  region, 
and  it  is  not  improbable  that  it  had  at 
various  times  made  for  itself  many 
channels.  Besides  this  there  were 
many  canals  cut  in  various  directions 
to  convey  its  waters  to  the  gardens, 
farms,  <fec  All  these  the  prophet  says 
would  be  full — and  the  water  would 
extend  even  far  beyond  them. 

8.   He  shall,  Sec.     That  is,  the  As- 
B>rian — though  still  retaining  the  idea 


of  an  overflowing  stream,  or  a  deluge 
of  waters.  IT  Beach  even  to  the  neck. 
Chaldee,  "  They  shall  come  even  to 
Jerusalem."  "  The  prophet  compares 
Jerusalem  here,"  says  Kinichi,  "  to  the 
head  of  the  human  body.  As  when 
the  waters  reach  to  the  neck  of  a  man 
he  is  very  near  drowning,  so  here,  the 
prophet  intimates  that  the  whole  land 
would  be  deluged,  and  that  it  would 
be  nearly  utterly  destroyed."  The  fig- 
ure thus  understood  is  a  very  sublime 
one.  Jerusalem  was  situated  on  hills — 
elevated  above  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, and  in  reference  to  the  whole  land 
might  be  aptly  compared  to  the  human 
head.  Thus  Josephus  (De  hello,  Lib.  iii. 
ch    2),  describing  Jerusalem,  says, — 

'IcponoXvpa  vpoaiua^ovaa  ri)S  irepioi>co\>  nii- 
ans,  (oenrep  tj  x^uXri  iru/iaras — Jerusalem 
eminent  above  all  the  surrounding  re- 
gion as  the  head  of  the  body.  The 
country  is  represented  as  being  laid 
under  water — a  vast  sea  of  rolling  and 
tumultuous  waves — with  Jerusalem 
alone  rising  above  them,  standing  in 
solitary  grandeur  amidst  the  heaving 
ocean,  and  itself  in  danger  each  mo- 
ment of  being  ingulfed.  See  a  similar 
figure,  Isa.  xxx.  28  : 

His  spirit  is  like  a  torrent  overflowing 
It  shall  reach  to  the  middle  of  the  neck. 

And  so  also  Hab.  iii.  13  : 

Thou  didst  go  forth  for  the  salvation  of  thy  peo- 
ple, 

For  the  salvation  of  thine  anointed  : 

Thou  didst  smite  the  head  from  the  house  of  the 
wickedg 

Destroying  the  foundation  even  to  the  neck 

IT  And  the  stretching  out  of  his  wings. 
This  is  a  continuation  of  tne  same  idea 
under  a  new  figure.  The  term  wings 
is  often  applied  to  an  army,  as  well  in 
modern  as  in  ancient  writings.  It 
denotes  that  the  invading  army  would 
be  so  vast  as,  when  expanded  or  drawn 
out,  to  fill  the  land,  f  Shall  Jill  the 
breadth.  Shall  occupy  the  entire  land, 
so  that  there  shall  be  no  city  or  town 
which    he   shall   not    invade.     U  Thy 


192 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738 


9  Associate  yourselves,  O  ye 
people,  and  !ye  shall  be  broken' 
in   pieces  ;   and  give  ear,  all  ye 

I  or,  yet.  I  ch.  37.  36. 


of  far  countries  :  gird  yourselves, 
and  ye  shall  be  broken  in  pieces  ; 
gird  yourselves,  and  ye  shall  be 
broken  in  pieces. 


land,  0  Inimanuel.  See  Note  ch. 
vii.  14.  If  this  he  understood  as  re- 
ferring to  the  son  of  Isaiah  that  was 
to  be  born,  then  it  means  that  the  child 
was  given  as  a  pledge  that  the  land 
would  be  safe  from  the  threatened  in- 
vasion. It  was  natural  therefore  to 
address  the  child  in  that  manner — as 
reminding  the  prophet  that  this  land 
which  was  about  to  be  invaded  be- 
longed to  God,  and  was  yet  under  his 
protection.  Its  meaning  may  be  thus 
paraphrased.  '  O  thou  who  art  a  pledge 
of  the  protection  of  God — whose  birth 
is  an  assurance  that  the  land  is  under 
his  care,  and  who  art  given  as  such  a 
sign  to  the  nation.  Notwithstanding 
this  pledge,  the  land  shall  be  full  of 
foes.  They  shall  spread  through  every 
part,  and  endanger  all.'  Yet  the  name, 
tha» circumstances  of  the  birth,  the  pro- 
mise at  that  time,  would  all  remind 
the  prophet  and  the  king,  that  notwith- 
standing this,  the  land  would  be  still 
under  the  protection  of  God. — If  the 
language  be  understood  as  referring  to 
the  future  Messiah,  and  as  an  address 
made  to  him,  then  by  calling  the  land 
his  land,  it  is  intimated  that  it  could 
not  be  brought  to  utter  desolation,  nor 
could  the  country  where  he  was  to  be 
born  remain  wasted  and  ruined.  It 
would  be  indeed  invaded  ;  the  armies 
of  the  Assyrian  would  spread  over  it,  but 
still  it  was  the  land  of  Inimanuel  ;  and 
was  to  be  the  place  of  his  birth,  and 
it  was  to  be  secure  until  the  time  should 
arrive  for  him  to  come.  The  probabi- 
.  lity  is,  I  think,  that  the  address  is  here 
solely  to  the  Messiah  ;  and  that  the 
purpose  of  God  is  to  fix  the  mind  of 
the  prophet  on  the  fact  that  the  Mes- 
siah must  come,  as  an  assurance  that 
the  land  could  not  be  wholly  and  per- 
petually desolate.  See  Notes  on  ch. 
vii    14. 

'J.  Associate,  yourselves.  In  the  pre- 
vious verses  the  prophet  hid  seen  the 
Assyrian  coming  up  on  the  land  like 


an  overwhelming  flood.  He  looked 
upon  the  danger,  and  his  mind  was 
turned  to  the  pledge  of  safety  which 
God  had  given.  The  name  Inimanuel, 
and  the  promise  connected  with  the 
giving  of  that  name  (ch.  vii.  16),  re- 
minded him  of  the  perfect  safety  of  the 
nation — for  it  was  a  pledge  that  God 
was  with  them  See  ver.  10.  In  view 
of  this  pledge  of  the  protection  of  God, 
this  verse  is  a  spirited  apostrophe  to 
the  mighty  host  thafwas  about  to  in- 
vade the  land.  Though  confederated 
and  vast,  yet  they  could  not  prevail. 
Tlcy  should  he  scattered,  much  as  they 
might  be  prepared  for  victory,  for  God 
had  given  a  pledge  that  he  would  de- 
fend his  people.  IT  Associate.  There 
has  been  much  variety  among  inter- 
preters about  the  meaning  of  the  origi- 
nal word  used  here.  It  may  mean  to 
he  terrified,  to  br  alarmed,  as  well  as 
to  associate  or  become  confederate. 
The  Vulgate  and  Chaldee  render  it, 
"  be  assembled,  or  congregated."  The 
LXX,  "  Know,  ye  nations,"  &,c.  The 
Syriac,  "  Tremble,  ye  people,"  &c. 
Still  the  notion  of  associating,  confed- 
erating, or  entering  into  an  alliance, 
suits  the  connection  better ;  answers 
to  the  parallelism  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  verse,  and  is  equally  consonant 
with  the  original.  1T  O  ye  people.  Ye 
people  of  Assyria.  This  is  an  apostro- 
phe to  the  mighty  multitudes  that  were 
to  come  up  upon  the  land  from  that 
country.  If  And  ye  shall  be  broken  in 
pieces.  That  is,  though  the  confed- 
eracy be  mighty,  yet  it  shall  not  pre- 
vail. It  shull  not  accomplish  that 
which  you  purpose — the  entire  destruc- 
tion of  the  land  of  .ludali.  IT  Give  ear, 
all  ye  of  fir  countries.  That  should 
be  particularly  engaged  in  the  confed- 
eracy— Assyria,  and  the  kingdoms  al- 
lied with  it.  ^G-irdy-.mrselyes,  As  if 
for  war;  thai  is,  prepare  yourselves 
thoroughly  for  conquest  See  Note 
ch.    v     27.      The    repetition   of    this 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


193 


10  Take  counsel  together,  and 
it  shall  come  to  naught ;  speak 
the  word,  and  it  shall  not  stand  : 
for  God  Hs  with  us. 

11  For  the  Lord  spake  thus 
to  me  with  2a  strong  hand,  and 


p  Ps.  46.  1,7. 


2  in  strength  of. 


shows  the  excited  and  agitated  state 
of  the  prophet's  mind.  It  is  a  strong, 
emphatic  mode  of  expression — denoting 
that  they  should  be  certainly  broken  in 
pieces  notwithstanding  the  strength  of 
their  confederacy. 

10.  Take  counsel  together.  This  is 
an  address  to  the  same  foreign  nations. 
It  refers  to  the  designs  which  they 
would  form  to  destroy  the  Jewish  state. 
11  Speak  the  word.  That  is,  give  the 
command — to  overturn  the  nation  of 
the  Jews.  H  It  shall  not  stand.  It 
shall  not  be  accomplished.  For  God 
is  with  us.  Heb.  "  For  Immanuel." 
It  indicates  the  confidence  of  the  pro- 
phet in  view  of  the  promise  and  the 
pledge.  His  reliance  was  there.  Though 
the  enemies  were  strong  and  mighty  ; 
though  the  confederacy  was  formida- 
ble ;  yet  his  simple  reliance  was  in  the 
name  Immanuel !  In  this  he  had  con- 
fidence, in  spite  of  all  the  violent  efforts 
and  designs  of  the  foes  of  Judah.  See 
Num.  xiv.  9 : 

Only,  rebel  not  ye  against  the  Lord  ; 

Neither  fear  ye  the  people  ol"  the  land ; 

For  they  are  bread  for  us  ; 

Their  defence  is  departed  from  them, 

And  JEHOVAH  isioithus, 

Fear  them  not. 

See  also  Ps.  xlvi.  6,  7 : 

The  heathen  raged, 

The  kingdoms  were  moved. 

He  uttered  his  voice,  the  earth  dissolved. 

JEHOVAH  of  hosts  is  with  us ; 

The  God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge. 

11.  For  the :  Lord  spake  thus.  Spake 
that  which  immediately  follows  in  the 
next  verse.  Warned  him  not  to  unite 
in  the  alliance  with  foreign  kingdoms 
which  the  nation  was  about  forming. 
11  With  a.  strong  hand  Marg.  with. 
strength  of  hand.  That  is,  when  the 
nana  of  God  urged  me.  A  strong 
prophetic  impulse  is  often  represented 
es  being  produced  by  God's  laying  his 
9 


instructed  me,  that  I  should  not 
^vvalk  in  the  way  of  this  people, 
saying, 

12  Say  ye  not,  A  confederacy, 
to  all  them  to  whom  this  people 
shall   say,  A  confederacy  ;  nei- 

q  Prov.  1.  15. 


hand  on  the  prophet ;  or  by  his  being 
thus,  as  it  were,  urged  or  impelled  to 
it.  Ezek.  iii.  14:  "The  hand  of  Je- 
hovah was  strong  upon  me."  2  Kings 
iii.  15:  "And  it  came  to  pass  that 
when  the  minstrel  played,  the  hand  of 
the  Lord  came  upon  him."  Jer.  xx. 
7 :  "  O  Lord — thou  art  stronger  than 
I,  and  hast  prevailed."  See  also  Eccl. 
ii.  24  1  Kings  xviii.  46.  2  Kjigs  iii. 
15.  Ezek.  xxxiii.  22,  xl.  1.  Comp.  In- 
trod.  §  7.  11.  (3.)  The  meaning  is, 
that  the  prophet  was  strongly,  and 
almost  irresistibly  urged  by  the  divine 
influence  to  say  what  he  was  about  to 
say.  11  That  I  should  not  walk,  &c. 
That  I  should  not  approve,  and  fall  in 
with,  the  design  of  Ahaz  and  of  the 
nation  in  calling  in  the  aid  of  the  As- 
syrian armies. 

12.  Say  ye  not.  Do  not  join  in 
their  purposes  of  forming  a  confederacy. 
Do  not  unite  with  the  king  and  the 
people  of  Judah  in  their  alarms  about 
the  threatened  invasion  by  the  kings 
of  Syria  and  Samaria,  and  in  their 
purpose  to  form  an  alliance  with  the 
king  of  Assyria.  The  reason  why 
they  should  not  do  this  he  states  in 
ver.  13,  where  he  exhorts  the  nation  to 
put  confidence  in  the  Lord  rather  than 
in  man.  There  has  been,  however, 
great  diversity  in  the  interpretation  of 
this  passage.  The  LXX  render  the 
word  *"l?h!  qisher,  confederacy,  by  the 
word  H<,Xr)pi5i/ — "  every  thing  which  this 
people  say  is  hard."  The  Syriac,  "  do 
not  say,  rebellion"  &c.  The  Chaldee 
understands  the  word  in  the  same  sense. 
Lowth  proposes  to  change  the  word 
"^k:  qesher  into  ^"^  qadhosh,  because 
Archbishop  Seeker  possessed  one  MS. 
in  which  this  reading  was  found  ;  and 
he  translates  the  passage : 


94 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C  738. 


ther  rfear  ye  their  fear,  nor  be 
afraid . 

13  Sanctify  the  Lord  of  hosts 

T  1  Pet.  3.  14,  15. 

"  Say  ye  not  it  is  holy, 
Of  every  thing  of  which  this  people  shall  say  it 
is  holy."  » 

That  is,  "  call  not  their  idols  holy ; 
nor  fear  ye  the  object  of  their  fear ; 
that  is,  the  gods  of  the  idolaters."  But 
it  is  plain  that  this  does  not  suit  the 
connection  of  the  passage,  since  the 
prophet  is  not  reproving  them  for  their 
idolatry,  but  is  discoursing  of  the  alli- 
ance between  the  kings  of  Syria  and 
Samaria.  Besides,  the  authority  of 
one  MS.  without  the  concurrence  of 
any  ancient  version,  is  not  a  sufficient 
authority  for  changing  the  Hebrew  text. 
Most  commentators  have  understood 
this  word  "confederacy"  as  referring 
to  the  alliance  between  the  kings  of 
Syria  and  Samaria  ;  as  if  the  prophet 
had  said,  '  Do  not  join  in  the  cry  so 
common  and  almost  universal  in  the 
nation,  there  is  a  confederacy  between 
those  tico  kingdoms ;  there  is  an  alli- 
ance formed  ichich  endangers  our  lib- 
erty,— a  cry,  that  produces  alarm  and 
trepidation  in  the  nation.'  Thus  Ro- 
senmiiller  and  Gesenius  explain  it. 
Aben  Ezra  and  Kimchi,  however,  un- 
derstand it  of  a  conspiracy  which  they 
suppose  was  formed  in  the  kingdom  of 
Ahaz  against  him  and  the  house  of 
David  ;  and  that  the  prophet  warns  the 
people  against  joining  in  such  a  con- 
spiracy. But  of  the  existence  of  such 
a  conspiracy  there  is  no  evidence. 
Had  there  been  such  a  conspiracy,  it  is 
not  probable  that  it  would  have  been 
so  well  known  as  to  make  it  a  proper 
subject  of  public  denunciation.  Con- 
spiracies are  usually  secret  and  con- 
cealed I  regard  this,  however,  as  a 
caution  to  the  prophet  not  to  join  in 
the  prevailing  demand  for  an  alliance 
with  the  king  of  Assyria.  Ahaz  trem- 
bled before  the  united  armies  of  Syria 
and  Samaria.  He  sought  therefore 
foreign  assistance — the  assistance  of 
the  king  of  Assyria.  It  is  probable 
that  in  this  he  was  encouraged  by  the 
leaders  of  the    people,  and   that   this 


himself;  and   let.   him*  be   your 
fear,  and  let  him  be  your  dread. 
14.    And    Iip    shall    be    for  a 

s  Luke  12.  5. 

would  be  a  popular  measure  with  the 
mass  of  the  nation  Yet  it  implied 
distrust  of  God  (Note  ver  6)  ;  and 
therefore  the  prophet  was  directed  not 
to  unite  with  them  in  seeking  this 
"confederacy"  or  alliance,  but  to  op- 
pose it.  The  word  translated  "  con- 
federacy," "^ P.  qeshir,  is  derived  from 
the  verb  ""^{5  qdshdr,  to  bind,  to  fetter ; 
to  enter  into  a  conspiracy,  it  usually 
refers  to  a  conspiracy,  but  it  may  mean 
a  combination  or  alliance  of  any  kind. 
Or  if  it  here  means  a  conspiracy,  a 
union  between  Ahaz  and  the  Assy  nuns 
may  be  regarded  as  a  species  of  con- 
spiracy, as  it  was  an  unnatural  alli- 
ance ;  a  species  of  combination  against 
the  natural  and  proper  government  of 
Judah — the  theocracy.  H  Neither  fear 
ye  their  fear.  Do  not  partake  of  their 
alarm  at  the  invasion  of  the  land  by 
the  united  armies  of  Syria  and  Sama- 
ria. Rather  put  confidence  in  God 
and  believe  that  he  is  able  to  save  you. 
Comp    1  Pet.  iii.  13,  14,  15 

13.  Sanctify,  &c.  Regard  Jehovah 
as  holy  ;  i.  e.  worship  and  honour  him 
with  pious  fear  and  reverence.  Regard 
him  as  the  source  of  safety,  and  the  true 
defence.  Ahaz  and  his  people  sought 
for  aid  from  Assyria  against  the  armies 
of  Assyria  and  Samaria.  The  direction 
here  is  rather  to  seek  aid  from  God. 
IT  Let  him  be  your  fear.  Do  not  b". 
alarmed  at  what  man  can  do  (ver  12), 
but  fear  and  honour  God.  Be  afraid  to 
provoke  his  wrath  by  looking  to  other 
sources  of  help  when  his  aid  only 
should  be  sought. 

14  And  he  shall  be  for  a  sanctuary 
The  word  translated  sanctuary  means 
literally  a  holy  plate,  a  consecrated 
place,  and  is  usually  applied  to  the 
tabernacle,  or  to  the  temple.  Ex  xxv. 
8.  Lev.  xii.  4,  xxi.  12.  Jer.  li.  51.  It 
also  means  an  asylum,  or  a  refuge  to 
which  one  might  flee  in  case  of  danger 
and  be  safe.  See  Ezek.  xi.  16.  Among 
all  ancient  nations,  temples  were  re- 


£.C738.] 


CHAPTER-  VIII. 


195 


'sanctuary ;  but  for  a  stone  of 
stumbling,"  and  for  a  rock  of 
offence,"  to  both  the  houses  of 
Israel  ;  for  a  gin  and  for  a  snare 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem. 
15    And    many    among   them 

t  Kzek.  11.16.       w  l  Pet.  2. 8.  m   v  Matt.  13.  57. 

garded  as  safe  places  to  which  men 
might  flee  when  pursued,  and  when  in 
danger.  It  was  deemed  sacrilege  to 
tear  a  man  away  from  a  temple  or  an 
altar.  That  the  temple  was  so  regard- 
ed among  the  Jews  is  manifest.  See 
1  Kings  i.  50,  ii  28.  In  allusion  to 
this,  the  prophet  says  that  Jehovah 
would  be  a  sanctuary — that  is,  an  asy- 
lum or  refuge,  to  whom  they  should 
flee  in  times  of  danger  and  be  safe. 
See  Ps  xivi.  1 :  "  God  is  our  refuge 
and  strength."  Prov.  xviii.  10:  "  The 
name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower ; 
the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is 
safe."  it  is  also  well  known  that  tem- 
ples and  altars  were  regarded  as  asyla 
among  the  Greeks  and  Romans  The 
reference  here  is  rather  to  an  altar  as 
the  asylum  than  to  a  city  or  temple,  as 
in  the  other  member  of  the  sentence 
the  same  object  is  said  to  be  a  stone  of 
stumbling — a  figure  which  would  not 
be  applicable  to  a  temple  or  a  city. 
IF  A  stone  of  stumbling.  A  stone 
against  which  one  should  impinge,  or 
over  which  he  should  fall.  The  idea 
is,  that  none  could  ran  against  a  hard, 
rough,  fixed  stone,  or  rock,  without 
injuring  himself.  So  the  Jews  would 
oppose  the  counsels  of  God  ;  instead  of 
making  him  their  refuge  and  strength, 
they  would  resist  his  claims  and  ap- 
peals, and  the  consequence  would  be 
their  destruction.  It  is  also  to  be  re- 
membered that  God  is  often  represent- 
ed in  the  Scriptures  as  a  rock,  a  firm 
defence,  or  place  of  safety  to  those  who 
trust  in  him.  But  instead  of  their  thus 
taking  refuge  in  him,  they  would  op- 
pose themselves  to  this  firm  rock,  and 
ruin  themselves.  See  Deut.  xxxii.  4, 15, 
18,30,31,37.  Ps.  xix.  14,  xxviii.  1, 
xxxi  2,  3,  xlii.  9,  xli.  2.  Many  of  the 
ancient  Jewish  commentators  applied 
this  to  the  Messiah.     Gesenius  in  loco. 


shall  stumble,  and  fall,  and  be 
broken,  and  be  snared,  and  be 
taken. 

16  Bind  up  the  testimony, 
seal™  the  law  amongx  my  disci- 
ples. 

W  Rev.  5.  1,  5.  X  Prov.  8.  8,  9 

It  is  also  applied  to  Christ  in  the  New 
Testament,  1  Pet  ii.  8.  IT  .4  rock  of 
offence.  A  rock  over  which  they  she  -Id 
fall.  The  English  word  offence  had 
that  meaning  formerly,  and  retains  it 
in  our  translation  of  the  Bible.  IF  To 
both  the  houses  of  Israel.  To  the  two 
kingdoms  of  Judah  and  Israel;  that  is, 
to  the  wicked  portion  of  them,  not  to 
those  who  were  truly  pious.  IT  For  a 
gin.  A  net  or  snare  to  take  birds. 
'J  he  idea  is  the  same  as  in  the  former 
part  of  the  verse.  By  rejecting  the 
counsel  oi  God  ;  by  despising  his  pro- 
tection ;  and  by  resisting  his  laws,  they 
would  be  unexpectedly  involved  in  dif- 
ficulties, as  birds  which  are  caught  in 
a  snare. 

15.  And  many  among  them.  Many 
by  the  invasion  under  the  Assyrian. 
Many  were  taken  captive  ;  many  killed, 
and  many  were  carried  to  Babylon. 
The  repetition  here  of  so  many  expres- 
sions so  nearly  synonymous  is  emphat- 
ic, and  shows  that  it  would  be  certainly 
done. 

16.  Bind  up.  This  expression  is 
one  that  is  applicable  to  a  volume,  or 
roll  of  writing.  Thus  far  the  prophet 
seems  to  have  had  the  roll  opened 
which  is  mentioned  in  ver.  1.  Now 
the  prophecy  is  complete,  and  he  directs 
to  bind  it  up,  or  close  it.  Perhaps  also 
it  is  implied  that  it  would  be  useless 
any  farther  to  address  a  rebellious  and 
headstrong  people.  He  had  delivered 
his  message,  but  they  disregarded  it 
H  The  testimony.  The  message  ;  espe- 
cially that  of  which  Uriah  and  Zecha- 
riah  had  been  called  to  bear  witness, 
ver.  2.  Any  message  from  God  is,  how 
ever,  sometimes  called  a  testimony,  as 
being  that  to  which  a  prophet  bears 
witness.  Ps.  xix.  7  2  Kings  xi.  12. 
Deut  iv.  45,  vi.  17,  20.  1  Kings  ii  3. 
Neh.    ix.    34.     IT   Seal.     Books    were 


196 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738. 


17  And  y\  will  wait  upon  the 
the  Lord,  that  hideth*  his  face 
from  the  house  of  Jacoh,  and  I 
will  look  for  him. 

18  Behold,"   I,   and   the  chil- 

y  ch.  50   11.  ch.  45.  8.  z  Hal).  2.  3. 

made  in  the  form  of  rolls,  and  were 
often  sealed  when  completed — as  we 
seal  a  letter.  The  mode  of  sealing 
them  was  not  by  wax  only,  but  by 
uniting  them  by  any  adhesive  matter, 
as  paste,  or  glue.  Wax  in  warm  cli- 
mates would  be  generally  rendered  use- 
less by  the  heat.  The  meaning  here 
is,  to  secure,  to  close  up — perhaps  by 
passing  a  cord  or  string  around  the 
volume,  and  making  it  secure,  denoting 
that  it  was  finished.  See  Dan.  viii.  2b', 
xii.  4.  1f  The  law.  The  communi- 
cation or  command  which  he  had 
delivered,  and  which,  being  given  by 
inspiration,  had  now  the  force  of  a 
Intr.  If  Among  my  disciples.  Most 
of  the  Jewish  commentators  suppose 
that  the  volume  when  completed  by  a 
prophet  was  given  for  safe  keeping  to 
his  disciples,  or  to  some  employed  to 
preserve  it  securely.  The  word  disci- 
ples means  those  who  are  taught — and 
here  means  those  who  were  taught  by 
the  prophet — perhaps  the  pious  and 
holy  part  of  the  people  who  would  lis- 
ten to  his  instructions.  The  Chaldee 
translates  this  verse,  "  0  prophet,  pre- 
serve the  testimony,  lest  ye  testify  to 
those  who  will  not  obey  ;  seal  and  hide 
the  law,  because  they  will  not  learn  it." 
]  7.  And  1  will  wait  upon  the  Lord. 
This  is  the  commencement  of  a  new 
subject.  The  prophet  had  closed  his 
former  message  ;  but  had  seen  that  in 
regard  to  the  great  mass  of  the  nation 
his  exhortation  had  been  in  vain.  He 
now  says,  that  having  delivered  his 
message,  he  would  patiently  look  to 
God  alone.  His  hope  was  in  him, 
though  the  nation  looked  elsewhere  ; 
and  though  calamities  were  coming, 
yet  he  would  still  trust  in  God  only. 
IT  That  hideth  his  face.  This  is  a  figu- 
rative expression  denoting  the  with- 
drawing of  his  favour  and  protection. 
He  would  leave  them,  and  give  them 


dren  whom  the  Lord  halh  given 
me,  are  for  signs  and  for  won- 
ders  in  Israel  from  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  which  dvvelleth  in  mount 
Zion. 

a  Heb.  2.  13. 


to  deserved  punishment.  Comp.  Job 
xxiii.  9,  xiii.  24.  Ps.  xliv.  24,  x.  1,  civ. 
29.  IT  And  Twill  look  for  him.  I  will 
expect  aid  from  him,  and  will  believe 
that  his  promises  of  final  protection 
will  yet  be  fulfilled.    Comp.  Hab.  ii.  3  : 

For  the  vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time, 
But  .-it  the  end  it  shall  speak,  ami  not  lie  : 
Though  it,  tarry,  wait  for  it ; 
Because  it  will  surely  come  it  will  not  tarry. 

18.  Behold  /,  &c.  By  "signs  and 
wonders,"  here,  it  is  meant  that  they,  by 
the  names  given  them,  were  intended 
to  teach  important  lessons  to  the  Jewish 
people.  Their  names  were  significant, 
and  were  designed  to  illustrate  some 
important  truth  ;  and  especially  the 
prophet  here  intimates  that  they  were 
to  inculcate  the  truth  in  regard  to  the 
presence  and  protection  of  God,  to  in- 
duce the  people  to  look  to  him.  Thus 
the  name  Immanuel,  '  God  with  us,' 
ch.  vii.  14  ;  and  Shear-jashub,  '  the 
remnant  shall  return,'  ch.  vii.  3,  were 
both  significant  of  the  fact  that  none 
but  God  could  be  the  protector  of  the 
nation.  And  in  like  manner  it  is  pos- 
sible that  his  own  name,  signifying  the 
salvation  of  Jehovah,  had  been  given 
him  with  such  a  reference.  But  at  all 
events,  it  was  a  name  which  would  re- 
mind them  of  the  truth  that  he  was 
now  inculcating,  that  salvation  was  tc 
be  found  in  Jehovah,  and  that  they 
should  look  to  him.  Names  of  chil- 
dren were  often  thus  emblematic  (see 
Hosca  i.)  ;  and  the  prophets  them 
selves  were  regarded  as  signs  of  impor 
tant  events.  Ezek.  xxiv.  24.  Comp 
Note  Isa.  xx.  3.  This  passage  ia 
quoted  with  reference  to  the  Messiah 
in  Heb.  ii.  13.  IT  Which  dwelleth  in 
Mount  Zion.  Mount  Zion  was  the 
residence  of  the  house  of  David  or  of 
the  court,  and  il  was  often  used  to  sig- 
nify Jerusalem  itself.  The  sense  here 
is,  that  God  was  the  protector  of  Jeru- 


B.C.7S8.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


197 


19  And  when  they  shall  say 
unto  you,   Seek  unto  them  that 

salem,  or  regarded  that  as  his  home. 
See  Note  ch.  i  8. 

19.  And  when  they  shall  say.  When 
the  people,  instead  of  putting  confi- 
dence in  God,  shall  propose  to  apply  to 
necromancers.  In  the  time  of  Ahaz 
the  people  were,  as  they  were  often, 
much  inclined  to  idolatry.  2  lungs 
xvi.  10.  In  their  troubles  and  embar- 
rassments, instead  of  looking  to  Jeho- 
vah, they  imitated  the  example  of  sur- 
rounding nations,  and  applied  for  re- 
lief to  those  who  professed  to  be  able  to 
hold  converse  with  spirits.  That  it 
was  common  for  idolatrous  people  to 
seek  direction  from  those  who  professed 
that  they  had  the  power  of  divining,  is 
well  known.  See  Isa  xix  3,  xxix.  4. 
It  was  expressly  forbidden  to  the  Jews 
to  have  recourse  to  those  who  made 
such  professions  Lev.  xx.  6.  Deut. 
xviii.  10,  11.  Yet  notwithstanding 
this  express  command,  it  is  evident 
that  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  for  the 
Jews  to  make  application  for  such  in- 
structions. See  the  case  of  Saul,  who 
made  application  to  the  woman  of 
Endor,  who  professed  to  have  a  fami- 
liar spirit,  in  1  Sam.  xxviii.  7—25. 
Among  heathen  nations,  nothing  was 
more  common  than  for  persons  to  pro- 
fess to  have  intercourse  with  spirits, 
and  to  be  under  the  influence  of  their 
inspiration.  The  oracle  at  Delphi  of 
this  nature  was  celebrated  throughout 
Greece,  and  throughout  the  world. 
Kings  and  princes,  warriors  and  na- 
tions, sought  of  the  priestess  who  pre- 
sided there,  responses  in  undertaking 
any  important  enterprise,  and  were 
guided  by  her  instructions.  See  the 
Travels  of  Anacharsis,  vol.  ii.  376  seq. 
IT  Seek  unto.  Apply  to  for  direction. 
T  That  have  familiar  spirits.  Heb. 
P"!2X  ohhoth.  The  word  "  familiar," 
applied  to  spirit,  is  supposed  to  have 
been  used  by  our  translators  to  imply 
that  they  were  attended  by  an  invisible 
spirit  that  was  subject  to  their  call,  or 
that  would  inspire  them  when  they 
*ought    his   direction.      The    Hebrew  ; 


have  familiar  spirits,  and  unto 
wizards  that  peep  and  that  mut- 

word  is  used  to  denote  a  necromancer  ; 
a  conjurer  ; — particularly  one  who  was 
supposed  to  have  power  to  call  up  the 
dead  to  learn  of  them  respecting  future 
events.  See  1  Sain,  xxviii.  7-19. 
Deut.  xviii.  11.  The  word  is  most 
commonly  applied  to  women — as  it 
was  almost  entirely  confined  to  women 
to  profess  this  power.  Lev.  xix.  31, 
xx.  6.  1  Sam.  xxviii.  The  idea  was, 
that  they  could  call  up  the  spirits  of  the 
dead  who  were  supposed  to  have  seen 
objects  invisible  to  the  living,  and  who 
could  therefore  inform  them  in  regard 
to  things  which  mortals  on  earth  could 
not  see.  The  Vulgate  renders  this  by 
"  Pythons,  and  diviners."  A  Python 
among  the  Greeks  and  Romans  denoted 
one  that  had  the  spirit  of  prophesying, 
and  was  particularly  applied  to  the 
priestess  of  Apollo  at  Delphi.  The 
LXX  render  the  place  thus  ;  '  and  if 
they  say  to  you,  seek  the  ventriloquists, 
iyyaarptiivOovs,  and  those  speaking  from 
the  earth,  and  speaking  vain  things, 
who  speak  from  the  belly,'  o"  ck  n/g 
KoiXias  <ptovofoiv.  From  this  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  art  of  the  ventriloquist, 
so  well  known  now,  was  known  then, 
and  it  is  highly  probable  that  the  secret 
of  the  art  of  the  soothsayers  consisted 
very  much  in  being  able  to  throw  the 
voice  with  various  modifications  into 
different  places,  so  that  it  would  seem 
to  come  from  a  grave,  or  from  an 
image  of  a  dead  person,  that  was  made 
to  appear  at  the  proper  time.  V  And 
unto  wizards.  The  word  used  here — 
0'1;2'!p — is  derived  from  the  verb  3."JJ 
to  know;  and  means  a  wise  man,  a 
soothsayer,  a  magician,  or  one  pos- 
sessed with  a  spirit  of  divination.  The 
arts  of  the,  magician  or  soothsayer 
were  often  the  arts  of  one  skilled  in 
natural  magic — acquainted  somewhat 
with  the  laws  of  chemistry,  and  able 
therefore  to  produce  appearances  among 
an  ignorant  people  that  would  surprise 
them.  See  Brewster's  Natural  Magic 
— where  this  art  is  fully  explained. 
IT  That  veep.     This  word  is  properly 


198 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.733. 


nsed  of  young  birds,  and  means  to 
chirp,  to  ji./i;  and  also  to  make  a 
email  noise  by  the  gentle  opening  of  the 
mouth.  It  is  then  applied  to  the  gentle 
whispering  which  the  ancients  ascribed 
to  departed  spirits;  the  small,  low, 
shi  ill  voice  which  they  were  supposed 
to  use,  and  which  probably  those  at- 
tempted  to  imitate  who  claimed  the 
power  of  raising  them  to  the  earth  It 
was  believed  among  all  the  ancient 
nations  that  departed  spirits  did  not 
Bpeak  out  openly  and  clearly,  but  with 
an  indistinct,  low,  gentle,  suppressed 
voice.     Thus  in  Virgil : 


Exiguam. 


-pars  tollere  voeem 

JEniad,  vi.  492. 


ter ;  should   not   a   people    seek  timony  :  if  they   speak   not    ac- 

unto  their  God?  for  the  living  cording  to  this  word,  it  is  because 

to  the  dead  1  there  is  no  8liglit  in  them. 
20  To  'the  law  and  to  the  tes- 

b  Luke  16.  ^9.    John  5.  39      8  morning. 

— uttering  feeble,  plaintive  lamenta- 
tions or  sighs,  as  departed  shades  were 
supposed  to  do  ;  and  this  was  probably 
imitated  by  necromancers  By  thus 
feigning  that  they  conversed  with  the 
dead,  they  imposed  on  the  ignorant 
populace,  and  led  them  to  suppose 
that  they  had  supernatural  powers. 
f  Should  7idI  a  people  seek,  &c.  Is  it 
not  proper  that  a  people  should  inquire 
of  the  God  that  is  worshipped,  in  ordei 
to  be  directed  in  perplexing  and  em- 
barrassing events  }  Some  have  under- 
stood this  to  be  a  question  of  the  idola- 
ters, asking  whether  it  was  not  right 
and  proper  for  a  people  to  seek  counsel 
of  those  whom  they  worshipped  as 
God.  I  understand  it,  however,  as  a 
question  asked  by  the  prophet,  and  as 
the  language  of  strong  and  severe 
rebuke.  '  You  are  seeking  to  idols,  to 
the  necromancers,  and  to  the  dead. 
But  Jehovah  is  your  God.  And  should 
not  a  people  so  signally  favoured,  a 
people  under  his  peculiar  care,  apply  to 
him,  and  seek  his  direction  V  H  For 
the  living.  On  account  of  the  affaire 
of  the  living.  To  ascertain  what  will 
be  their  lot,  what  is  their  duty,  or  what 
will  occur  to  them.  IT  To  the  dead. 
The  necromancers  pretended  to  have 
intercourse  with  the  spirits  of  the  dead. 
The  prophet  strongly  exposes  the  ab- 
surdity of  this.  What  could  the  dead 
know  of  this  ?  How  could  they  de- 
clare the  future  events  respecting  the 
living  ?  Where  was  this  authorized  ? 
Men  should  seek  God — the  living  God 
— and  not  pretend  to  hold  consultation 
with  the  dead. 

20.  To  the  law,&,c.  To  the  revela- 
tion which  God  has  given.  This  is  a  so- 
lemn call  of  the  prophet  to  try  every 
thing  by  the  revealed  will  of  God.  See 
ver  1G.  IT  If  they  speak  not.  If  the 
necromancers — those  that  pretended  to 
have  intercourse  with  the  dead  IT  Ac- 
cording to  this  word.  According  to 
what  God  has  revealed.    By  this  stand- 


fremitus  bicrymabilis  imo 

Auditur  tumulo,  et  vox  reddita  t'ertur  ad  aures. 
JEniad,  iii.  39. 

Thus  Horace : 

Umbraj  cum  Sagana  resonarint  triste  et  acutum. 
Sat.  Lib.  i.  8,  40. 

Thus  Homer,  speaking  of  the  shade  or 
spirit  of  Patroclus,  says  that  it  went 
with  a  whizzing  sound.  &x"'0  T£-T?l~ 
yvta.     Iliad,  M?— 101. 

He  said,  and  with  his  longing  arms  essay'd 
In  vain  to  grasp  the  visionary  shade  ; 
Like  a  thin  smoke  he  sees  the  spirit  fly, 
And  hears  a  feeble,  lamentable  cry. 

This  night  my  friend,  so  late  in  battle  lost, 

Stood  at  my  side  a  pensive,  plaintive  ghost. 

Pope. 

So,  also,  Lucian  says  of  the  infernal 
regions,  '  the  whizzing  shades  of 
the  dead  fly  around  us '  See  Gese- 
nius  in  loc.  and  RosenmUller.  Also 
Bochart's  Hieroz.  Part  I.  B.  iii.  ch  2, 
p.  731.  IT  And  that  mutter.  The 
word  used  here  ("^jn  l,ag],a)  usually 
means  to  meditate,  to  consider ;  and 
then  to  speak,  to  utter.  It  also  means 
to  sigh,  to  mourn,  Jer.  xlviii.  31,  Isa. 
xvi.  7  ;  to  coo,  as  a  dove,  Isa.  xxxvii. 
14,  lix.  11  ;  and  then  to  roar  like  a 
lion — not  the  loud  roar,  but  the  grum- 
bling, the  suppressed  roar.  Bochart. 
Isa.  xxxi.  4.  The  idea  here  is,  proba- 
cy, that  of  gently  sighing,  or  mourning 


B.C.TS8.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


199 


21  And  they  shall  pass  through 
it  hardly  bestead  and  hungry ; 
and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that, 
when  they  shall  be  hungry,  they 

ard  all  their  pretended  revelations  were 
to  be  tried.  By  this  standard  all  doc- 
trines are  still  to  be  tried.  IT  It  is  be- 
cause. There  has  been  a  great  variety 
of  criticism  upon  this  verse,  but  our 
translation  expresses  probably  the  true 
idea.  The  word  rendered  here  "  be- 
cause," ",1^?  asher,  commonly  denotes 
"  which,"  but  it  seems  here  to  be  used 
in  the  sense  of  the  Syriac  ?  Dolath,  or 
the  Greek  on.  IT  Nu  light.  Margin, 
morning.  Heb.  "^FlttJ  shahhar.  The 
word  usually  means  the  morning  light ; 
the  mingled  light  and  darkness  of  the 
aurora  ;  daybreak.  It  is  an  emblem 
of  advancing  knowledge,  and  perhaps 
also  of  prosperity  or  happiness  after 
calamity,  as  the  break  of  day  succeeds 
the  dark  night.  The  meaning  here 
may  be,'  if  their  teachings  do  not  accord 
with  the  law  and  the  testimony,  it  is 
proof  that  they  are  totally  ignorant, 
without  even  the  twilight  of  true  know- 
ledge ;  that  it  is  total  darkness  with 
them.'  Or  it  may  mean,  '  if  they  do 
not  speak  according  to  this  word,  then 
no  da  ion  id  ill  rise,  i.  e.  no  prosperity 
will  smile  upon  this  people.'  Gesenius. 
Lowth  understands  it  of  obscurity, 
darkness : 

"If  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word 
In  ichich  there  is  no  obscurity." 

But  there  is  no  evidence  that  the  word 
is  ever  used  in  this  sense.  Others 
suppose  that  the  Arabic  sense  of  the 
word  is  to  be  retained  here,  deception, 
or  magic.  '  If  they  speak  not  accord- 
ing to  this  oracle  in  which  there  is  no 
deception.'  But  the  word  is  not  used 
in  this  sense  in  the  Hebrew.  The 
meaning  is  probably  this  :  '  The  law 
of  God  is  the  standard  by  which  all 
professed  communications  from  the  in- 
visible world  are  to  be  tested.  If  the 
necromancers  deliver  a  doctrine  which 
is  not  sustained  by  that,  and  not  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  propher'c  communi- 


shall  fretc  themselves,  and  curse'1 
their  king  and  their  God,  and 
look  upward. 


d  Rev.  16.11. 


tions,  it  shows  that  they  are  in  utter 
ignorance.  There  is  not  even  the 
glimmering  of  the  morning  twilight ; 
all  is  total  night  and  error  and  obscurity 
with  them — and  they  are  not  to  be 
followed. 

21.  And  they  shall  pass.  The  peo- 
ple who  have  been  consulting  necro- 
mancers. This  represents  the  condi- 
tion of  those  who  have  sought  for 
counsel  and  direction,  and  who  have 
not  found  it.  They  shall  be  conscious 
of  disappointment,  and  shall  wander 
perplexed  and  alarmed  through  the 
land.  IT  Through  it.  Through  the 
land.  They  shall  wander  in  it  from 
one  place  to  another,  seeking  direction 
and  relief.  ^  Hardly  bestead.  Op- 
pressed, borne  down,  agitated.  The 
meaning  is,  that  the  people  would  wan- 
der about,  oppressed  by  the  calamities 
that  were  coming  upon  the  nation,  and 
unalleviated  by  all  that  soothsayers  and 
necromancers  could  do.  IT  And  hungry. 
Famished — as  one  effect  of  the  great 
calamities  that  would  afflict  the  nation. 
IT  They  shall  fret  themselves.  They 
shall  be  irritated  at  then  own  folly  and 
weakness,  and  shall  aggravate  their 
sufferings  by  self-reproaches  for  having 
trusted  to  false  gods.  IT  Their  king 
and  their  God.  The  Hebrew  interpre- 
ters understand  this  of  the  false  gods 
which  they  had  consulted,  and  in  which 
they  had  trusted.  But  their  looking 
upward,  and  the  connection,  seem  to 
imply  that  they  would  rather  curse  the 
true  God — the  "  king  and  the  God" 
of  the  Jewish  people.  They  would  be 
subjected  to  the  proofs  of  his  displea- 
sure, and  would  vent  their  malice  by 
reproaches  and  curses.  IT  And  look 
upward.  For  relief.  This  denotes  the 
condition  of  those  in  deep  distress,  in- 
stinctively casting  their  eyes  to  heaven 
for  aid.  Yet  it  is  implied  that  they 
would  do  it  with  no  right  feeling,  and 
that  they  would  see  there  only  the 
tokens  of  their  Creator's  displeasure. 


•.'.00 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  138. 


22  And  they  shall  look  unto  |  gnish ;  and  they  shall  be  driven 
the    earth ;    and   behold   trouble     to  darkness, 
and    darkness,    dimness    of    ai 


22.  And  they  shall  look  unto  the 
earth.  They  would  look  upward  and 
find  no  relief,  and  then  in  despair 
cast  their  eyes  to  the  earth  to  obtain 
help  there.  Yet  equally  in  vain.  The 
whole  image  is  one  of  intense  anguish 
brought  on  the  nation  for  leaving  the 
counsel  of  the  true  God.  IT  And  be- 
hold, &C.  See  Note  ch.  v.  30. 
IT  Trimble.  Anguish,  oppression,  !"!*}2J 
tzdrd,  from  "IIX  tziir,  to  oppress,  to 
straiten,  to  afflict.  This  is  a  remarka- 
ble instance  of  the  prophet  Isaiah's 
manner — of  a  rapid,  impetuous  and  hold 
6tyle  of  utterance.  He  accumulates 
images  ;  piles  words  on  each  other ; 
and  deepens  the  anxiety  by  each  addi- 
tional word,  until  we  almost  feel  that 
we  are  enveloped  by  the  gloom,  and 
see  objects  of  terror  and  alarm  on 
every  side,  f  Dimness  of  anguish. 
These  words  should  be  kept  separate 


in  the  translation — i"1j5!IS  CpSO  meuph, 
tziikd,  darkness,  oppression — accumu- 
lated epithets  to  heighten  the  gloom 
and  terror  of  the  scene.  IT  And  they 
shall  be  driven  to  darkness.  Heb. 
rrnp'ta  rvEXI  a  darkness  that  is  driven, 
or  ihat  is  urged  upon  itself;  that  be- 
comes condensed,  accumulated,  until  it 
becomes  terrible  and  frightful.  The 
idea  is  that  of  a  driving  tempest,  or  an 
involving  obscurity  ("^J?  menuddah 
from  i"1"^  iiddhd  to  posh,  thrust,  impel, 
urge  on,  as  a  driving  storm;.  The 
prophet  has  thus  accumulated  every 
possible  idea  of  gloom  and  obscurity, 
and  probably  there  is  not  any  where  a 
more  graphic  description  of  gathering 
darkness  and  trouble,  and  of  the  con- 
sternation of  those  involved  in  it,  than 
this.  So  fearful  and  terrific  are  the 
judgments  of  God  when  he  conies  forth 
to  punish  men ! 


CHAPTER  IX. 


ANALYSIS. 


This  chapter  is  a  continuation  cf  the  prophecy  begun  in  ch.  vii.  and  continued  in  ch.  viii.  It  it 
composed  of  mingled  threats  and  promises.  Its  characteristic  may  be  said  to  be  rays  of  light  thrown 
into  the.  -midst  of  shades.  It  promises  comfort  and  deliverance,  while  at  the  same  time  it  denounces 
the  sins  of  the  nation,  and  assures  the  nation  that  the  anger  of  the  Lord  is  not  turned  away.  The 
previous  chapter  had  closed,  by  describing  a  time  of  general  calamity  an, I  darkness  This  begin) 
(vs.  1—4)  by  showing  that  the  calamity  would  not  be  so  great  as  in  former  limes.  It  would  be  miti- 
gated There  would  be  light— particularly  in  the  dark  regions  of  Zebulun  and  Naphtali— the  pro- 
vinces lying  mosi  exposed  to  the  Syrian  invasion  This  light  or  deliverance  was  connected  with  Ihe 
birth  of  the  promised  child  (vs.  6,7) ;  and  the  mention  of  this  leads  the  prophet  into  a  magnificent 
description  of  his  names,  character,  and  reign.  The  prophet  then  returns  to  ire  threatened  destruc 
tion  of  Israel, and  denounces  the  divine  judgment  against  it.  By  the  Syrians  and  the  Philistines  it  would 
be  invaded  and  destroyed,  vs  8—12.  The  effects  of  this,  in  cutting  oil"  their  sources  of  strength,  and 
producing  general  dismay  and  ruin,  are  described  in  the  remainder  of  the  chapter,  vs.  13—21.  The 
chapter  therefore  would  impart  consolation  to  the  inhabitants  of  Judah,  and  is  designed  to  conlirm 
the  promise  that  it  should  be  safe  from  the  threatened  invasion.    Comp.  ch  viii.  1-4. 

1    Nevertheless,   the    dimness     shall  not  he  such  as  was  in  her 

1.  Nevertheless.       Notwithstanding  verse,  "  For  darkness  shall  not  be  upon 

what  is  said  in  the  previous  chapter  of  the  land  upon  which  there  is  distress  ; 

the   calamities    that  are  coming  upon  as  the  former  time  has  dishonoured  the 

Israel.  Hengstenberg  renders  this  whole  i  land  of  Zebulun  and  the  land  of  Naph- 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


201 


vexation,  when  at  the  first  he 
lightly  afflicted  the  land  of  Zebu- 
tali  ;  so  shall  the  time  come  to  honour 
it,  the  region  on  the  border  of  the  sea, 
by  the  side  of  the  Jordan,  Galilee  of 
the  Gentiles."  IT  The  dimness.  The 
Hebrew  word  here  denotes  obscurity, 
or  darkness  ;  and  is  here  used,  as  the 
word  darkness  often  is  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, to  denote  calamity  or  affliction. 
The  dimness,  or  calamity  here  referred 
to,  is  that  which  is  threatened,  ch.  viii. 
21,  22.  If  Shall  nut  be  such.  It  shall 
not  be  unbroken  darkness,  and  unal- 
leviated  calamity  ;  but  it  shall  be  inter- 
rupted by  the  rising  of  the  great  light 
that  shall  shine  on  the  dark  land  of 
Zebulun  and  Naphtali.  IT  In  her  vexa- 
tion. The  word  "her"  refers  to  the 
whole  land  of  Palestine,  to  the  afflic- 
tions that  came  upon  the  whole  region. 
The  word  vexation,  P^^j  means  op- 
pression, calamity,  or  being  straitened, 
or  pressed.  TT  When  at  the  first.  In 
the  former  time,  on  a  former  occasion. 
TT  He  lightly  afflicted.  The  word  here 
used,  ??pT ,  means  properly  to  be  or 
make  light,  or  small  ;  and  in  Hiphil, 
the  form  which  occurs  here,  it  often 
means  to  esteem  lightly,  to  despise,  to 
hold  in  contempt.  2Sam.xix.44.  Ezek. 
xxii.  7.  It  probably  has  that  sense  here, 
as  the  design  of  the  prophet  is  evi- 
dently to  speak  not  of  a  light  affliction 
in  the  former  time,  but  of  a  grievous, 
heavy  calamity — a  calamity  which 
would  be  well  denoted  by  the  expres- 
sion, '  he  made  them  vile  ;  he  exposed 
them  to  contempt  and  derision.'  The 
time  to  which  reference  is  made  here 
was  probably  the  invasion  of  the  land 
by  Tiglath  Pileser.  2  Kings  xv.  29. 
1  Chron.  v.  26.  In  that  invasion,  the 
parts  of  Zebulun  and  Naphtali  were 
particularly  afflicted  "  Tiglath  Pile- 
ser took  Ijon — and  Gilead,  and  Galilee, 
and  all  the  land  of  Naphtali,  and  car- 
ried them  captive  to  Assyria  "  2  Kings 
xv.  2D.  This  region  had  also  been  in- 
vaded by  Benhadad  two  hundred  years 
Dsfore  the  time  of  Isaiah,  I  Kings  xv. 
20,  and  there  might  have  been  a  refer- 
ence to  these  various  invasions  to  which 


lun  and   the  land   of    Naphtali, 
and    afterward  did  more   griev- 


this  northern  part  of  the  land  of  Pales- 
tine had  been  subjected.  IT  The  lu/td 
of  Zebulun.  The  region  occupied  by 
the  tribe  of  Zebulun.  This  tribe  was 
located  between  the  sea  of  Tiberias, 
or  the  lake  Genncsareth,and  the  Medi- 
terranean. It  extended  entirely  acrosa 
from  the  one  to  the  other,  and  as  it 
was  thus  favoured  with  a  somewhat 
extended  sea-coast,  the  people  were 
more  given  to  commerce  than  the  other 
tribes,  and  hence  mingled  more  with 
surrounding  nations.  1!  And  the  land 
of  Naphtali.  The  region  which  was 
occupied  by  this  tribe  was  dire^  tly  north 
of  Zebulun  and  of  the  sea  of  Galilee, 
having  that  sea  and  the  tribe  of  Zebu- 
lun on  the  south  and  south-east;  Asher 
on  the  west,  and  a  part  of  the  tribe  of 
Manasseh  on  the  east.  IT  And  after- 
ward. That  is,  in  subsequent  times — 
meaning  times  that  were  to  come  after 
the  prophecy  here  delivered.  The  pre- 
vious part  of  the  verse  refers  to  the 
calamities  that  had  come  upon  that 
region  in  former  times.  The  expres- 
sion here  refers  to  what  was  seen  by 
the   prophet   as  yet  to   occur.     IT  Did 

more  grievously  afflict.  T'Mi'J  ■  This 
verb  has  very  various  significations. 
It  properly  means  to  be  heavy,  to  be 
grievous,  to  lie  or  fall  heavy  on  any 
one,  to  be  dull,  obstinate  ',  also,  to  be 
honoured,  respected ;  i.  e.  of  weight, 
or  influence  in  society.  It  means  in 
Hiphil,  the  form  which  is  used  here, 
to  make  heavy,  or  grievous;  1  Kings 
xii.  10,  Isa  xlvii.  6;  to  oppress,  Neh. 
v.  15  ;  and  it  also  means  to  cause  to  be 
honoured,  or  distinguished,  to  favour. 
Gesenius.  The  connexion  requires  that 
it  should  have  this  sense  here,  and  the 
passage  means,  that  the  land  which  hf 
had  made  vile  in  former  times,  or  had 
suffered  to  be  despised,  he  had  pur- 
posed to  honour,  or  to  render  illustrious 
j  by  the  great  light  that  should  rise  on 
j  it.  So  Lowth,  Rosenmuller,  and  Ge- 
1  senilis  translate  it.  See  a  similar  use 
of  the  word  in  Jer.  xxx.  19.  2  Chron. 
;  xxv.  19.  1  Sam.  ii.  30.     IT  By  the  way 


zoi 


ISAIAH. 


B.C.  736 


ously  afflict  her  by  the  way  of 
the  sea,  beyond  Jordan,  in  Gali- 
lee 8of  the  nations. 

3  or.  populous. 

of  I  he  sea.  The  sea  of  Galilee,  or  Gen- 
nesareth  All  this  region  was  in  the 
vicinity  of  that  sea.  The  word  way 
here,  TQ«?  derekh,  means  towards,  or 

in  ill?  vicinity  of.  The  extensive  dark 
region  lying  in  the  vicinity  of  that  sea. 
Both  those  tribes  bordered  on  the  sea 
of  Tiberias,  or  had  that  as  a  part  of 
their  boundary.  IT  Beyond  Jordan. 
This  expression  (TH"1*'"!  "'??)  means 
in  the  vicinity  of  Jordan — the  land  by 
the  side  of  the  Jordan,  or  perhaps  that 
large  region  through  which  the  upper 
part  of  the  Jordan  passed.  It  does  not 
mean  strictly  on  the  east  of  Jordan, 
but  rather  the  northern  portion  of  the 
land.  It  is  such  language  as  a  man 
would  use  who  was  describing  the  up- 
per and  imperfectly  known  regions  of 
the  country — the  dark,  uncivilized  re- 
gion through  which  the  upper  part  of 
the  Jordan  flowed,  and  the  word  "OS  , 
aere  rendered  beyond,  means  side — by 
the  side  of  the  Jordan,  f  Galilee  of 
the  nations.  This  was  sometimes  called 
upper  Galilee  It  was  called  "  Galilee 
of  the  nations,"  or  of  the  Gentiles,  be- 
cause it  was  surrounded  by  them,  and 
because  the  heathen  were  extensively 
intermingled  with  the  Jews.  In  this 
region  Solomon  had  given  to  Hiram, 
king  of  Tyre,  twenty  cities.  1  Kings 
ix.  2.  Adjacent  to  this  region  were 
the  countries  of  Phenicia,  Tyre,  and 
Sidon  ;  and  the  people  would  naturally 
mingle  much  with  them  in  commerce. 
The  country  abounded  with  hills  and 
caverns,  and  consequently  it  was  never 
possible  completely  to  dislodge  from 
the  fastnesses  the  former  inhabitants 
of  the  land.  Strabo  enumerates  among 
the  inhabitants  of  Galilee,  Arabians 
and  Phenicians.  The  inhabitants  of 
this  country  are  represented  as  having 
been  bold  and  courageous,  but  as  sedi- 
tious, and  prone  to  insolence  and  re- 
bellion.—  If  it  be  asked  here  in  what 
way  this  land  had  been  made  con- 
temptible, or  why  it  was  regarded  as 


2  The  'people  that  walked  in 
darkness  have  seen  a  great  light: 
they  that. dwell  in  the  land  of  the 

e  Matt.  A.  15,  16. 

an  object  of  contempt,  we  may  reply, 
(1.)  The  district  in  which  these  two 
tribes  dwelt  constituted  the  border-land 
towards  the  heathen  nations.  (2.)  The 
Galileans  not  only  dwelt  in  the  vicinity 
ot  the  heathen,  but  a  large  number  of 
them  had  actually  remained  in  the 
country,  and  it  had  been  found  impos- 
sible to  expel  them  from  it.  Judges 
i.  30-35.  (3.)  The  Phenicians,  with 
whom  they  held  commercial  inter- 
course, and  with  whom  they  dwelt  in- 
termingled, were  among  the  most  cor- 
rupt of  the  heathen  nations.  To  this 
may  be  added,  (4.)  They  were  far 
from  Jerusalem,  and  consequently  the 
influence  of  religion  may  be  supposed 
to  have  been  less  felt  among  them  than 
among  the  other  Jews.  The  true  reli- 
gion was  in  a  great  measure  lost  upon 
them,  and  ignorance  and  superstition 
took  its  place.  Hence,  in  the  New 
Testament  they  aie  spoken  of  as  al- 
most proverbially  rude  and  ignorant. 

2.  The  people  that  walked,  in  dark- 
ness. The  inhabitants  of  the  region 
of  Galilee.  They  were  represented  as 
walking  in  darkness,  because  they  were 
far  from  the  capital,  and  from  the  tem- 
ple ;  they  had  few  religious  privileges  ; 
they  were  intermingled  with  the  hea- 
then, and  were  comparatively  rude  and 
uncultivated  in  their  manners  and  in 
their  language.  Allusion  to  this  is 
several  times  made  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. John  i.  46:  "Can  any  good 
thing  come  out  of  Nazareth  ?"  vii.  52  ; 
"  Search  and  look,  for  out  of  Galilee 
ariseth  no  prophet."  Malt.  xxvi.  G9. 
Mark  xiv.  70.  The  word  "  walked  " 
here  is  synonymous  with  lived,  and 
denotes  that  thick  darkness  brooded 
over  the  country,  so  that  they  lived,  or 
walked  amidst  it.  IT  Have  seen  a  great 
light.  Light  is  not  only  an  emblem 
of  knowledge  in  the  Scriptures,  but  of 
joy,  rejoicing,  and  deliverance.  It 
stands  opposed  to  moral  darkness,  and 
to  times  of  judgment  and  calamity. 
What  is  the  particular  reference  here, 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


203 


shadow  of  death,  upon  them  hath         3  Thou    hast    multiplied    the 
the  light  shined.  nation,  and  not4  increased  the  joy : 

4  or,  to  him. 


is  not  agreed  by  expositors.  The  im- 
mediate connexion  seems  to  require  us 
to  understand  it  of  deliverance  from 
the  calamities  that  were  impending 
over  the  nation  then.  They  would  be 
afflicted,  but  they  would  be  delivered. 
The  tribes  of  Israel  would  be  carried 
captive  away  ;  and  Judah  would  also 
be  removed.  This  calamity  would  par- 
ticularly affect  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel 
— the  northern  part  of  the  land — the 
regions  of  Galilee — for  those  tribes 
would  be  carried  away  not  to  return. 
Yet  this  region  also  would  be  favoured 
with  a  peculiarly  striking  manifestation 
of  light.  I  see  no  reason  to  doubt,  that 
the  language  of  the  prophet  here  is 
adapted  to  extend  into  that  future 
period  when  the  Messiah  should  come 
to  that  dark  region,  and  become  both 
its  light  and  its  deliverer.  Isaiah  may 
have  referred  to  the  immediate  deli- 
verance of  the  nation  from  impending 
calamities,  but  there  is  a  fulness  and 
richness  of  the  language  that  seems  to 
be  applicable  only  to  the  Messiah.  So 
it  is  evidently  understood  in  Matt.  iv. 
13-16.  f  They  that  dwell.  The  same 
people  are  referred  to  here  as  in  the 
former  member  of  the  verse,  f  In  the 
land  of  the  shadow  of  death.  This  is 
a  most  beautiful  expression,  and  is 
peculiar  to  the  Hebrew  poets.  The 
word  r^  :^  tzulmdveth  is  exceed- 
ingly poetical.  The  idea  is  that  of 
death,  as  a  dark  substance  or  being, 
casting  a  long  and  chilly  shade  over 
the  land — standing  between  the  land 
and  the  light — and  thus  becoming  the 
image  of  ignorance,  misery,  and  cala- 
mity. It  is  often  used  in  the  Scriptures 
to  describe  those  regions  that  were 
lying  as  it  wera  in  the  penumbra  of 
this  gloomy  object,  and  exposed  to  all 
the  chills  and  sorrows  of  this  melan- 
choly darkness.  Death,  by  the  He- 
brews, was  especially  represented  as 
extending  his  long  and  baleful  shadow 
over  the  regions  of  departed  spirits. 
Job  xxxviii.  17 : 


Have  the  gates  of  death  been  opened  to  thee  ? 
Hast  thou  seen  the  gates  of  the  shadow  of  death  I 

Job  x  21  : 

Before  I  go— I  shall  not  return — 
To  the  land  of  darkness 
And  of  the  shadow  of  death. 

It  is  thus  an  image  of  chills,  and  gloom, 
and  night— of  any  thing  that  resembles 
the  still  and  mournful  regions  of  the 
dead  The  Chaldee  renders  these  two 
verses  thus  :  "  In  a  former  time  Zebu- 
lun  and  Naphtali  emigrated  ;  and  those 
who  remained  after  them,  a  strong 
king  shall  carry  into  captivity,  because 
they  did  not  remember  the  power  which 
was  shown  in  the  Red  Sea,  and  the 
miracles  which  were  done  in  Jordan, 
and  the  wars  of  the  people  of  the  cities. 
The  people  of  the  house  of  Israel  whe 
walked  in  Egypt  as  in  the  midst  ol 
shades,  came  out  that  they  might  see 
a  great  light."     . 

3.  Thou  hast  multiplied,  the  nation. 
Thou  hast  rendered  the  nation  strong, 
powerful,  mighty.  Several  interpreters, 
as  Calvin,  Vitringa,  and  Le  Clerc,  sup- 
pose that  the  prophet,  here  and  in  the 
two  following  verses,  speaks  in  the  first 
instance  of  the  prosperity  near  at  hand, 
and  of  the  rapid  increase  of  the  Israel- 
ites after  the  return  from  the  Babylon- 
ish exile,  in  which  the  inhabitants  of 
Galilee  must  have  participated,  as  may 
be  inferred  from  the  accounts  of  Jo- 
sephus  respecting  the  great  population 
of  that  province  in  his  time.  See  Jew- 
ish Wars,i  "20,3.  Vitringa  also  directs 
our  attention  to  the  fact,  that  the  Jew- 
ish people,  after  the  exile,  not  only 
filled  Judea,  but  spread  themselves  into 
Egypt,  Syria,  Mesopotamia,  Asia  Mi- 
nor, Greece  and  Italy.  But  there  seems 
to  be  no  necessity  for  referring  it  to 
such  an  increase  of  the  inhabitants. 
It  may  refer  to  the  great  increase  of 
the  Messiah's  kingdom,  or  of  the  king- 
dom which  he  would  set  up,  and  whose 
commencement  would  be  in  Galilee. 
See  Hengstenberg,  Christol.  vol.  i  p. 
354.  TT  And  not  increased  the  joy 
The  Masorites  here  read  in  the  margin 


204 


ISAIAH. 


[B.CiSs 


they  joy  before  thee  according  to 
the  joy  in  harvest,  and  as  men  re- 
joice when  they  divide  the  spoil. 
4  For  6thou   hast  broken  the 

s  or,  when  thou  breaker. 


*0  to  it,  instead  of  fcO  not.  Eleven 
fifSS.,  two  of  them  ancient,  have  this 
rending.  This  reading  is  followed  by 
the  Chaldee  Paraphrase,  the  Syriac, 
and  the  Arabic.  The  LXX  seem  also 
to  have  so  understood  it.  So  also  it 
is  in  the  margin,  and  so  the  connexion 
demands  ;  and  it  is  unquestionably  the 
correct  reading.  It  would  then  read, 
"  thou  hast  increased  for  it  [the  nation] 
the  joy."  Hengstenberg,  however,  sug- 
gests that  the  phrase  may  mean, "  whose 
joy  thou  didst  not  before  enlarge,"  that 
is,  upon  whom  thou  hast  before  inflicted 
h'-avy  sufferings.  But  this  is  harsh, 
and  I  see  no  reason  to  doubt  that  an 
error  may  have  crept  into  the  text. 
If  They 'joy  before  thee  according  tot  lie 
joy  of  harvest.  This  is  a  beautiful 
figure  ;  and  is  found  frequently  in  an- 
cient writings.  The  harvest  was  a 
time  of  exultation  and  joy,  and  was 
commonly  gathered  amid  songs  and 
rejoicings,  and  concluded  with  a  festi- 
val. The  phrase  "  before  thee"  refers 
to  the  fact  that  the  first  fruits  of  the 
harvest  among  the  Hebrews  were  pre- 
sented with  thanksgiving  before  God 
in  the  temple.  Deut.  xii.  7,  xiv.  22- 
2G.  IT  And  as  men  rejoice,  &c.  This 
is  also  an  expression  of  great  joy  and 
rejoicing.  Such  an  occasion,  at  the 
close  of  a  battle,  when  great  spoil  or 
piunder  had  been  taken,  would  be  one 
of  great  rejoicing.  See  Judges  v.  30. 
1  Sam.  xxx.  1G.  2  Chron.  xx.  25-28. 
4.  For  thou  hast  broken.  This  verse, 
and  the  following,  show  the  way  in 
which  the  occasion  of  the  joy  had  been 
furnished.  The  expression  "  thou  hast" 
does  not  necessarily  refer  to  the  past, 
but  is  a  form  of  expression  derived  from 
the  nature  of  the  prophetic  visions, 
where  that  is  described  as  past  which 
is  seen  to  pass  before  the  eyes  of  the 
prophet.  See  Introduction,  §7.  T  The 
yoke.  This  word  is  often  used  to  tie- 
note  oppression  or  tyranny     Lev.  xxvi. 


yoke  of  his  burden,  and  the  staff 
of  his  shoulder,  the  rod  ol  his 
oppressor,  as  in  the  day=  of  Mi- 
dian. 

g  3  idg.  7,  81,  &C. 

13.  Deut.  xxviii.  48 — where  oppression 
is  described  as  "  an  iron  yoke."    Comp. 
1   Kings   xii.  4.  Isa.   xlvii.  6,  lviii.   G. 
f    The    staff  of   his    shoulder.      The 
word  rendered  staff  here  may  mean  a 
bough,  a  branch,  a  staff,  stick  or  rod. 
Geseniutj  supposes  that  the  expression 
here  means  the  rod  by  which  punish- 
ment is  inflicted;  and  that  the  phrase 
"  rod  of,  or  tor  the  shoulder,"   denotes 
oppression  and  servitude.    Rosenmiillcr 
thinks  that  it  refers  rather  to  the  cus- 
tom among  the  ancients  of  placing  a 
piece  of  wood  not  unlike  a  yoke  on  the 
necks    and   shoulders  of  slaves,   as    a 
mark  of  servitude.     Hengstenberg  un- 
derstands it,   "the  staff  which  strikes 
the  neck  or  back."     H  The  rod  of  his 
oppressor.     This  doubtless  refers  to  the 
chastisement    which   was    inflicted  on 
those  in  bondage,  and  is  a  phrase  de- 
noting oppression  and  servitude.     The 
word    "his"    here    refers     to     Israel. 
IT  As  in  the  day  of  Midian.     This  re- 
fers to  the  deliverance  that  was  accom- 
plished under  Gideon  against  the  Mi- 
dianites.     See  Judges  vii.    viii.     That 
deliverance  was  a  remarkable  interpo- 
sition of   God.     It  was  accomplished 
not  by  human  strength  ;  but  was  a  sig- 
nal   manifestation    of    the   power     of 
God  in  delivering  the  nation  from  the 
long  oppression  of  the  Midianites.     So 
the  prophet  says  here  that  the  deliver- 
ance will  be  as  signal  a  proof  of  the 
presence  and  power  of  God  as  it  was 
in   that    day.      Herder    (Heb.    Poetry, 
vol.  ii.  296)  says,  "  At  that  period,  in 
the  north  part  of  the  country,  a  great 
deliverance  was  wrought.    Then  in  the 
obscure  forests  of  Naphtali  and  Zebu- 
lun   the   light  of  freedom  went    forth 
over  all  the  laud.    So  now,  also,  in  this 
northern   press  of  nations,  in  the  way 
along  the   sea  of  Galilee,  where   now 
the  hostile  Syrians  are  exercising  theii 
oppressions,    the    light  of    freedom    if 
going    forth,    and    there   shall    be   joj 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


205 


5  For  eevery  battle  of  the  war- j  this  shall  be  with  burning  and 

rior  is  with   confused  noise,  and  j  8fuel  of  fire. 

garments    rolled     in    blood;    7but  '  6  or,  when  the  whole.       7  or,  and  it  was 

D  8  meat. 


and  jubilee,  like   that  of  the  song  of 
Deborah." 

5.  For  every  battle  of  the  warrior. 
The  expression  used  here  has  caused 
great  difficulty,  from  the  fact  that  it 
occurs  nowhere  else  in  the  Scriptures. 
The  word  "P^O  seon,  rendered  here 
battle,  is  supposed  to  mean  rather 
greaves,  or  the  armour  of  the  warrior 
which  covered  the  feet  and  the  legs. 
It  would  be  literally  translated,  "  every 
greave  of  those  armed  with  greaves  " 
Gescnius.  The  Chaldee  renders  it, "  for 
every  gift  of  theirs  is  for  evil."  The 
Syriac,  "  for  every  tumult  [of  battle] 
is  heard  with  terror."  Hengstenberg 
renders  it,  "  for  all  war-shoes  put  on  at 
the  noise  of  battle,  all  garments  dipped 
in  blood  shall  be  burnt,  shall  be  the 
food  of  fire."  The  idea,  according  to 
him,  is,  that  the  great  future  redemp- 
tion will  be  like  the  deliverance  under 
Gideon  ;  "  because,  far  from  being  ac- 
complished by  force  of  arms,  with  it  all 
contention  and  war  shall  cease."  Ge- 
senius  regards  the  figurative  expression 
as  a  general  designation  of  that  peace 
which  shall  never  end.  All  the  armour 
used  in  war  shall  then  be  burnt,  as  be- 
iug  of  no  further  use.  IT  Is  loiih  con- 
fused noise.  The  word  used  here 
(^?"j  ra'ash)  denotes  properly  a  shak- 
ing— as  of  a  spear ;  a  concussion,  tu- 
mult, noise — as  of  a  battle.  Here  it  is 
supposed  to  refer  to  the  noise  which 
the  armour  of  the  soldiers  made — par- 
ticularly to  the  noise  made  by  the 
greaves  or  war-shoes  worn  on  the  feet 
and  legs.  Those  greaves  were  fitted 
up,  it  is  said,  by  numerous  large  iron 
hooks,  or  clasps,  and  were  fastened 
sometimes  with  large  nails.  Comp. 
Joseph.  Jewish  Wars,  B.  vi.  ch.  1,  §8. 
1T  And  garments.  This  word  here  re- 
fers doubtless  to  the  soldier's  cloak  or 
blanket.  IT  Rolled  in  bluod.  This  is 
a  description  of  the  usual  effect  of  war. 
The  image  of  war  is  that  of  a  clangour 
fciade  by  the  armour  of  soldiers,  and 


by  garments  that  have  been  dipped 
in  human  blood.  It  is  a  most  revolt- 
ing but  just  image.  IT  But  this  shal) 
be.  In  regard  to  this  threatened  in- 
vasion and  danger,  this  shall  be  the 
result.  The  meaning  is  this  The 
prophet  sees  the  image  of  war  and 
of  threatened  invasion.  He  hears  the 
clangour  of  their  greaves — the  sound 
of  their  march  ;  and  he  sees  the  usual 
emblem  of  battle — bloody  garments. 
But  he  says  here  that  this  invasion 
shall  not  be  successful.  There  was  no 
occasion  of  alarm.  The  very  armour 
of  the  warrior  should  be  burned  up. 
The  enemy  should  be  defeated — and 
their  greaves,  and  their  bloody  gar- 
ments, should  be  consumed.  IT  With 
burning.  For  burning  -  that  is,  it  shall 
be  consumed.  IT  And  fuel  of  fire.  Heb. 
food  of  fire.  This  is  a  strong,  em- 
phatic expression — "  it  shall  be  to  be 
burned — the  food  of  fire."  It  denotes 
the  certainty  that  they  would  be  van- 
quished ;  that  the  invading  foe  would 
not  be  successful ;  and  that  his  very  ar- 
moury and  garments  would  be  stripped 
off  and  burned.  To  understand  this, 
it  is  necessary  to  remark,  that  in  an- 
cient times  it  was  customary  to  strip 
the  dead  which  were  slain  in  a  van- 
quished army,  and  to  collect  their  ar- 
mour, their  chariots,  &c,  and  consume 
them.  The  more  valued  spoils  of  battle 
were  reserved  as  the  prey  of  the  victors, 
or  to  be  suspended  in  temples  conse- 
crated to  the  gods.    See  Ps.  xlvi.  9, 11) : 

He  maketh  wars  to  cease  ucito  the  end  of  the  earth; 

He  breaketh  the  bow  ; 

And  cutteth  the  spear  in  sunder; 

He  burneth  the  chariot  in  the  tire. 

Ezekiel  has  carried  out  this  description 

more  at  length : 

And  the  inhabitants  of  the  cities  of  Israel  shall 

go  forth 
And  shall  set  on  fire  and  bum  the  weapons, 
Both  the  shields  and  the  bucklers. 
The  bows  and  the  arrows, 
And  the  clubs  and  the  lances. 

Ezek.  xxxix  9. 

Zechariah  has  a  similar  figure  as  de- 
scriptive of  the  time  of  the  Messiah : 


•-£06 


ISAIAH. 


[E.C.738. 


6  For  unto  us  a  child  is  born,    government  *sha]l   be   upon  his 
unto  'us  a  son  is  given,  and  the    shoulder ;  and  his  name  shall  be 

i  Luke  2. 11.  k  Matt.  28.  18. 

Sun  of  Righteousness  itself.  The  eye 
of  the  prophet  gazed  intently  on  that 
scene,  and  was  fixed  on  that  portion  of 
the  picture  :  he  sees  the  Messiah  in  hia 
office,  and  describes  him  as  already 
come,  and  as  born  unto  the  nation. 
T  Unto  us.  For  our  benefit.  The 
prophet  saw  in  vision  the  darkness  and 
gloom  of  the  nation,  and  saw  also  the 
son  that  would  be  born  to  remove  that 
darkness,  and  to  enlighten  the  world. 
V  A  child  0^).  Th.B  word  usually 
denotes  a  lad,  a  boy,  a  youth.  It  is 
commonly  applied  to  one  in  early  life  ; 
but  no  particular  stress  is  to  be  laid  on 
the  word.  The  vision  of  the  prophet 
is,  that  the  long  expected  Messiah  is 
born,  and  is  seen  growing  up  amidst 
the  surrounding  darkness  of  the  north 
of  Palestine,  ver  1.  IT  Is  born.  Not 
that  he  was  born  when  the  prophet 
spake.  But  in  prophetic  vision,  as  the 
events  of  the  future  passed  before  his 
mind,  he  saw  that  promised  Son,  and  the 
eye  was  fixed  intently  on  him.  See  the 
Intro.  §  7,  and  Note  ch.il.  ^  A  son. 
"21  ben.  This  word  does  not  differ  mate- 
rially from  the  word  translated  child. 
In  the  future  scenes,  as  they  passed  be- 
fore the  mind  of  the  prophet,  he  saw  the 
child,  the  son  that  was  to  be  born,  and 
described  him  as  he  appeared  to  his 
view — as  a  child.  Fixing  the  eye  on 
him,  he  proceeds  at  once  to  desig  te 
his  character  by  stating  the  appropriate 
names  which  he  would  bear.  H  Is 
given.  The  Messiah  is  often  repre- 
sented as  having  been  given,  or  sent ; 
or  as  the  rich  gift  of  God.  Note  Acts 
iv.  12  John  iii.  16.  tph  i  23.  John 
xvii.4.  The  Messiah  was  pre-eminently 
the  gift  of  the  God  of  love.  Man  had 
no  claim  on  him,  and  God  voluntarily 
gave  his  Son  to  be  a  sacrifice  for  the 
sins  of  the  world.  IT  And  the  govern- 
ment shall  be  upon  his  shoulder.  The 
sense  of  this  passage  is,  that  he  shall 
rule,  or  that  the  government  shall  be 
vested  in  him.  Various  interpretations 
have  however  been  given  of  the  phrase 


Rejoice  greatly,  0  daughter  of  Zion ; 
SIiduI,  O  daughter  of  Jerusalem ; 

Behold  thy  king  Cometh  unto  thee. 

And  I  will  out  off  the  chariot  from  Ephraim, 

And  the  horse  from  Jerusalem, 

And  the  battle  bow  shall  be  cut  off,  etc. 

ix.  9,  10. 

This  custom  prevailed  among  several 
nations.     Thus  Virgil : 

— scutorumque  incendi  victor  accrvos. 

JEniu/ .  viii.  562. 

There  can  be  no  doubt,  I  -nink,  that 
the  prophet  here  has  his  eye  on  the 
victories  of  the  Messiah,  and  that  he 
means  to  say,  that  in  those  victories  all 
armour  would  De  for  fuel  of  fire  ;  that 
is,  that  they  would  be  achieved  without 
hostile  arms.  Applied  to  the  Messiah, 
it  means  either  that  his  victories  would 
be  complete,  or  that  in  his  victories  all 
necessity  of  such  armour  would  cease. 
According  to  this,  the  passage  teaches 
that  peace  should  be  introduced  by  him 
without  a  conflict,  and  thus  harmonizes 
with  the  numerous  parallel  passages  in 
which  peace  is  represented  as  a  charac- 
teristic mark  of  the  times  of  the  Mes- 
siah, when  contention,  war,  and  de- 
struction shall  cease.  See  ch.  xi.  6,  7. 
6.  For.  This  is  given  as  a  reason 
of  the  victories  that  were  predicted  in 
the  previous  verses.  That  it  has  re- 
ference to  the  Messiah  has  been  almost 
universally  conceded  ;  and  indeed  it 
does  not  seem  possible  to  doubt  it.  The 
eye  of  the  prophet  seems  to  have  been 
fixed  on  this  great  and  glorious  event 
— as  attracting  all  his  attention.  The 
scenes  of  coining  times,  like  a  pano- 
rama, or  picture,  passed  before  him. 
Most  of  the  picture  seems  to  have 
been  that  of  battles,  conflicts,  sieges, 
dimness,  and  thick  darkness.  But  in 
one  portion  of  the  passing  scene  there 
was  light.  It  was  the  light  that  he 
saw  rising  in  the  distant  and  darkened 
Galilee.  He  saw  the  joy  of  the  peo- 
ple ;  the  armour  of  war  laid  aside  ;  the 
image  of  peace  succeeding  ;  the  light 
expanding  and  becoming  more  intense 
as  the  darkness  retired,  until  he  saw  in 
this  region  the  Prince  of  Peace — the 


tf.C.738.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


201 


called    Wonderful,    Counsellor,    lasting    Father,    the    Prince    of 
The    mighty    God,™   The   ever-     Peace." 

m  Heb.  i.  8.  n  Eph.  2.  14. 


"  upon  his  shoulder."  Some  have  sup- 
posed that  it  means  simply  he  shall 
sustain  the  government,  as  the  shoulder 
is  that  by  which  we  uphold  any  thing. 
Pliny  and  Cicero  thus  use  the  phrase. 
See  Rosenmuller.  Others  that  it  means 
that  he  should  wear  the  royal  purple 
from  a  child.  Grolius.  Lowth  sup- 
poses that  it  refers  to  the  ensign  of  gov- 
ernment— the  sceptre,  the  sword,  the 
keys,  or  the  like,  that  were  borne  upon 
the  shoulder,  or  suspended  from  it. 
See  Note  on  ch.  xxii.  22.  It  is  evident 
from  this  latter  place,  that  some  ensign 
of  office  was  usually  borne  upon  the 
shoulder.  The  sense  is,  that  he  should 
be  a  king,  and  under  this  character  the 
Messiah  is  often  predicted.  IT  And  his 
name  shall  be  called.  That  is,  his  at- 
ti.butes  shall  be  such  as  to  make  all 
these  applications  appropriate  descrip- 
tions of  his  power  and  work.  Tn  be 
called,  and  to  be,  in  the  Hebrew  often 
mean  the  same  thing.  The  word 
^h1^  may  possibly  mean,  Jehovah 
shall  call  him  ;  or  it  may  be  regarded 
as  taken  impersonally.  Such  a  use  of 
a  verb  is  not  uncommon  in  Isaiah. 
'  One  calls  him,'  is,  according  to  the 
usage  in  Isaiah,  as  much  as  to  say,  he 
will  justly  bear  this  name,  or  simply, 
he  will  be.  IT  Wonderful  &6.3  .  This 
word  is  derived  from  the  verb  N?Q 
pala,  to  separate,  to  distinguish,  or  to 
make  great.  It  is  applied  usually  to 
any  thing  that  is  great  or  wonderful — 
as  a  miracle.  Ex.  xv.  2.  Lam.  i.  9. 
Dan.  xii  6.  It  is  applied  here  to  de- 
note the  unusual  and  remarkable  assem- 
blage of  qualities  that  distinguished  the 
Messiah.  Those  are  specified  more 
particularly  in  the  other  part  of  the 
verse — such  an  assemblage  of  qualities 
as  to  make  proper  the  names  Mighty 
God,  &c.  "  The  proper  idea  of  the 
word,"  says  Hengstenberg,  "  is  mira- 
culous. It  imports  that  the  personage 
here  referred  to,  in  his  being  and  in  his 
works,  will  be  exalted  above  the  ordi- 
lary  course  of  nature,  and    that   his 


whole  manifestation  will  be  a  miracle." 
Yet  it  seems  to  me,  that  the  proper 
idea  of  the  word  is  not  that  of  miracu- 
lous. It  is  rather  that  which  is  sepa- 
rated from  the  ordinary  course  of 
events,  and  which  is  fitted  to  excite 
amazement,  wonder,  and  admiration, 
whether  it  be  miraculous  or  not.  This 
will  be  apparent  if  the  following  places 
are  examined  where  the  word  occurs 
in  various  forms.  It  is  rendered  mar- 
vellous, Ps.  cxviii.  23,  exxxix.  14,  xcviii. 
1,  Job  v.  9  ;  wonderful,  2  Sam.  i.  26, 
Ps.  exxxix.  14,  Prov.  xxx.  18,  Job  xlii. 
3,  Ps.  lxxii.  18,  lxxxvi.  10  ;  hidden, 
Deut.  xxx.  2 ;  things  too  high,  Ps. 
exxxi.  1  ;  miracles,  Judges  vi.  13,  Ex. 
xv.  2,  Ps  lxxvii.  14,  lxxxviii.  10, 
lxxxix.  5  (the  word  is  translated  won- 
ders in  the  sense  of  miracles  in  several 
places)  ;  and  hard,  Deut.  xvii.  8,  Jer. 
xxxii.  17.  From  these  passages  it  is 
clear  that  it  may  denote  that  which  is 
miraculous,  but  that  this  idea  is  not 
necessarily  connected  with  it.  Any 
thing  which  is  fitted  to  excite  wonder 
and  amazement  from  any  cause,  will 
correspond  with  the  sense  of  the  Hebrew 
word.  It  is  a  word  which  expresses 
with  surprising  accuracy  every  thing  in 
relation  to  the  Redeemer.  For  the 
Messiah  was  wonderful  in  all  things. 
It  was  wonderful  love  by  which  God 
gave  him,  and  by  which  he  came  ;  the 
manner  of  his  birth  was  wonderful ;  hi? 
humility,  his  self-denial,  his  sorrows 
were  wonderful  ;  his  mighty  works 
were  wonderful ;  his  dying  agonies 
were  wonderful  ;  and  his  resurrection, 
his  ascension,  were  all  fitted  to  excite 
admiration  and  wonder.  IT  Counsellor. 
This  word  has  been  sometimes  joined 
with  "  wonderful,"  as  if  designed  to 
qualify  it  thus — wonderful  counsellor. 
But  it  expresses  a  distinct  attribute  or 
quality.  The  name  counsellor  here, 
V^T  ,  denotes  one  of  honourable  rank  ; 
one  who  is  fitted  to  stand  near  princes 
and  kings  as  their  adviser.  It  is  ex- 
pressive of  great  wisdom,  and  of  quali- 


208 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  73R 


fications  to  guide  and  direct  the  human 
race.  The  LXX  translat ■■  this  i>!irase, 
"  The  angel  of  the  mighty  counsel  " 
The  Chaldee,  "  The  God  of  wonderful 
counsel."  T  The  mighty  God.  Syriac, 
"  The  mighty  God  of  ages."  This  is  one, 
and  but  one  out  of  many,  of  the  in- 
stances, in  which  the  name  God  is  ap- 
plied to  the  Messiah.  Comp.  John  i. 
1.  Rom.  ix.  5.  1  John  v.  20.  John  xx. 
28.  1  Tim.  iii.  10.  Heb.  i  8.  The 
name  "  mighty  God,"  is  unquestiona- 
bly attributed  to  the  true  God  in  ch.  x. 
21.  Much  controversy  has  arisen  in 
relation  to  this  expression  ;  and  at- 
tempts have  been  made  to  show  that 
the  word  translated  God,  ?<$  ,  may  re- 
fer to  a  hero,  a  king,  a  conqueror. 
Thus  Gesenius  renders  it  "  mighty 
hero ;"  and  supposes  that  the  name 
"  God "  is  here  used  in  accordance 
with  the  custom  of  the  Orientals,  who 
ascribe  divine  attributes  to  kings.  In 
like  manner  Pltlschke  (see  Hengsten- 
berg)  says,  "  in  my  opinion  this  name 
is  altogether  symbolical.  The  Messiah 
shall  be  called  strength  of  God,  or 
strong  God,  divine  hero,  in  order  by 
this  name  to  remind  the  people  of  the 
strength  of  God."  But  after  all  such 
controversy,  it  still  remains  certain  that 
the  natural  and  obvious  meaning  of 
the  expression  is  to  denote  a  divine 
nature.  So  it  was  evidently  understood 
by  the  ancient  versions ;  and  the  fact 
that  the  name  God  is  so  often  ap- 
plied to  Christ  in  the  New  Testament, 
proves  that  it  is  to  be  understood  in 
its  natural  and  obvious  signification. 
IT  The  everlasting  Father.  The  Chal- 
dee renders  this  expression,  "  the  man 
abiding  for  ever."  The  Vulgate,  "  the 
Father  of  the  future  age."  Lowth, 
"  the  Father  of  the  everlasting  age." 
Literally  it  is  the  Father  of  eternity, 
*1?  "'^  •  The  word  rendered  ever- 
lasting, IS  ,  properly  denotes  eternity, 
and  is  used  to  express  for  ever.  See 
Ps.  ix.  6,  19,  xix  10.  It  is  often  used 
in  connexion  with  obi?  .  thus,  nbiS 
""'"^  for  ever  and  ever.  Ps.  x.  16, 
xxi.  5,  xlv.  7.  The  Hebrews  used  the 
term  fat  her  in  a  great  variety  of  senses 
—as  a  literal  father,  a  grandfather,  an 


ancestor,  a  ruler,  an  instructor.  The 
phrase  may  either  mean  the  same  ae 
the  Eternal  Father,  and  the  sense  will 
be,  that  the  Messiah  will  not,  as  must 
be  the  case  with  an  earthly  king,  how- 
ever excellent,  leave  his  people  desti- 
tute after  a  short  reign,  but  will  rule 
over  them  and  bless  them  for  ever 
(Ilen^stenberg) ;  or  it  may  be  used  in 
accordance  with  a  custom  usual  in 
Hebrew  and  in  Arabic,  where  he  who 
possesses  a  thing  is  called  the  faiher  of 
it.  Thus  the  father  of  strength  means 
strong  ;  the  faiher  of  knowledge,  intelli- 
gent ;  the  father  of  glory,  glorious  ;  the 
faiher  of  goodness,  good  ;  the  father 
of  peace,  peaceful.  According  to  this, 
the  meaning  of  the  phrase  the  Father 
of  eternity  is  properly  eternal.  The 
application  of  the  word  here  is  derived 
from  this  usage.  The  term  Father  is 
not  applied  to  the  Messiah  here  with 
any  reference  to  the  distinction  in  the 
divine  nature  ;  for  that  word  is  uni- 
formly, in  the  Scriptures,  applied  to  the 
first,  not  to  the  second  person  of  the 
Trinity.  But  it  is  used  in  reference  to 
duration  as  a  Hebraism  involving  high 
poetic  beauty.  He  is  not  merely  re- 
presented as  everlasting,  but  he  is  in- 
troduced, by  a  strong  figure,  as  even 
the  Father  of  eternity,  as  if  even  ever- 
lasting duration  owed  itself  to  his  pa- 
ternity. There  could  not  be  a  more 
emphatic  declaration  of  strict  and 
proper  eternity.  It  may  be  added,  that 
this  attribute  is  often  applied  to  the 
Messiah  in  the  New  Testament.  John 
viii.  58.  Coll  i.  17.  Rev.  i.  11,  17, 18. 
Heb.  i  10,  11.  John  i.  1,  2.  IT  The 
Prince  of  Peace.  This  is  a  Hebrew 
mode  of  expression  denoting  that  he 
would  be  a  peaceful  prince.  The  ten- 
dency of  his  administration  would  be 
to  restore  and  perpetuate  peace.  This 
expression  is  used  to  distinguish  him 
from  the  mass  of  kings  and  princes  who 
have  delighted  in  conquest  and  blood. 
In  contradistinction  from  all  these,  the 
Messiah  would  seek  to  promote  uni- 
versal concord,  and  the  tendency  of  his 
reign  would  be  to  put  an  end  to  wars, 
and  to  restore  harmony  and  order  to 
the  nations.  See  the  tendency  of  his 
reign  still  further  described  in  ch   ai. 


B.C.7'38.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


209 


7  Of  the  increase  of  his  gov-    no  °end,  upon  the  throne  of  Da- 
prnment  and  peace  there  shall  be    vid,  and   upon   his  kingdom,   to 

O  Dan.  2.  44.     1  Cor.  15.  26. 


6-9,  Note  ch.  ii.  4.  See  also  Micah 
v.  4.  Hos.  ii.  18.  It  is  not  necessary 
to  insist  on  the  coincidence  of  this  de- 
scription with  the  uniform  character 
and  instructions  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  In 
ihis  respect,  he  disappointed  all  the 
hopes  of  the  Jewish  nation,  who,  in 
spite  of  the  plain  prophecies  respecting 
his  peaceful  character,  expected  a 
magnificent  prince,  and  a  conqueror. 
The  expressions  used  here,  imply  that 
he  would  be  more  than  human.  It  is 
impossible  to  believe  that  these  appella- 
tions would  be  given  under  the  spirit 
of  inspiration  to  a  mere  man.  They 
express  a  higher  nature  ;  and  they  co- 
incide with  the  account  in  the  New 
Testament  throughout,  that  he  would 
be  divine.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  ex- 
pressions of  a  pompous  and  high-sound- 
ing character  were  commonly  assumed 
by  Oriental  princes.  The  following  is 
a  single  instance  of  their  arrogance, 
ostentation,  and  pride.  "  Chosroes, 
king  of  kings,  lord  of  lords,  ruler  of 
the  nations,  prince  of  peace,  saviour 
of  men  ;  among  the  gods,  a  man  good 
and  eternal,  but  among  men,  a  god 
most  illustrious,  glorious,  a  conqueror 
rising  with  the  sun,  and  giving  vision 
at  night."  Theoph.  Simocatta  Chron. 
iv.  8,  quoted  by  Gesenius.  But  it  can- 
not be  pretended  that  the  spirit  of  in- 
spiration would  use  titles  in  a  manner 
so  unmeaning  and  so  pompous  as  this. 
Besides,  it  was  one  great  object  of  the 
prophets  to  vindicate  the  name  and 
character  of  the  true  God,  and  to  show 
that  all  such  appellations  belonged  to 
him  alone.  However  such  appellations 
might  be  used  by  surrounding  nations, 
and  given  to  kings  and  princes  by  the 
heathen,  yet  in  the  Scriptures  they  are 
not  given  to  earthly  monarchs.  That 
this  passage  refers  to  the  Messiah  has 
been  generally  conceded,  except  by  the 
Jews,  and  by  a  few  later  critics.  Jarchi 
and  Kimchi  maintain  that  it  refers  to 
Hezekiah.  They  have  been  driven  to 
this  by  the  use  which  Christians  have 
fciade  of  the  passage  against  the  Jews. 


But  the  absurdity  of  this  interpretation 
has  been  shown  in  the  Notes  on  ch  vii. 
14.  The  ancient  Jews  incontestably 
referred  it  to  the  Messiah.  Thus  the 
Targum  of  Jonathan  renders  it,  "  His 
name  shall  be  called  God  of  wonderful 
counsel,  man  abiding  for  ever,  tile 
Messiah,  Xrpil^  ,  whose  peace  shall 
be  multiplied  upon  us  in  his  days." 
Thus  Rabbi  Jose,  of  Galilee,  says, 
"  The  name  of  the  Messiah  is  D"15'^' 
Shalom, as  it  said  in  Isa  ix.  6,  'Father 
of  Eternity,  Prince  of  Peace.' "  Ben 
Sira  (fol.  40,  of  the  Amsterdam  Edi- 
tion, 1679,)  numbers  among  the  eight 
names  of  the  Messiah  those  also  taken 
from  this  passage,  Wonderful,  Counsel- 
lor, Mighty  God,  Prince  of  Peace. 
The  later  Jews,  however,  have  rejected 
this  interpretation,  because  the  Messiah 
is  here  described  as  God. 

7.  Of  the  increase,  &c.  The  word 
rendered  government  here,  i"Pd^3 , 
means  properly  his  government  as  a 
prince — his  principality,  and  is  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  idea  in  the  previous 
verse — "  the  Prince  of  Peace."  It 
means  that  his  reign  as  a  prince  of 
peace — in  extending  and  promoting 
peace,  shall  be  unlimited.  IT  And 
peace.  This  does  not  signify  in  the 
original,  as  our  translation  would  seem 
to,  that  there  should  be  no  end  to  the 
increase  of  his  peace,  but  that  there 
should  be  no  limit  to  peace,  that  is, 
that  his  reign  should  be  one  of  unli- 
mited peace.  The  whole  is  a  descrip- 
tion of  a  prosperous,  wide-extended, 
ever  growing  and  unlimited  empire  of 
peace.  IT  No  end.  The  word  here 
used — yp. — may  refer  either  to  space 
or  time.  The  connexion  however  seems 
to  confine  it  to  time,  and  to  mean  sim- 
ply that  over  his  wide-extended  and 
peaceful  principality  he  should  reign 
for  ever.  II  Upon  the  throne  of  David. 
See  Note  Acts  ii.  30.  This  was  in 
accordance  with  the  promise  made  to 
David,  1  Kings  viii.  25.  2  Sam.  vii. 
12,  13.    Ps.  cxxxii.  11.     This  promise 


310 


ISAIAH. 


[J3.C.73&. 


order  it,  and  to  establish  it  with  I  zeal  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  will 

judgment  and  with  justice,"  from     perform  this. 

henceforth  even  for  ever.     The         8  The  Lord  sent  a  word  into 


was  understood  as  referring  to  the 
Messiah.  The  primary  idea  is,  that 
he  should  be  descended  in  the  line  of  i 
David,  and  accordingly  the  New  Tes- 
tament writers  are  often  at  pains  to 
show  that  the  Lord  Jesus  was  of  that 
family.  Luke  ii.  4.  When  it  is  said 
that  he  would  sit  upon  the  throne  of 
David,  it  is  not  to  be  taken  literally. 
The  peculiarity  of  the  reign  of  David 
was,  that  he  reigned  over  the  people  of 
God.  He  was  chosen  for  this  purpose 
from  humble  life  ;  was  dec'and  in  his 
administration  to  be  a  man  after  God's 
own  heart  ;  and  his  long  and  prosper- 
ous reign  was  a  reign  over  the  people 
of  God.  To  sit  upon  the  throne  of 
David,  therefore,  means  to  reign  over 
the  people  of  God  ;  and  in  this  sense 
the  Messiah  sat  on  his  throne.  There 
is  also  a  similarity  in  the  two  adminis- 
trations, in  the  fact  that  the  Messiah 
was  taken  from  humble  life,  and  that 
his  reign  will  be  far-extended  and  pros- 
perous. But  the  main  idea  of  resem- 
blance is,  that  the  reign  of  each  ex- 
tended over  the  people  of  God.  H  And 
upon  his  kingdom.  That  is,  over  the 
kingdom  of  the  people  of  God.  It 
does  not  mean  particularly  the  Jews, 
but  all  those  over  whom  the  divine  ad- 
ministration should  be  set  up.  IT  To  or- 
der it.  To  raise  up,  or  confirm  it.  The 
word  also  is  sometimes  used  to  denote 
to  found  a  kingdom.  Here  it  means 
to  confirm  it,  to  cause  it  to  stand. 
IT  And  to  establish  it.  To  place  it  on 
a  firm  foundation ;  to  make  it  firm. 
11  With  judgment,  &c.  That  is,  un- 
der an  administration  that  shall  be  just 
and  right.  Most  kingdoms  have  been 
those  of  blood,  and  have  been  estab- 
lished by  iniquity,  and  by  the  unjust 
overthrow  of  others.  But  the  admin- 
istration of  the  Messiah  shall  be  estab- 
lished in  righteousness,  and  shall  be 
destined  to  extend  and  perpetuate 
justice  and  righteousness  for  ever. 
1  From  henceforth.  That  is,  from  the 
time  which  was  the  period  of  the  pro- 


phet's vision — when  he  saw  in  vision 
the  Messiah  rising  in  the  dark  parts 
of  Galilee.  Notes  vs.  1,  2.  H  The 
zeal.  The  word  here  used  denotes 
ardour,  intense  desire  in  accomplish  • 
ing  an  object  ;  and  means  that  the 
establishment  of  this  kingdom  was  an 
object  of  intense  and  ardent  desire  on 
the  part  of  Jehovah.  It  is  also  implied 
that  nothing  else  than  that  zeal  of  Je- 
hovah could  do  it.  We  may  remark 
here,  (1.)  That  if  Jehovah  feels  so  in- 
tense a  desire  for  this,  then  the  subjects 
of  the  Messiah's  reign  should  also  feel 
this.  (2.)  If  Jehovah  feels  this  zeal, 
and  if  he  will  certainly  accomplish  this, 
then  Christians  should  be  encouraged  in 
their  efforts  to  spread  the  gospel.  His 
purpose  to  do  this  is  their  only  encou- 
ragement— and  a  sufficient  encourage- 
ment— to  excite  their  zeal  in  this  great 
and  glorious  work. 

8.  The  Lord  sent.  Not  Jehovah 
here,  but  Adonai.  It  is  apparent,  that 
this  verse  is  the  commencement  of  a 
new  prophecy  that  is  not  connected 
with  that  which  precedes  it.  The  strain 
of  the  preceding  prophecy  had  respect 
to  Judah  ;  this  is  confined  solely  to 
Israel,  or  Ephraim.  Here  the  division 
of  the  chapter  should  have  been  made, 
and  should  not  have  been  again  inter- 
rupted till  the  4th  verse  of  ch  x  , 
where  the  prophecy  closes.  The  pro- 
phecy is  divided  into  four  parts,  and 
each  part  is  designed  to  threaten  a  dis- 
tinct judgment  on  some  particular,  pro- 
minent vice.  I.  Crime.  Their  pride 
and  ostentation,  vs.  8,  9.  Punishment. 
The  land  would  be  invaded  by  the  Sy» 
rians  and  the  Philistines,  vs  11,  12. 
II  Crime.  They  had  apostatized  from 
God,  and  the  leaders  had  caused  them 
to  err,  vs.  13, 16.  Punishment.  Jeho- 
vah would  cut  off  the  chief  men  of  the 
nation,  vs.  14,  15,  17.  III.  Crime. 
Prevalent  wickedness  in  the  nation, 
ver.  18.  Punishment.  The  anger  of 
Jehovah,  consternation,  anarchy,  dis- 
cord, and  want,  vs.  19-21.    IV.  Crime. 


B  C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


211 


Jacob,  and  it  hath  lighted  upon 
Israel. 

9  And  all  the  people  shall 
know,  even  Ephraim  and  the 
inhabitants  of  Samaria,  that  say 

Prevalent  injustice,  ch.  x.  1, 2.  Punish- 
ment. Foreign  invasion,  and  captivity, 
ch.  x.  vs.  3,  4.  The  poem  is  remark- 
ably regular  in  its  structure  (Loivth), 
and  happy  in  its  illustrations.  Ai  what 
time  it  was  composed  is  not  certain, 
but  it  has  strong  internal  evidence  that 
it  immediately  followed  the  preceding 
respecting  Judah.  If  A  word.  A  incs- 
sage,  or  prediction.  Note  ch.  ii.  1. 
If  Into  Jacob.  Jacob  was  the  ancestor 
of  the  nation.  But  the  name  came  to 
be  appropriated  to  the  ten  tribes,  as 
constituting  the  majority  of  the  people. 
It  was  at  fi>-st  used  to  denote  all  the 
Jews  (Num.  xxiii  7,  10,  23,  xxiv.  17, 
19.  Deut  xxxii.  9.  1  Chron.  xvi.  13. 
Ps.  xiv.  7,  xx.  I)  ;  but  it  came,  after 
the  revolt  of  the  ten  tribes  under  Jero- 
boam, to  be  used  often  to  denote  them 
alone.  Amos  vi.  8.  Micah  i.  5,  iii.  1, 
v.  8.  The  word  or  message  which 
was  sent,  refers  undoubtedly  to  that 
which  immediately  follows.  IT  And  it- 
hath  lighted  upon.  Heb.  It  fell.  This  is 
but  a  varied  expression  for,  he  sent  it  to 
Israel.  1T  Israel.  The  same  as  Jacob — 
the  ten  tribes — the  kingdom  of  Ephraim. 
9.  And  all  the  people  shall  know. 
Shall  know  the  message  ;  or  shall  know 
the  judgment  which  God  denounces 
against  their  crimes.  The  Chaldee 
renders  this,  '  all  the  people  have  ex- 
alted themselves,  Ephraim,  and  the  in- 
habitants of  Samaria,  in  their  magni- 
tude, and  in  the  pride  of  their  heart.' 
IT  Ephraim.  This  is  another  name  for 
Israel,  as  Ephraim  was  the  principal 
tribe.  Note  ch.  vii.  2.  IT  And  the 
inhabitants  of  Samaria.  The  capital 
of  Ephraim  or  Israel.  Note  ch.  vii  9. 
IT  That  say  in  the  pride.  This  is  a 
description  of  general  and  prevalent 
pride  ;  and  it  is  traced  to  the  source 
of  all  pride,  the  heart.  It  was  a  desire 
of  splendour,  power,  and  magnificence, 
originating  in  the  heart,  and  manifest- 
ing itself  by  the  language  of  self-con- 


in  the  pride  and  stoutness  of 
heart, 

10  The  bricks  are  fallen  down, 
but  we  will  build  with  hewn 
stones :   the   sycamores   are   cut 

fidence  and  defiance  at  the  judgments 
ot  God.  IT  Stoutness.  Heb.  Great- 
ness It  means  a  self-confident  pur- 
pose ;  and  indicates  the  6tate  of  feeling 
in  a  man  when  he  trusts  to  his  own 
resources,  and  not  to  God. 

10.  The  bricks  are  fallen  down.  The 
language  of  this  verse  is  figurative  ; 
but  the  sentiment  is  plain.  It  con- 
joins the  confession  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Samaria  that  their  affairs  were  in  a 
ruinous  and  dilapidated  state  ;  but  also 
their  self-confident  assurance  that  they 
would  be  able  to  repair  the  evils,  and 
restore  their  nation  to  more  than  their 
former  magnificence.  Bricks  in  Ori- 
ental countries  were  made  of  cliy  and 
straw,  and  were  rarely  burned.  Hence, 
exposed  to  suns  and  rains,  they  soon 
dissolved.  Walls  and  houses  con- 
structed of  such  materials  would  not 
be  very  permanent,  and  to  build  with 
them  is  strongly  contrasted  with  build- 
ing in  a  permanent  and  elegant  man- 
ner with  hewn  stone.  The  meaning  is, 
that  their  former  state  was  one  of  less 
splendour  than  they  designed  that  their 
subsequent  state  should  be.  Desolation 
had  come  in  upon  their  country,  and 
this  they  could  not  deny.  But  they 
confidently  boasted  that  they  would 
more  than  repair  the  evil.  1  We  will 
build.  Our  ruined  houses  and  walls. 
11  With  hewn  stones.  At  once  more 
permanent  and  elegant  than  the  struc- 
tures of  bricks  had  been.  IT  The  syca- 
mores. These  trees  grew  abundantly 
I  on  the  low  lands  of  Judea,  and  were 
very  little  esteemed.  1  Kings  x.  27. 
|  2  Chron.  i  15,  ix.  27.  "  This  curious 
I  tree  seems  to  partake  of  the  nature  of 
1  two  different  species,"  says  Calmet, 
j  "  the  mulberry  and  the  fig,  the  former 
in  its  leaf,  and  the  latter  in  its  fruit. 
Its  Greek  name  Eux-fyupoj  is  plainly 
!  descriptive  of  its  character,  being  com- 
pounded of  avKos  a  fig-tree,  and  ^uf/oj 
|  a  mulberry-tree.     It  is  thus  described 


212 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  735 


down,  but  we  will  change  ihcm 
into  cedars. 

11  Therefore  the  Lord  shall 
set  up  ihe  adversaries  of  Rezin 


by  Nordeu :  '  They  have  in  Egypt 
divers  sorts  of  figs  ;  but  if  there  is  any 
difference  between  them,  a  particular 
kind  differs  still  more.  I  mean  that 
b  the  sycamore  bears,  that  they 
name  in  Arabic  giomez.  This  syca- 
more is  of  the  heighjt  of  a  beech,  and 
bears  its  fruit  in  a  manner  quite  differ- 
ent from  other  trees.  It  has  them  on 
the  trunk  itself,  which  shoots  out  little 
sprigs  in  form  of  a  grape-stalk,  at  the 
end  of  which  grows  the  fruit,  close  to 
one  another,  most  like  bunches  of 
grapes.  The  tree  is  always  green, 
and  bears  fruit  several  times  in  the 
year,  without  observing  any  certain 
seasons,  for  I  have  seen  some  syca- 
mores which  had  fruit  two  months 
after  others.  This  sort  of  tree  is  pretty 
common  in  Egypt.'  "  They  were  not 
highly  valued,  though  it  is  probable 
they  were  often  employed  in  build- 
ing. They  are  contrasted  with  cedars 
here  ;  (1.)  Because  the  cedar  was  a 
much  more  rare  and  precious  wood. 
(2.)  Because  it  was  a  much  more 
smooth  and  elegant  article  of  building. 
(3  )  Because  it  was  more  permanent. 
The  grain  and  texture  of  the  sycamore 
is  remarkably  coarse  and  spongy,  and 
could  therefore  stand  in  no  competition 
with  the  cedar  for  beauty  and  orna- 
ment. H  We  will  change  them.  We 
will  employ  in  their  stead.  IT  Cedars. 
The  cedar  was  a  remarkably  fine,  ele- 
gant, and  permanent  wood  for  building. 
It  was  principally  obtained  on  Mount 
Lebanon,  and  was  employed  in  tem- 
ples, palaces,  and  in  the  houses  of  the 
rich.  See  Note  eh.  ii.  18.  The  syca- 
more is  contrasted  with  the  cedar  in 
I  Kings  x.  21  :  "  Cedars  he  made  to 
De  as  sycamore-trees."  The  whole  pas- 
sage denotes  self-confidence  and  pride  ; 
an  unwillingness  to  submit  to  the  judg- 
ments of  God  and  a  self-assurance  that 
they  would  more  than  repair  all  the 
evils  that  would  be  inflicted  on  them. 


against  him,  and  3join  his  ene- 
mies together : 

12  The    Syrians  before,   and 
the  Philistines  behind;  and  they 


11.  Therefore.  This  verse  indicates 
the  punishment  that  would  come  upon 
them  for  their  pride.  IT  The  Lord 
shall  set  up.  Heb.  shall  exalt.  That 
is,  they  shall  overcome  and  subdue  him. 
11  The  adversaries  of  Rezin.  King  of 
Syria,  ch.  vii.  1.  It  should  be  observed 
here  that  twenty-one  MSS.  instead  of 
adversaries,  read  princes  of  Rezin. 
The  sense  seems  to  require  this ;  as  in 
the  following  verse  it  is  said  that  the 
Syrians,  will  be  excited  against  them. 
H  Against  him.  Against  Ephraim. 
V  And  join  his  enemies  together.  Heb. 
'  Mingle  them  together.'  They  shall 
be  excited  into  wild  and  agitated  com- 
motion, and  shall  pour  down  together 
on  the  land  and  devour  it.  In  what 
way  this  would  be  done  is  specified  in 
ver.  12. 

12.  The  Syrians.  Ch.  vii.  1.  The 
Syrians  had  been  the  allies  of  the  Is- 
raelites. But  after  the  death  of  Rezin, 
it  is  probable  that  they  joined  the  Assy- 
rians, and  united  with  them  in  the  inva- 
sion of  Samaria.  Aben  Ezra,  Grotius. 
IT  Before.  Heb.  From  the  east.  Syria 
was  situated  to  the  east  of  Samaria, 
and  the  meaning  is  here  that  they 
would  pour  in  upon  Samaria  from  that 
side.  IT  And  the  Philistines.  The 
Philistines  occupied  the  country  south- 
west of  Samaria,  lying  along  on  the 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean.  It  is  not 
particularly  mentioned  in  the  Scrip- 
tures that  they  invaded  Samaria  after 
this  prediction  of  Isaiah,  but  such  a 
thing  is  by  no  means  improbable.  They 
were  long  unsubdued  ;  were  full  of  hos- 
tility to  the  Jewish  people  ;  and  were 
man)  times  ensaged  with  them  in 
wars,  and  several  times  subdued  them. 
Judges  xiii.  xiv.  2  Chron.  xxviii.  18. 
The  name  Palestine  is  derived  from 
Philistine,  although  this  people  occu- 
pied but  a  small  part  of  the  country. 
See  Reland's  Palestine,  c.  vii.  If  Be- 
hind.    That   is,   from    the    west — the 


E.C.733.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


213 


shall  devour  Israel  with  'open 
mouth.  For  all  this  his  anger  is 
not  turned  away,  but  his  hand  is 
stretched  out  still. 

13  For  the  people  turneth  not 
unto  him  that  smiteth  them,  nei- 
ther do  they  seek  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

14  Therefore  the  Lord  will 
cut  off  from  Israel  head  and  tail, 
branch  and  rush,  in  one  day. 


region  where  they  dwelt.  The  sacred 
writers  speak  as  if  looking  toward  the 
east,  the  rising  sun,  and  they  speak  of 
the  west  as  the  region  behind  them. 
See  Notes  on  Job  xxiii.  8,  9.  II  And 
they  shall  devour.  Heb.  '  They  shall 
eat.'  This  figure  is  taken  from  a  raven- 
ous beast  ;  and  means  that  they  should 
come  up  with  raging  desires,  and 
fierce  impetuosity,  to  destroy  the  na- 
tion. IT  With  open  mouth.  Heb.  '  With 
the  whole  mouth '  The  metaphor  is 
derived  from  raging  and  furious  ani- 
mals. Chaldee,  "  In  every  place." 
V  .For  all  this.  Notwithstanding  all 
this.  IT  His  anser,  &,c.  See  Note 
ch.  v.  25. 

13.  For  the  people,  &c.  This  is  a 
reason  why  his  anger  would  not  cease, 
and  it  is  at  the  same  time  the  sugges- 
tion of  a  new  crime  for  which  the  di- 
vine judgment  would  rest  upon  them 
It  commences  the  second  part  of  the 
oracle,  f  Turneth  not.  It  is  implied 
here  that  it  was  the  design  of  the  chas- 
tisement to  turn  them  to  God.  In  this 
case,  asin  many  others,  such  a  design 
had  not  been  accomplished.  IT  Unto 
him  that  smiteth  them.  To  God,  who 
had  punished  them.  IT  Neither  do  they 
seek.  They  do  not  seek  his  protection 
and  favour ;  they  do  not  worship  and 
honour  him.  IT  The  Lord  of  hosts. 
Note  ch.  i.  9. 

14.  Will  cut  off  head  and  tail.  This 
is  a  proverbial  expression,  which  is  ex- 
plained in  the  following  verse.  See 
also  Deut.  xxviii.  13,  44.  The  head  is 
often  used  to  denote  those  in  honour 
and  authority.     The  tail  is  an  expres- 


15  The  ancient  and  honour, 
able,  he  is  the  head ;  and  the 
prophet  that  teacheth  lies,  lie  it, 
the  tail. 

10  For  5the  leaders  of  this 
people  cause  them  to  err  ;  and 
they  that  are9  led  of  them  are 
'destroyed. 

17  Therefore  the  Lord  shall 
have  no  joy  in  their  young  men, 

5  or,  they  that  call  them  blessed. 

6  or,  called  blessed.  7  swallowed  vp. 

sion  applicable  to  the  lower  ranks,  and 
would  commonly  indicate  more  than 
simply  the  common  people.  It  would 
imply  contempt ;  a  state  of  great  ab- 
jectness  and  meanness.  %  Branch  ai>d 
rush.  This  is  also  a  proverbial  expres- 
sion, meaning  the  highest  and  lowest. 
See  Note  Isa.  xix.  15.  The  word 
here  translated  branch  means  properly 
the  bough  or  top  of  the  palm-tree. 
The  palm  grew  to  a  great  height  be- 
fore it  gave  out  any  branches,  and 
hence  the  image  is  a  beautiful  one  to 
denote  those  high  in  office  and  authori- 
ty. The  word  rush  means  the  coarse, 
long-jointed  reed,  that  grows  in  marsh- 
es— an  apt  emblem  of  the  base  and 
worthless  classes  of  society. 

15.  The  ancient.  The  elder;  the 
old  man.  V  vino!  honourable.  Heb. 
'  The  man  of  elevated  countenance.' 
The  man  of  rank  and  office.  T  The 
prophet  that  teacheth  lies.  The  false 
prophet.  Of  those  there  were  many  ; 
and  probably  at  this  time  many  in  Sa- 
maria. 

16.  For  the  leaders  of  this  people, 
&c.  Note  ch  iii.  12.  Heb.  'they 
that  call  this  people  blessed' — referring 
more  particularly  to  the  false  prophets. 
T  They  that  are  led  of  them.  Heb.. 
'  they  that  are  called  blessed  by  them.' 
V  Are  destroyed.  Heb. 'Are  swallowed 
up.'  See  Note  ch.  iii.  12.  They  are 
ruinea ;  or  swallowed  up  as  in  a  vast 
whirlpool  or  vortex. 

17.  Shall  have  no  joy.  He  shall  not 
delight  in  them  so  as  to  preserve  them. 
The  parallel  part  of  the  verse  shows 
that  the  phrase  :s  used  in  the  sonse  of 


214 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  1^8. 


neither  shall  have  mercy  on  their 
fatherless  and  widows  :  for  every 
one  is  an  hypocrite  and  an  evil- 
doer, and  every  mouth  speaketh 
9tblly.     For  all  this  his  anger  is 

9  or,  vi.lany. 

having  mercy.  %  In  their  young  men. 
The  hope  and  strength  of  the  nation. 
The  word  here  used  commonly  denotes 
those  who  are  chosen,  particularly  for 
purposes  of  war.  The  sense  is,  that 
the  hope  and  strength  of  the  nation, 
that  on  which  the  chief  reliance  would 
be  placed,  would  be  cut  off.  H"  Neither 
shall  have  mercy,  &c.  Judgment  would 
sweep  through  the  nation,  even  over 
those  who  were  the  usual  objects  of 
the  divine  protection — widows  and  or- 
phans. Comp.  Ps.  x.  14,  18,  xlviii.  5. 
Deut.  x.  18.  Jer.  xlix.  11.  Hos.  xiv.  3. 
These  passages  show  that  the  fatherless 
and  the  widow  are  the  special  objects 
of  the  divine  favour  ;  and  when  there- 
fore it  is  said  that  the  Lord  would  not 
have  mercy  even  on  these,  it  shows  the 
extent  and  severity  of  the  divine  judg- 
ments that  were  coming  on  the  nation. 
IT  For  every  one  is  a  hypocrite.  A  de- 
ceiver ;  a  dissembler.  The  word  used 
here,  however,  E)3H  hhdneph,  means 
rather  a  profane  or  profligate  man,  a 
man  who  is  defiled  or  polluted,  than  a 
dissembler.  It  is  applied  often  to 
idolaters  and  licentious  persons,  but 
not  to  hypocrites.  See  Job  viii.  13, 
xiii.  16,  xv.  34,  xvii.  8.  Dan.  xi  32. 
IT  Every  mouth  speaketh  folly.  The 
word  rendered  folly  may  denote  fool- 
ishness, but  it  is  also  used  to  denote 
wickedness  or  crime.  I  Sam  xxv.  23. 
Probably  this  is  the  meaning  here. 
That  the  character  here  given  of  the 
Ephraimites  is  correct,  is  abundantly 
shown  also  by  other  prophets.  See 
particularly  Hosea.  1"  For  all  this. 
Notwithstanding  all  the  judgments  that 
should  come  thus  upon  the  young  men, 
and  widows,  and  orphans,  still  his  an- 
ger wao  not  turned  away.  This  is  the 
dose  of  the  second  strophe  or  part  of 
this  prophecy. 

18.    For   wickedness.      This    com- 
mences the  third  part  of  the  prophecy, 


not  turned  away,  but  his  hano.  is 
stretched  out  still. 

18   For    wickedness  dburneth 
as  the  fire :  it  shall  devour  the 
briers  and  thorns,  and  shall  kin- 
d  Mai.  4. :. 

which  continues  to  the  end  of  the 
chapter.  It  is  a  description  of  prevail- 
ing impiety.  The  effects  and  preva- 
lence of  it  are  described  by  the  image 
of  a  raging,  burning  flame,  mat  spreads 
every  where — first  among  the  humble 
shrubbery — the  briers  and  thorns  ; — 
then  in  the  vast  forests,  until  it  spreads 
over  the  land  and  sends  a  mighty  col- 
umn of  flame  &nd  smoke  up  to  heaven. 
1T  Burnet h  ax  the  fire.  Spreads,  rages, 
extends  as  fire  does  in  thorns  and  .n 
forests.  In  what  respects  it  burns  like 
the  fire,  the  prophet  immediately  speci- 
fies. It  spreads  rapidly  every  where, 
and  involves  all  in  the  effects  Wick- 
edness is  not  unfrequently  in  the  Scrip- 
tures compared  to  a  fire  that  is  shut  up 
long,  and  then  bursts  forth  with  raging 
violence.     Thus  Hosea  vii.  6 : 

Truly,  in  the  inmost  part  of  it,  their  heart  is  like 

an  oven, 
While  they  lie  in  wait ; 
All  the  night  their  haker  slecpeth  ; 
In  the  morning  it  burnetii  like  a  blazing  star- 

"  As  an  oven  conceals  the  lighted  fire 
all  night,  while  the  baker  takes  his 
rest,  and  in  the  morning  vomits  forth 
its  blazing  flame  ;  so  all  manner  of 
concupiscence  is  brooding  mischief  in 
their  hearts,  while  the  ruling  faculties 
of  reason  and  conscience  are  lulled 
asleep,  and  their  wicked  designs  wait 
only  for  a  fair  occasion  to  break  forth  " 
Horsley  on  Hosea.  See  also  Isa.  I.  2, 
lxv  5.  IT  It  shall  devour  Heb  '  It 
shall  eat '  The  idea  of  devouring  or 
eating,  is  one  which  is  often  given  to 
fire  in  the  Scriptures.  II  The  briers 
and  thorns.  By  the  briers  and  thorns 
are  meant  doubtless  the  lower  part  of 
the  population  ;  the  most  degraded 
ranks  of  society.  The  idea  here 
seems  to  be,  first,  that  of  impiety 
spreading  like  fire  over  all  classes  of 
people  ;  but  there  is  also  joined  with  it, 
in  the  mind  of  the  prophet,  the  idea  of 
punishment.      Wickedness  would   rage 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


215 


die  in  the  thickets  of  the  forest : 
and  they  shall  mount  up  like 
the  lifting  up  of  smoke. 

19  Through  the  wrath  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts  is  the  land  dark- 
ened,6 and  the  people  shall  be  as 
the  '  fuel  of  the  fire  :  no  man  shall 


like  spreading  fire  ;  but  like  fire,  also, 
it  would  sweep  over  the  nation  accom- 
plishing desolation  and  calamity,  and 
consuming  every  thing  in  the  fire  of 
God's  vengeance.  The  wicked  are 
often  compared  to  thorns  and  briers,  fit 
objects  to  be  burned  up.   Isa.  xxxiii  12  : 

And  the  people  shall  be  as  the  burnings  of  lime  ; 
As  thorns  cut  up  shall  they  be  burned  in  the  fire. 

IT  And  shall  kindle  Shall  burn,  or 
extend — as  sweeping  fire  extends  to 
the  mighty  forest.  IT  In  the  thickets 
of  the  forests.  The  dense,  close,  forest 
or  grove.  The  idea  is,  that  it  extends 
to  all  classes  of  people — high  as  well 
as  low.  IT  And  they  shall  mount  up. 
The  Hebrew  word  here  used,  "oaxr.*1 
from  ~3St ,  occurs  nowhere  else.  The 
image  is  that  of  a  far-spreading,  raging 
fire,  sending  columns  of  smoke  to 
heaven.  So,  says  the  prophet,  is  the 
rolling,  raging,  consuming  fire  of  the 
sins  of  the*  nation  spreading  over  all 
classes  of  people  in  the  land,  and  in- 
volving all  in  wide-spread  desolation. 
19.  Through  the  wrath.  By  the 
anger,  or  indignation.  This  spreading 
desolation  is  the  proof  of  his  anger. 
T  Is  the  land  darkened.  The  word 
here  used — OH;? — occurs  nowhere  else. 
According  to  Gesenius,  it  is  the  same 
as  B"flH  to  be  or  make  complete  ;  and 
hence  means  in  this  place  to  be  con- 
sumed, or  laid  waste.  Kimchi  and 
Aben  Ezra  render  it,  '  the  land  is 
darkened.'  Sept.  ovyxiKavTai,  Chald. 
TDlTn — ig  scorched.  Jerome  renders 
it  conturbata  est  terra — the  land  is  dis- 
turbed. The  effect  is  doubtless  such 
as  ascending  and  spreading  columns  of 
fire  and  smoke  would  produce,  and 
perhaps  the  general  word  desolate  had 
better  be  used  in  translating  the  word. 


spare  his  ^brother. 

20  And  he  shall  2snatch  on  the 
right  hand,  and  be  hungry  ;  and 
ehe  shall  eat  on  the  left  hand, 
and  they  shall  not  be  satisfied  : 
they  shall  eat  every  man  the 
flesh  of  his  own  arm  : 

c  Micah  7.  2.  6.     2  cut.     e,  Lev.  26.  26.  Jer.  19.  9. 


1T  And  the  people  shall  be  as  fuel  of  the 
fire.  This  is  an  image  of  wide-spread 
ruin.  The  idea  is,  that  they  shall  de- 
stroy one  another  as  pieces  of  wood, 
when  on  fire,  help  to  consume  each 
other  The  way  in  which  it  shall  be 
done  is  stated  more  fully  in  the  next 
verse.  IT  No  man  shall  spare  his  bro~ 
ther.  There  shall  be  such  a  state  of 
wickedness,  that  it  shall  lead  to  anar- 
chy, and  strife,  and  mutual  destruction. 
The  common  ties  of  life  shall  be 
dissolved,  and  a  man  shall  have  no 
compassion  on  his  own  brother. 

20.  And  he  shall  snatch.  Heb. '  He 
shall  cut  off'  Many  have  supposed 
that  this  refers  to  a  state  of  famine  ; 
but  others  regard  it  as  descriptive  of  a 
state  of  faction  extending  throughout 
the  whole  community,  dissolving  the 
most  tender  ties,  and  producing  a  dis- 
solution of  all  the  bonds  of  life.  The 
context  (vs.  19,  21)  shows,  that  the 
latter  is  meant ;  though  it  is  not  im- 
probable that  it  would  be  attended  with 
famine.  When  it  is  said  that  he  '  would 
cut  on  his  right  hand,'  it  denotes  a 
condition  of  internal  anarchy  and  strife. 
IT  And  be  hungry.  And  not  be  satis- 
fied. Such  would  be  his  rage,  and  his 
desire  of  blood,  that  he  would  be  insa- 
tiable. The  murder  of  those  on  one 
side  of  him  would  not  appease  his  in- 
satiable wrath.  His  desire  of  carnage 
would  be  so  great  that  it  would  be  like 
unappeased  hunger.  IT  And  he  shall 
eat.  The  idea  here  is  that  of  contend- 
ing factions  excited  by  fury,  rage,  envy, 
hatred,  contending  in  mingled  strife, 
and  spreading  death  with  insatiable  de- 
sire every  where  around  them.  "T  They 
shall  eat.  Not  literally  ;  but  shall  de- 
stroy. To  eat  the  flesh  of  any  one, 
denotes  to  seek  one's  iife,  and   is  de- 


216 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.73S. 


21  Manasseh,  Ephraim  ;  and  For  all  this  his  anger  is  not  turned 
Ephraim,  Manasseh  ;  and  they  away,  but  his  hand  is  stretched 
together  shall  be  against  Judah.     out  still. 


ecriptive  of  blood-thirsty  enemies.  Ps. 
xxvii.  2:  "When  the  wicked,  even 
mine  enemies  and  foes,  came  upon  me 
to  eat  up  my  flesh,  they  stumbled  and 
fell."    Job  xix.  22 : 

Why  do  ye  persecute  me  as  God, 
And  are  not  satisfied  with  my  flesh  ? 

Conip.  Deut.  vii  16.  Jer.  x.  25,  xxx. 
15,  I.  17.  Hosea  vii.  7.  See  Ovid's 
Metam.  8,  867: 

Ipse  9tios  artus  lacero  divellere  morsu 
Coepit ;  et  infelix  minuendo  corpus  alebat. 

IT  The  flesh  of  his  own  arm.  The  Chal- 
dee  renders  this, "  each  one  shall  devour 
the  substance  of  his  neighbour."  Lowth 
proposes  to  read  it,  "  the  flesh  of  his 
neighbour,"  but  without  sufficient  au- 
thority. The  expression  denotes  a  state 
of  dreadful  faction — where  the  ties  of 
most  intimate  relationship  would  be 
disregarded,  represented  here  by  the 
appalling  figure  of  a  man's  appetite 
being  so  rabid  that  he  would  seize  upon 
and  devour  his  own  flesh.  So,  in  this 
6tate  of  faction  and  discord,  the  rage 
would  be  so  great  that  men  would  de- 
stroy those  who  were,  as  it  were,  their 
own  flesh,  i.  e.  their  nearest  kindred 
and  friends. 

21.  Manasseh,  Ephraim.  This  verse 
is  a  continuation  of  the  statement  in 
regard  to  the  extent  and  fearfulness  of 
the  faction.  Those  who  were  hitherto 
most  tenderly  and  intimately  allied  to 


each  other,  would  now  be  engaged  in 
furious  strife.  Manasseh  and  Ephraim 
were  the  two  sons  of  Joseph  (Gen. 
xlvi.  20),  and  their  names  are  used  as 
expressive  of  tender  union  and  friend- 
ship. Comp.  Gen.  xlviii.  20  The 
tribes  of  Ephraim  and  Manasseh  were 
near  each  other,  and  they  always  were 
allied  together.  The  expression  here 
denotes  that  they  who  had  hitherto 
been  joined  in  tender  alliance,  would 
be  rent  into  contending  factions  thirst- 
ing for  each  other's  blood.  IT  And 
the ij  together.  They  would  be  united 
in  opposing  Judah  while  they  were 
devouring  each  other,  as  it  is  not  an 
uncommon  thing  for  those  who  are 
opposed  to  each  other  to  unite  in  hos- 
tility to  a  common  foe.  Comp.  Luke 
xxiii.  12.  This  is  an  image  that  height- 
ens  the  description  of  the  anarchy  — in- 
troducing implacable  animosity  against 
another  tribe  while  they  were  contend- 
ing among  themselves.  That  such  an- 
archies and  factions  existed,  is  apparent 
from  all  the  history  of  the  kingdom  of 
Israel.  Comp.  2  Kings  xv.  10,  seq. 
2  Kings  xv.  30.  In  this  last  passage. 
the  death  of  Pekah  is  described  as  hav- 
ing occurred  in  a  conspiracy  formed 
by  Hoshea.  f  For  all  this,  &c  See 
ver  12,  Note  v.  25.  This  closes  the 
third  strophe  or  part  of  the  prophecy 
under  consideration.  The  fourth  and 
last  strophe  occurs  in  ch.  x.  1 — 4. 


CHAPTER  X. 


ANALYSIS. 


This  chapter  is  composed  of  two  parts  ■  the  first  (vs.  1—4)  closes  the  prophecy  commencpd  in 
ch.  in  8.  ami  should  have  been  connected  with  that  in  the  division  into  chapters  ;  and  the  second 
part  commences  an  entirely  neio  prophecy  respecting  the  destruction  of  the  Assyrians.  See  Hie 
Analysis  prefixed  to  ver.  r,  The  first  four  verses  of  this  chapter  constitute  the  fozirth  strophe  or  part 
of  the  prophecy  commenced  in  ch.  be.  8.  and  contains  a  specification  of  a  .-.rime,  and  its  punishment : 
— the  crime,  prevalent  injustice  and  oppression  (ch.  i.v.  1.  2)  i  the  punishment,  foreign  invusion,  ch. 
ix.  3.  4.    See  Note  on  ch.  ix.  8. 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


217 


1  Wo»  unto  them  that  decree 
unrighteous  decrees,  and  sthat 
write  grievousness  which  they 
have  prescribed  ; 

2  To  turn  aside  the  needy 
from  judgment,  and  to  take  away 


g  Ps.  9!.  20. 


E  to  the.  writen  that. 


1.  Wa  unto  them  that  decree  un- 
righteous decrees.  To  those  who 
fr.ime  statutes  that  are  oppressive  and 
iniquitous.  The  prophet  here  refers, 
doubtless,  to  the  rulers  and  judges  of. 
the  land  of  Judea.  A  similar  descrip- 
tion he  had  before  given,  ch.  i.  10,  23, 
«Scc.  IT  And  that  write,  &c.  Heb. 
'  and  to  the  writers  who  write  violence.' 
The  word  translated  "  grievousness," 
?"£?  ,  denotes  properly  wearisome  la- 
bour, trouble,  oppression,  injustice. 
Here,  it  evidently  refers  to  the  judges 
who  declared  oppressive  and  unjust 
sentences,  and  caused  them  to  be  re- 
corded. It  does  not  refer  to  the  mere 
scribes,  or  recorders  of  the  judicial 
opinions,'  but  to  the  judges  themselves, 
who  pronounced  the  sentence,  and 
caused  it  to  be  recorded.  "  The  man- 
ner of  making  Eastern  decrees  differs 
from  ours  :  they  are  first  written,  and 
then  the  magistrate  authenticates  them, 
or  annuls  them.  This,  1  remember,  is 
the  Arab  manner,  according  to  D'Ar- 
vieux.  When  an  Arab  wanted  a  favour 
of  the  emir,  the  way  was  to  apply  to  the 
secretary,  who  drew  up  a  decree  ac- 
cording to  the  request  of  the  party  ;  if 
the  emir  granted  the  favour,  he  printed 
his  seal  upon  it  ;  if  not,  he  returned  it 
torn  to  the  petitioner.  Sir  J.  Chardin 
confirms  this  account,  and  applies  it, 
with  great  propriety,  to  the  illustration 
of  a  passage  which  I  never  thought  of 
when  I  read  over  D'Arvieux.  After 
citing  Isa.  x.  1,  '  Wo  unto  them  that 
decree  unrighteous  decrees,  and  to  the 
writers  that  write  grievousness,'  for  so 
our  translators  have  rendered  "the  latter 
part  of  the  verse  in  the  margin,  much 
more  agreeably  than  in  the  body  of  the 
version,  Sir  John  soes  i  n,  '  The  man- 
ner of  making  the  royal  acts  and  ordi- 
nances hath  a  relation  "to  this:  they 
are  always  drawn  up  according  to  the 
10 


the  right  from  the  poor  of  my 
people,  that  widows  may  be  their 
prey,  and  that  they  may  rob  the 
fatherless ! 

3  And  what  'will  ye  do  in  the 
day  of  visitation,  and  in  the  de- 

l  Job  31.  14.    Hos.  9.  7.    Rev.  6.  I". 

request  ;  the  first  minister,  or  he  whose 
office  it  is,  writes  on  the  side  of  it, 
'  according  to  the  king's  will,'  and  from 
thence  it  is  sent  to  the  secretary  of 
state,  who  draws  up  the  order  in  form." 
Harmer. 

2.  To  turn  aside.  Their  sentences 
have  the  effect,  and  are  designed  to 
have,  to  pewert  justice,  and  to  oppress 
the  poor,  or  to  deprive  them  of  their 
rights  and  just  claims.  Comp.  ch.  xxix. 
21.  Prov.  xxvii.  5.  IT  The  needy. 
P^1? .  Those  of  humble  rank  and 
circumstances  ;  who  have  no  powerful 
friends  and  defenders.  1T  From  judg- 
ment. From  obtainingjustice.  IT  And 
to  take  away.  To  take  away  by  vio- 
lence and  oppression.  The  word  -7* 
gdzdl,  is  commonly  applied  to  robbery, 
and  to  oppression  ;  to  the  taking  away 
of  spoils  in  battle,  &c.  1  That  widows 
may  be  their  prey.  That  they  may  rob 
widows,  or  obtain  their  property.  This 
crime  has  always  been  one  particularly 
offensive  in  the  sight  of  God.  See 
Note  ch.  i.  23.  The  widow  and  the 
orphan  are  without  protectors.  Judges, 
by  their  office,  are  particularly  bound 
to  preserve  their  rights  ;  and  it  there- 
fore evinces  peculiar  iniquity  when  they 
who  should  be  their  protectors  become 
in  fact  their  oppressors,  and  do  injustice 
to  them  without  the  possibility  of  re- 
dress. Yet  this  was  the  character  of 
the  Jewish  judges ;  and  for  this  the 
vengeance  of  heaven  was  about  to  come 
upon  the  land. 

3.  And  i>- hat  trill  ye  do.  The  pro- 
phet here  proceeds  to  denounce  the 
judgrtfent  or  punishment  that  would 
follow  the  crimes  specified  in  the  pre- 
vious verses.  That  punishment  was 
the  invasion  of  the  land  by  a  foreign 
force  '  What  will  ye  do  ]  To  whom 
will  yoa  fly  ?     What  refuge  will  there 


218 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738 


eolation  which  shall  come  from 
far  ?  to  win. in  will  ye  flee  for 
help?  andwhere  will  ye  leave 
your  dory  ! 

4  WithoUl    me  they  shall  b»W 

be  P  Implying  that  the  calamity  weald 
be  so  great  that  there  would  be  no  re- 
fuge, or  escape.     H  In  the  day  of  visi- 
tation.   The  word  visitation  (^P5?)  is 
here  used  in  the  sense  of  God's  coining 
to  pumsli  them  for  their  sins.     Comp 
Job   xxxi     14,  xxxv    15.    tea.  xxvi    14. 
Ezek.  ix.  1.     The  idea  is  probably  de- 
rived from  that  of  a  master  of  a  family 
who  comes  to  take  account,  or  to  in- 
vestigate the  conduct  of  his  servants, 
and    where    the    visitation    therefore  is 
one  of  reckoning  and  justice.     So  the 
idea  is  applied  to  God  as  designing  to 
visit    the    wicked  :   thai    is,  to    punish 
them  tor  their  offences      Comp.  Hos. 
ix.  7.     f  And  in  lie  desolation.     The  j 
destruction,    or    overthrowing        The 
word  used  here  (MtfraJ)  usually  denotes 
a  storm,  a  tempest  (Prov.  i.  27    ;  and 
then  sudden   destruction,  or  calamity, 
that  sweeps   along   Irresistibly    like  a 
tempest.     Zeph   i    15.  Job  xxx.  3,  14. 
Ps.  xxxv.  8.  If  Whiefy  shall  come  from 
far.      That    is,    from   Assyria,   Media, 
Babylonia.     The  sense   is,   «  a  furious 
storm    of  war   is    about  to  rage.     To 
what    refuge    can    you    then    flee  ?    or ' 
where    can    you    then    find    safety  V 
1    Where,  will  ye  leave  your  glory?  By 
the  word  glory  here,  some  have  under- 
stood the   prophet  as  referring  to  their 
|    men,   their  princes   and    nobles, 
and  as  asking  where  they  would  find  a 
safe  place  for  them.      But  he   probably 
menus   their   riches,   wealth,   manniji- 
ci  urr.     Thus  Belam  xlix.  17: 

For  wlien  he  dieth,  Vic  shall  rimy  nothing  away  ; 
in-  L'tonj  shall  not  descend  alter  him. 

See  also  Hos  ix  2.  tea.  lxvi.  12.  The 
Word  "  leaVe "  here  is  used  in  the 
sense  of  deposit,  or  commit  for  safe 
keeping.     Comp.  Job  xxxix.  14.     '  In 

the  time  of  the  invasion  that  shall 
come  up  like  a  tempest  on  the  land, 
wh?re  will  you  deposit  your  property 
io  that  it  shall  be  safe  V 


clown  under  the  prisoners,  and 
they  shall  fall  under  the  slain. 
For  all  this  his  anger  is  not  turn- 
ed away,  but  his  hand  is  stretch, 
ed  out  still. 


4.  Without  me.  *»a  .  There  has 
been  a  great  variety  of  interpretation 
affixed  to  this  expression.  The  sense 
in  which  our  translators  understood  it 
was,  evidently,  that  they  should  be  for- 
saken of  God  ;  and  that  as  the  "fleet 
of  this  they  should  bow  down  under 
the  condition  dfcaptives  or  among  the 
slain.  The  Vulgate  and  the  LXX, 
however,  and  many  interpreters  under- 
stand the  word  here  as  d  simple  nega- 
tive. '  Where  wiil  you  Bee  for  refuge  ! 
Where  will  you  deposit  your  wealth 
so  as  not  to  how  down  under  a  chain  ?' 
Vulgate,  Ne  incurvejnini  Bnh  vinculo. 

LXX,  ToM/d,  E/MT  ■  '"  ■  "III   to 

fall  into  captivity.  The  Hebrew  Will 
bear  either  mode  of  construction.  Vi- 
tringa  and  Lowlh  understand  it  as  our 
translators  hive  done,  as  meaning  that 
God  would  forsake  them,,  and  that 
*  ithout  him.  thai  is.  deprived  of  his 
aid.  they  would  he  destroyed.  r  They 
shall  how  down  They  shall  be  Sub- 
dued, as  armies  are  that  are  taken 
captive.  If  Under  the  prisoners.  That 
is,  under  the  condition  of  prisoners  ;  or 
as  prisoners.  Some  understand  it  to 
mean  that  they  should  hear  down  in 
the  place  of  prisoners  ;  that  is,  in  prison. 
But  it  evidently  means,  simply,  that 
they  should  be  captives.  1T  Then  shall 
Jail  Under  the  slain.  They  shall  be 
slain.  Gesenius  renders  it  among  the 
prisoners,  and  among  the  slain.  The 
Chsldee  reads  it,  ••  You  shall  be  cast 
into  chains  out  of  your  own  land,  and 
beyond  your  own  cities  you  shall  be 
cast  out  slain."  Vitringa  supposes  thai 
the  prophet  in  this  verse  refers  to  the 
custom  among  the  ancients  of  placing 
prisoners  in  war  under  a  yoke  of  wood 
to  indicate  their  enptivity  That  such 
a  custom  obtained  there  can  be  no 
doubt  ;  hut  it  is  not  probable  thai 
Isaiah  refers  to  it  here.  The  simple 
idea  is,  that  many  of  them  should  bo 
taken  captive,  and  many  of  them  slain 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


219 


This  prediction  was  fulfilled  in  the  in- 
vasion of  Tiglath-Pileser.  2  Kings 
xv.  xvi.  1T  For  all  this.  Notwith- 
standing these  calamities.  The  cup 
of  punishment  is  not  filled  by  these, 
but  the  divine  judgment  shall  still  be 
poured   out    further   upon  the    nation. 


The  anger  of  God  shall  not  be  full] 
expressed  by  these  minor  inflictions  of 
his  wrath,  but  his  hand  shall  continue  tc 
be  stretched  out  until  the  whole  nation 
shall  be  overwhelmed  and  ruined.  See 
Note  on  ver.  12. 


GENERAL    ANALYSIS    OF    CHS.    X.    5-34,    XI.    XII. 


At  ver  5th  in  this  chapter,  there  is  evidently  the  commencement  of  a  new  prophecy  or  vision,  ai 
the  division  into  chapters  should  have  indicated  such  a  commencement.  The  prophecy  is  contiiiui  ' 
to  the  close  of  the  xiith  chapter.  Its  general  score  is  a  threatening  against  Assyria,  and  the  predn  • 
tion  of  ultimate  safety,  happiness,  and  triumph  to  the  people  of  Judah.  It  has  no  immediate  counec 
tion  with  the  previous  vision  any  further  than  the  subjects  are  similar  and  one  seems  to  have  sug- 
gested the  other.  In  the  previous  vision,  the  prophet  had  described  the  threatened  invasion  of 
Ephraim  or  Israel  by  the  Syrians;  in  this,  he  describes  the  thn -at.  u  d  invasion  oi  J iidaft  by  the 
Assyrians.  Th  result  of  the  invasion  cv  Ephraim  would  be  the  desolation  ol  Samaria,  and  the  ac- 
tivity of  the  people;  but  I  be  resnli  of  thy  invasion  oi  Judah  would  be  that  God  would  interpose  .and 
humble  the  \ssi  nan.  and  brim;  deliverance  to  his  people.  Tins  chapter  is  occupied  with  an  account 
of  the  threatened  invasion  ofJudea  by  the  Assyrian,  vs.  5-7 :  with  a  statement  ol  his  confident 
boasting  and  defiance  ol  'ioil  (vs  8— H)  ;  with  encouraging  the  people  to  conhde  in  God  and  not  to 
be  afraid  of  him  ;  and  with  the  assurance  that  he  would  be  discomfited  and  overthrown  vs  15-31. 
The  mention  of  this  deliverance  gives  occasion  for  the  elevated  and  heautilul  statement  respecting 
the  future  deliverance  of  the  nation  by  the  .Messiah,  and  the  glorious  triumph  that  would  atten  i  bis 
feign,  which  occurs  in  chs.  xi    vii  •  '  . 

When  the  propbecv  was  uttered,  and  in  regard  .o  whom,  has  been  a  question  \  itringa  supposes 
that  it  was  uttered  in  immediate  connection  v.  iih  the  foregoing,  and  that  it  is  in  tact  a  part  ol  it.  But 
from  vs  9  11  it  is  evident  that  at  the  time  this  prophecy  was  lettered  Samaria  was  destroyed  ;  rnd 
from  ver  •10,  it  is  clear  that  it  was  after  the  ten  tribes  had  been  earned  into  captivity,  and  when 
the  Assyrian  supposed  that  he  could  accomplish  the  same  destruction  and  captivity  in  regard  to  Je- 
rnsaiem  and  Judah  that  had  taken  place  in  regard  to  Samaria  and  Ephraim.  As  to  the  remark,  ol 
Vitringa  that  the  prophet  anticipated  these  future  events,  ami  spoke  ol  themasalreadypasscd.it 
mav  be  observed  that  the  structure  and  form  of  the  expressions  suppose  that  they  were  tit  tact  passed 
at  the  time  he  wrote.  See  the  Notes  on  vs.  9,  11,  20.  Lightfoot  (Chronica  TemporunrO  supposes 
that  the  prophet  here  refers  to  the  threatened  invasion  of  the  land  by  Tiglath-Pilefter,  king  ol  As-yria, 
after  he  had  destroyed  Damascus,  and  when,  being  about  to  advance  upon  Jerusalem,  Atiaz  stripped 
the  temple  of  its  valuable  ornaments,  and  sent  them  to  him,  S  Kings  xvi.  17.  18.  Lowth  supposes 
that  the  threat  i  m  d  invasion  here  refers  to  that  of  .Sennacherib.  This  is  probably  the  correct  reference. 
This  took  place  in  the  fourteenth  year  of  He/.ekiah.  725  years  before  the  Christian  era.  Hczekiah, 
alarmed  at  the  approach  of  Sennacherib,  sent  messengers  to  him  to  Lachish  (2  Kings  xvin.  14)  to 
obtain  a  cessation  of  hostilities.  .Sennacherib  agreed  to  such  a  peace  on  condition  that  Hezekiah 
should  pay  him  three  hundred  talents  of  silver,  and  thirty  of  gold.  In  order  to  meet  this  demand 
Hezekiah  was  obliged  to  advance  all  the  silver  and  gold  in  Ibe  treasury,  and  even  to  strip  the  temple 
of  its  ornaments.  "Having  done  ibis,  he  hoped  for  safety  ;  and  on  this  occasion,  probably,  this  pro- 
phecy was  uttered.  It  was  designed  to  show  that  the  danger  of  invasion  was  not  passed  ;  to  assure 
them  the  king  of  Assyria  would  still  come  against  the  nation  (comp.  2  Kings  nil.  17,  $-e.) ;  but  that 
still  God  would  interpose,  and  would  deliver  them.  A  further  reference  to  this  is  made  in  Isa.  x.\. 
»nd  a  ful  history  given  in  chs.  xxxvii.,  xxxviii.     See  Notes  on  those  chapters. 

5  O  'Assyrian,   9t.he   rod  ?of    mine  anger,  and  the  2staiT  in  theii 


8  wo  to  the  Assyrian. 
p  Jer.  51.  20,  21. 


9  Asshar. 
2  or,  though. 


5.  0  Assyrian.  The  word  "'I'"1  ho 
is  commonly  used  to  denounce  wrath, 
or  to  indicate  approaching  calamity ;  as 
an  interjection  of  threatening,  Isa.  i.  4, 
"  Wo  sinful  nation  ;"  v.  8,  11,  18,  20, 
21.  Jer.  xlviii.  1.  Ezek.  xiii.  2.  The 
Vulgate  so  understands  it  here  :  "  Vae 
Assur  ;"  and  the  LXX,''  h>ai  'Attovpiois. 
Wo  to  the  Assyrians.  So  the  Chaldee, 
and  the  Syriac.  It  is  not  then  a  sim- 
ple, address  to  the  Assyrian  ;  but  a 
form  denouncing  wrath  on  the  invader. 
Yet  it  was  not  so  much  designed  to  in- 


hand  is  mine  indignation. 

timidnte  and  appal  the  Assyrian  him- 
self, as  to  comfort  the  Jews  with  the 
assurance  that  calamity  should  over- 
take him.  The  "Assyrian"  referred 
to  here,  was  the  king  of  Assyria,  Sen- 
nacherib, who  was  leading  an  army  to 
invade  the  land  of  Judea.  If  The  rod 
of  mine  anger.  That  is,  the  rod  or  in- 
strument by  which  I  will  inflict  pun- 
ishment on  a  guilty  nation.  The  He- 
brew would  bear  the  huerprf  tation  that 
the  Assyrian  was  an  object  againsl 
which  God  was  angry  j  but  the  former 


220 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  73<i 


6  I  will  send  him  against  an 
hypocritical  nation,  and  against 
the  people  of  my  wrath  will  I 
give  him  a  charge,  'to  take  the 

g  Jer.  f.  6,  7.        3  lay  them  a  treading. 

is  evidently  the  Benee  of  the  passage, 
as  denoting  that  the  Assyrian  was  the 
■gent  by  which  he  would  express  his 
aiiirer  against  a  guilty  people.  Wo 
might  be  denounced  against  him  for 
his  wicked  intention,  at  the  same*  time 
th;it  God  might  design  to  make  use  of 
his  plana  t'>  punish  the  sins  of  his  own 
people.  The  word  anger  here  refers  to 
the  indignation  of  God  against  the 
sins  of  the  Jewish  people.  II  And  the 
staff.  The  word  staff  here  is  synony- 
mous with  rod,  as  an  instrument  of 
chastisement  or  punishment  Ch.  ix. 
4,  eomp.  v.  24.  Nah  i.  13.  Ezek.  vii. 
It).  1:  In  their  hand.  There  has  been 
considerahle  variety  in  tli<  interpreta- 
tion of  this  passage.  Lowth  and  I^oyes 
read  it,  "  the  staff  in  whose  hand  is 
the  instrument  of  my  indignation  " 
This  interpretation  Lowth  adopts  by 
omitting  the  word  Klfl  on  the  authority 
of  the  Alexandrine  copy  of  the  LXX 
and  five  IVISS.,  two  of  them  ancient, 
Jerome  reads  it,  "  wo  to  the  Assyrian  ! 
He  is  the  staff  and  the  rod  of  my  fury, 
in  their  hand  is  my  indignation."  So 
Forerius,  Ludovicus  de  Dieu,  Cocceius 
and  others.  Vitringa  reads  it,  "  and 
in  the  hands  of  those  who  are  my  rod 
is  my  indignation."  Schmidius  and 
Rosenm  tiller,  "  and  the  rod  which  is  in 
their  hands,  is  the  rod  of  mine  indigna- 
tion "  There  is  no  necessity  for  any 
change  in  the  text.  The  Hebrew, 
literally,  is/  Wo  to  the  Assyrian  !  Rod 
of  my  anger!  And  he  is  the  staff.  In 
their  hands  is  my  indignation.'  The 
sense  is  sufficiently  clear,  that  the  As- 
syrian was  appointed  to  inflict  punish- 
ment on  a  rebellious  people  as  the  in- 
strument of  God.  The  Chaldee  ren- 
ders it,  '  Wo  to  the  Assyrian  !  The 
dominion  [power,  ruler]  of  my  fury, 
and  the  Angel  sent  from  my  face 
against  them  tor  a  malediction.'  LXX, 
"  And  wrath  in  their  hands."  IT  In 
their  hand.      In  lb*  hand  of  the  Assy- 


spoil,  and  to  take  the  prey,  and 
to  'tread  them  down  'like  the 
mire  of  the  streets. 

7  Howbeit  "he  meaneth  not  so, 

t  ch.  37.  20.  u  Mioah  i.  12 

rians,  where  the  word  "  Assyrian "  ia 
taken  as  referring  to  the  king  of  Assy- 
ria as  the  representative  of  the  nation. 
6.  /  will  send  him.  Implying  that 
he  was  entirely  in  the  hand  of  God  and 
subject  to  his  direction;  and  showing 
that  God  has  control  over  kings  and 
conquerors  Pro  v.  xxi.  1 .  IT 
an  hypocritical  nation.  Whether  the 
prophet  here  refers  to  Ephraim,  or  to 
Judah,  or  to  the  Jewish  people  in  gene- 
ral, has  been  an  object  of  inquiry  among 
interpreters.  As  the  designs  of  Senna- 
cherib were  mainly  against  Judah,  it  is 
probable  that  that  part  of  the  nation 
was  intended.  This  is  evidently  the 
case,  if,  as  has  been  supposed,  the  pro- 
phecy  was  uttered  alter  the  captivity 
of  the  ten  tribes.  Si  e  v  r.  :20.  It 
need  scarcely  be  remarked,  that  it  was 
eminently  the  characteristic  of  the 
nation  that  they  wen-  hypocritical. 
Comp.  Isa.  ix.  17.  Matth.  xv.  17. 
Mark  vii.  6.  tf  And  against  the  peo- 
ple of  my  wrath.  That  is,  those  who 
were  the  objects  of  my  wrath  ;  or  Un- 
people on  whom  I  am  about  to  pour  out 
my  indignation.  IT  To  take  the  spoil. 
To  plunder  them.  IT  And  to  tread 
them  down.  Heb.  And  to  make  them 
a  treading  doicn.  The  expression  ia 
drawn  from  war,  where  the  vanquished 
and  the  slain  are  trodden  down  by  the 
horses  of  the  conquering  army.  It 
means  here,  that  the  Assyrian  would 
humble  and  subdue  the  people. ;  ■that  he 
would  trample  indignantly  on  the  nation, 
regarding  them  with  contempt,  and  no 
more  to  be  esteemed  than  the  mire  of 
the  streets.  A  similar  figure  occurs  in 
Zech.  x.  5:  "And  they  shall  be  as 
mighty  men  which  tread  down  their 
enemies  in  the  mire  of  the  streets  in 
battle." 

7.  Howbeit  he  meaneth  not  so.  It 
is  not  his  purpose  to  be  the  instrument 
in  the  hand  of  God  of  executing  his  de- 
signs     He  has  a  different  plan  ;  a  plas 


B.  C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


221 


neither  doth  his  heart  think  so  ; 
but  it  is  in  his  heart  to  destroy 
and  cut  off  nations  not  a  few. 


of  his  own  which  he  intends  to  accom- 
plish. ^[  Neither  doth  his  heart  think 
so.  He  does  not.  intend  or  design  it. 
The  heart  here  is  put  to  express  pur- 
pose, or  will.  ^[  It  is  in  his  heart  to 
cut  orf  nations.  Utterly  to  destroy,  or 
to  annihilate  their  political  existence. 
T[  Not  a  few.  The  ambitious  purpose 
of  Sennacherib  was  not  confined  to 
Judea.  His  plan  was  also  to  invade 
and  to  conquer  Egypt;  and  thedestruc- 
tion  of  Judea  was  only  a  part  of  his 
scheme.  Isa.  xx.  This  is  a  most  re- 
markable instance  of  the  supremacy 
which  God  assertsoverthepurposesof 
wicked  men.  Sennacherib  formed  his 
own  plan  without  compulsion.  He  de- 
vised large  purposes  of  ambition,  and 
intended  to  devastate  kingdoms.  And 
yet  God  says  that  he  was  under  his 
direction,  and  that  his  plans  would  be 
overruled  to  further  his  own  purposes. 
Thus  "  the  wrath  of  man  would  be 
made  to  praise  him."  Ps.  lxxvi.  10. 
And  from  this  we  may  learn,  (1.) 
That  wicked  men  form  their  plans  and 
devices  with  perfect  freedom.  They 
(ay  their  schemes  as  if  there  were  no 
•superintending  Providence ;  and  feel 
— correctly — that  they  are  not  under 
the  laws  of  compulsion,  or  of  fate. 
(2 )  That  God  presides  over  their 
.schemes,  and  suffers  them  to  be  formed 
and  executed  with  reference  to  his  own 
purposes.  (3.)  That  the  plans  of 
wicked  men  often,  though  they  do  not 
intend  it,  go  to  execute  the  purposes 
of  God  Their  schemes  result  in  just 
what  they  did  not  intend — the  further- 
ance of  his  plans,  and  the  promotion 
of  his  glory.  (4  )  That  their  plans  are 
nevertheless  wicked  and  abominable. 
They  are  to  be  judged  according  to 
what  they  are  in  themselves,  and  not 
according  to  the  use  which  God  may 
make  of  them  by  counteracting  or  over- 
ruling them.  Their  intention  is  evil ; 
and  by  that  they  must  be  judged.  That 
God  brings  good  out  of  them  is  con- 
trary to   their  design,  and  a  thing  for 


8.  For  he  saith,  Are  not  my 
princes  altogether  kings  ? 


which  they  deserve  no  credit,  and 
should  receive  no  reward.  (5.)  The 
wicked  are  in  the  hands  of  God.  (6.) 
There  is  a  superintending  Providence; 
and  men  cannot  defeat  the  purposes  of 
tlie  Almighty.  This  extends  to  princes 
on  their  thrones ;  to  the  rich,  the  great, 
and  the  mighty,  as  well  as  to  the  poor 
and  the  humble — and  to  the  humble  as 
well  as  to  the  rich  and  the  great.  ( h  er 
all  men  is  this  superintending  and  con- 
trolling Providence;  and  all  are  sub- 
ject to  the  direction  of  God.  (3.)  It 
has  often  happened,  in/act,  that  the 
plans  of  wielced  men  have  been  made  to 
contribute  to  the  purposes  of  God.  In- 
stances like  those  of  Pharaoh,  of  Cyrus 
and  of  Sennacherib  ;  of  Pontius  Pilate, 
and  of  the  kings  and  emperors  who 
persecuted  the  early  Christian  church, 
show  that  they  are  in  the  hand  of  God, 
and  that  he  can  overrule  their  wrath 
and  wickedness  to  his  glory.  The 
madness  of  Pharaoh  was  the  occasion 
of  the  signal  displays  of  the  power  of 
God  in  Egypt.  The  wickedness,  and 
weakness,  and  flexibility  of  Pilate 
was  the  occasion  of  the  atonement 
made  for  the  sins  of  the  world.  And 
the  church  rose  in  its  primitive  bright- 
ness and  splendour  amid  the  flames 
which  persecution  kindled,  and  was 
augmented  in  numbers,  and  in  moral 
loveliness  and  power,  just  in  proportion 
as  the  wrath  of  monarchs  raged  to  de- 
stroy it. 

8.  For  he  saith.  This  verse,  and  the 
subsequent  verses  to  ver.  11,  contain 
the  vaunting  of  the  king  of  Assyria, 
and  the  descriptions  of  his  own  confi- 
dence of  success.  IT  Are  not  my  princes 
altogether  kings?  This  is  a  confident 
boast  of  his  own  might  and  power.  His 
own  dominion  was  so  great  that  even 
his  princes  were  endowed  with  the 
ordinary  power  and  regalia  of  kings. 
The  word  princes  may  here  refer  either 
to  those  of  his  own  family  and  court — 
to  the  satraps  and  officers  of  power  in 
his   arrny,    or  around   his   throne ;    oi 


222 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. 13* 


y  2  Chron.  35.  20. 


3  2  Kings  16.  9. 


9  Is   not  ""Calno*  as  Carche-    pad  ?  is  not  Samaria  as  *Damas 
mish  VJ    is    not  llamath  as  Ar-     cus  ? 

W  2  Kings  18.  33.  19.  12,  13.        X  Amos  6.  2. 

<m>re  probably  it  may  refer  to  the  sub- 
ordinate governors  whom  lie  had  set 
over  the  provinces,  which  he  had  con- 
quered. 'Are  they  not  clothed  with 
royal  pow-er  and  majesty?  Are  they 
not  of  equal  splendour  with  the  other 
monarch*  of  the  earth  I '  How  great 
then  mast  have  beet  his  oten  rank  and 
glory  1 1'  be  placed  otwsach  illustrious 
sovereigns]  It  will  be  recollected  that 
a  Common  title  which  Oriental  mon- 
archsgive  themselves^  is  that  of  King 
of  Kings.  See  Fzek.  xxvi.  7.  Dan. 
ii.  87.  Ezra  vii.  12.  The  Oriental 
princes  are  still  distinguished  for  their 
sounding  titles,  and  particularly  for 
their  claiming  dominion  overall  other 
princes,  ami  the  supremacy  over  all 
other  earthly  powers. 

9.  Is  not  Calno  as  Carchemish  t  The 
meaning  of  this  confident  boasting  is, 
that  none  of  the  cities  and  nations 
against  wmen  ne  nao.  directed  his  arms 
had  been  able  to  resist  him.  All  had 
•alien  before  him  ;  and  all  were  alike 
prostrate  at  his  feet.  Carchemish  had 
been  unable  to  resist  him,  and  Calno 
tiad  shared  the  same  fate.  Arpad  had 
♦alien  oefore  him,  and  Hamath  in  like 
mannei  had  heen  subdued.  The  words 
which  are  used  here  are  the  same  near- 
ly thai  Ranshakeh  used  when  he  was 
sent  by  Sennacherib  to  msult  Hezekiah 
and  the  Jews,  '^a  sxxvi  19  2  Kings 
xviii.  34.  Cub'..o  wat-  a  citv  in  the  land 
of  Shinar,  and  was  prooaulv  the  city 
built  by  Nimrod,  called  n  lit-u  %..  10, 
Calmeh,  and  at  one  time  Me  capital  ot 
his  empire.  It  is  mentioned  by  Eze- 
kiel,  xxvii.  23.  According  to  the  Tar- 
gmns,  Jerome,  Eusebius  and  others, 
Calno  or  Calnch  was  the  same  city  as 
Ctesiphon,  a  large  city  on  tlie  bank  ot 
the  Tigris,  and  opposite  to  Seleucia. 
Gesenius  and  Calinet.  IT  Carchemish. 
This  was  a  city  on  the  Euphrates,  be- 
longing to  Assyria.  It  was  taken  by 
Necho,  king  of  Egypt,  and  re-taken 
b\  Nebuchadnezzar  in  the  fourth  year 
of  Jehoiachin,  king  of  Judah.  2  Kings 


xxiii.  29.  Probably  it  is  the  same 
city  as  Cercusium  or  Kerkisia,  which 
is  situated  in  the  angle  formed  by  the 
junction  of  the  Ohebar  and  the  Eu- 
phrates. Comp.  Jer.  xlvi.  2.  2  Chron. 
xxv.  20.  ^[  llamath,  This  was  a  cele- 
brated city  of  Syria.  It  is  referred  to  in 
Gen.  x.  18,  as  the  seat  of  one  of  the 
tribes  of  Canaan.  It  is  often  mentioned 
as  the  northern  limit  of  Canaan  in  its 
widest  extent.  Num.  xiii.  21.  Josh.  xiii. 
5.  Judgesiii.  3.  The  Assyrians  became 
masters  of  this  city  about  753  years 
before  Christ.  2Kingsxvii.  24.  Burek- 
hardt  mentions  this  city  as  situated  on 
both  sides  of  the  river  Orontes.  The 
town  is  at  present  of  considerable  ex- 
tent, and  contains  about  30,000  inha- 
bitants. There  are  four  bridges  over 
the  Orontes  in  the  town.  The  trade 
of  the  town  now  is  with  the  Arabs, 
who  buy  here  their  tent -furniture  and 
their,  clothes.  This  city  was  visited 
by  the  Rev.  Eli  Smith  in  1834.  It  lies, 
says  he,  on  the  narrow  valley  of  the 
'Asy ;  and  is  so  nearly  concealed  by 
the  high  banks,  that  one  sees  little  ol 
it  until  he  actually  comes  up  to  the 
gates.  See  Robinson's  Bibli.  Research. 
vol.  iii.  appendix,  pp.  176, 177.  IT  ^4?- 
pad.  This  city  was  not  far  from  Ha- 
math, and  is  called  by  the  Greeks  Epi- 
phania.  2  Kings  xviii.  34.  V  Samaria. 
The  capital  of  Israel  or  Ephraim. 
From  the  mention  of  this  place,  it  is 
evident  that  this  prophecy  was  written 
after  Samaria  had  been  destroyed.  See 
Notes  on  ch.  vii.  9,  xxviii.  1.  IT  ,4s 
Damascus.  The  capital  of  Syria.  See 
Note  ch.  vii.  9,  and  the  Analysis  of 
ch  xvij  The  LXX  have  varied  in 
their  translation  here  considerably  from 
the  Hebrew.  They  render  these  verses, 
'  and  lie  saith,  have  1  not  taken  the 
region  beyond  Babylon,  and  Chalane, 
where  the  tower  was  built,  and  I  have 
taken  Arabia,  and  Damascus,  and 
Samaria.'  The  mam  idea,  however, 
the  boast  of  the  king  ot  Assyria,  is  re- 
tained. 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


223 


10  As  my  hand  hath  found 
the  kingdoms  of  the  idols,  and 
whose  graven  images  did  exeel 
them   of  Jerusalem    and   of  Sa- 


10,  11.  The  argument  in  these  two 
verses  is  this :  '  The  nations  which  I 
have  subdued  were  professedly  under 
the  protection  of  idol  gods.  Yet  those 
idols  were  not  able  to  defend  them — 
though  stronger  than  the  gods  wor- 
shipped by  Jerusalem  and  Samaria. 
And  is  there  any  probability,  therefore, 
that  the  protection  on  which  you  who 
are  Jews  are  leaning,  will  be  able-to 
deliver  you  ?'  Jerusalem  he  regarded 
as  an  idolatrous  city  like  others  ;  and 
as  all  others  had  hitherto  been  unable 
to  retard  his  movements,  he  inferred 
that  it  would  be  so  with  Jerusalem. 
This  is,  therefore,  the  confident  boast- 
ing of  a  man  who  regarded  himself  as 
able  to  vanquish  all  the  gods  that  the 
nations  worshipped.  The  same  confi- 
dent boasting  he  uttered  when  he  sent 
messengers  to  Hezekiah.  2  Kings  xix. 
12 :  "  Have  the  gods  of  the  nations 
delivered  them  which  my  father  de- 
stroyed ;  as  Gozan,  and  Haran,  and 
Rezeph  ;  and  the  children  of  Eden 
which  were  in  Thelasar  V  Isa.  xxxvi. 
18,  19,  20 :  "  Hath  any  of  the  gods  of 
the  nations  delivered  his  land  out  of 
the  hand  of  the  king  of  Assyria  ?  Where 
are  the  gods  of  Hamath,  and  of  Ar- 
phad  '?  Where  are  the  gods  of  Sephar- 
vaim  ?  And  have  they  delivered  Sama- 
ria out  of  my  hand  ]"  H  Hath  found- 
That  is,  '  I  have  found  them  unable  to 
defend  themselves  by  their  trust  in  their 
idols,  and  have  subdued  them.'  If  The 
kingdoms  of  the  idols.  The  kingdoms 
that  worship  idols  IT  And  whose  graven 
images.  That  is,  whose  idols  ;  or 
whose  representations  of  the  gods. 
The  word  properly  signifies  that  which 
is  hewn  or  cut  out ;  and  then  the  block 
of  wood  or  stone  that  is  carved  into  an 
image  of  the  god.  Here  it  refers  to  the 
gods  themselves,  probably,  as  having 
been  found  to  be  impotent,  though  he 
supposed  them  to  be  more  powerful 
than  those  of  Jerusalem  and  Samaria. 


11  Shall  I  not,  as  T  have  done 
unto  Samaria  and  her  idols,  so 
do  to  Jerusalem  and  her  idols  ? 

12  Wherefore  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  that,  when  the   Lord   hath 


H  Did  excel.  Heb.  '  More  than  Jeru- 
salem,' where  the  preposition  a  mem 
is  used  to  denote  comparison.  They 
were  more  to  be  dreaded  ;  or  more 
mighty  than  those  of  Jerusalem.  U  Of 
Jerusalem.  Jerusalem  and  Samaria 
had  often  been  guilty  of  the  worship 
of  idols  ;  and  it  is  probable  that  Sen- 
nacherib regarded  them  as  idolaters  in 
the  same  sense  as  other  nations.  They 
had  given  occasion  for  this  suspicion 
by  their  having  often  fallen  into  idola- 
trous habits  ;  and  the  Assyrian  mon- 
arch did  not  regard  them  as  in  any 
manner  distinguished  from  surrounding 
nations.  It  is  not  improbable  that  he 
was  aware  that  Jerusalem  worshipped 
Jehovah  (comp.  Isa.  xxxvi.  20)  ;  but 
he  doubtless  regarded  Jehovah  as  a 
mere  tutelary  divinity — the  peculiar 
god  of  that  land,  as  Baal,  Ashteroth, 
&c.  were  of  the  countries  in  which 
they  were  adored.  For  it  was  a  com- 
mon doctrine  among  ancient  idolaters 
that  each  nation  had  its  peculiar  god  ; 
that  the  claims  of  that  god  were  to  be 
respected  and  regarded  in  that  nation; 
and  that  thus  all  nations  should  wor- 
ship their  own  gods  undisturbed.  Je- 
hovah was  thus  regarded  as  the  tute- 
lary god  of  the  Jewish  nation.  The 
sin  of  Sennacherib  consisted  in  con- 
founding Jehovah  with  false  gods,  and 
in  then  setting  him  at  defiance. 

11.  Shall  1  not,  &c.  '  Shall  I  not 
meet  with  the  same  success  at  Jeru- 
salem that  I  have  elsewhere  ?  As 
I  have  overcome  all  others,  and  as 
Jerusalem  has  no  peculiar  advantages  ; 
as  the  gods  of  other  nations  were  more 
in  number  and  mightier  than  those  of 
Jerusalem,  and  yet  were  unable  to 
resist  me,  what  is  there  in  Jerusalem 
that  can  stay  my  progress?' 

12.  Wherefore,  &c.  In  this  verse 
God,  by  the  prophet,  threatens  punish- 
ment to  the  king  of  Assyria  for  his 
pride  and  wicked  designs.    IT  His  whole 


224 


JSAIAH. 


[B.C.  T3S. 


performed  his  whole  work  upon  13    For     he     saith,    By    the 

Mount  Zion  and  on  Jerusalem,  I  strength  of  my  hand  I  have  done 

will  punish  cthe  fruit  of  the  7stout  it,  and  by  my  wisdom;   for  I  am 

heart  of  the  king  of  Assyria,  and  prudent:     and    I    have    removed 

the  giory  of  his  high  dlooks.  the    bounds  of  the    people,  and 

6  visit  upon.              c  Jer.  SO.  15.  7  greatness  of  the  heart.         d  Ps.  18.  27. 


work.  His  entire  plan  in  regard  to  the 
punishment  of  the  Jews.  He  sent  the 
king  of  Assyria  for  a  specific  purpose 
to  execute  his  justice  x>n  the  people  of 
Jerusalem.  That  plan  he  would  exe- 
cute entirely  by  the  hand  of  Sennache- 
rib, and  would  then  inflict  deserved 
punishment  on  Sennacherib  himself  for 
his  wicked  purposes,  t  Upon  Mount 
Zion.  Mount  Zion  was  a  part  of 
Jerusalem  (see  Note  eh.  i  8),  but  it 
was  the  residence  of  the  court,  the 
dwelling-place  of  David  and  his  suc- 
cessors ;  and  perhaps  here,  where  it  is 
mentioned  ns  distinct  from  Jerusalem, 
it  refers  to  the  court,  the  princes,  no- 
bles, or  the  government.  '  I  will  exe- 
cute my  purposes  against  the  govern- 
ment, and  the  people  of  the  city.'  H  / 
will  punish.  Heb.  '  I  will  visit ;'  but 
here  evidently  used  to  denote  punish- 
ment. Note  ver.  3.  IT  The  fruit  of 
the  stout  heart.  Heb.  '  The  fruit  of  the 
greatness  of  the  heart.'  The  '  great- 
ness of  the  heart,'  is  a  Hebraism  for 
pride  of  heart,  or  great  swelling  designs 
and  plans  formed  in  the  heart.  Fruit 
is  that  which  a  tree  or  the  earth  pro- 
duces ;  and  then  any  thing  which  is 
produced  or  brought  forth  in  any  way. 
Here  it  means  that  which  a  proud  heart 
had  produced  or  designed,  that  is,  plans 
of  pride  and  ambition  ;  schemes  of  con- 
quest and  of  blood.  IT  The  glory  of  his 
high  looks.  Heb. '  the  glory  of  the  lift- 
ing up  of  his  eyes' — an  expression  in- 
dicative of  pride  nnd  haughtiness.  The 
word  '  glory '  here  evidently  refers  to 
the  self-complacency,  and  the  air  of 
majesty  and  haughtiness,  whk'h  a  proud 
man  assumes.  In  this  verse  we  see, 
(1  )  That  God  will  accomplish  all  the 
purposes  of  which  he  designs  to  make 
wicked  men  the  instruments.  Their 
schemes  shall  be  successful  just  so  far 
as  they  may  contribute  to  his  plans, 
and    no    farther.      (2.)  When   that  is 


done,  they  are  completely  in  his  power, 
and  under  his  control.  He  can  stay 
their  goings  when  he  pleases,  and  sub- 
due them  to  lus  will.  (3  )  The  feet 
that  they  have  been  made  to  further 
the  plans  of  GoJ,  and  to  execute  bis. 
designs,  will  liot  free  them  from  de- 
served punishment  They  meant  not 
so  ;  and  they  will  be  dealt  with  accord- 
ing to  their  intentions,  and  not  accord- 
ing to  God's  design  to  overrule  diem. 
Their  plans  were  wicked,  and  if  God 
brings  good  out  of  them  it  is  contrary 
to  their  intention,  and  hence  they  are 
not  to  be  screened  from  punishment 
because  he  brings  good  out  of  their 
plans  contrary  to  their  design  (4.) 
Wicked  men  are  in  fact  often  thus 
punished.  Nothing  is  more  common 
on  earth  ;  and  all  the  woes  of  hell  will 
be  an  illustration  of  the  principle.  Out 
of  all  evil  God  shall  educe  good  ;  and 
even  from  the  punishment  of  the 
damned  themselves  he  will  take  occa- 
sion to  illustrate  his  own  perfections, 
and  in  that  display  of  his  just  character 
promote  the  happiness  of  holy  beings. 
13.  For  he  smth.  The  king  of  As- 
syria saith.  This  verse  and  the  folio  fir- 
ing are  designed  to  show  the  reason 
why  the  king  of  Assyria  should  be  tluis 
punished.  It  was  on  account  of  hia 
pride  and  wicked  plans.  He  sought 
not  the  glory  of  God,  but  purposed  \n 
do  evil.  U  For  I  nm  prudent.  I  am 
wise ;  attributing  his  success  to  hit 
own  understanding  rather  than  to  God. 
1T  /  have  removed  the  bounds  of  tht 
people.  That  is, '  I  have  changed  thf 
limits  of  kingdoms  ;  I  have  taken  away 
the  old  boundaries,  and  made  new  ones 
at  my  pleasure.  I  have  divided  them 
into  kingdoms  and  provinces  as  1 
pleased.'  No  higher  assumption  of 
power  could  have  been  made  than  thus 
to  have  changed  the  ancient  limits  of 
empires,   and    remodelled  them  at  his 


ti.C.  738. J 


CHAPTER  X. 


225 


have  robbed  their  treasures,  and 
I  have  put  down  the  inhabitants 
like  8a  valiant  man  : 

14  And  my  hand  hath  found, 
as  a  nest,  the  riches  of  the  peo- 
ple :  and  as  one  gathereth  eggs 

8  or,  many  people. 

will.  It  was  claiming  that  he  had  so 
extended  his  own  empire  as  to  have 
effectually  blotted  out  the  ancient  lines 
which  had  existed,  so  that  they  were 
now  all  one  and  under  his  control.  So 
a  man  who  buys  farms  and  annexe* 
them  to  his  own,  takes  away  the  an- 
cient limits ;  he  runs  new  lines  as  he 
pleases,  and  unites  them  all  into  one. 
This  was  the  claim  which  Sennacherib 
set  up  over  nations.  1T  Have  rolled 
their  treasures.  Their  hoarded  wealth. 
This  was  another  instance  of  the  claim 
which  he  set  up  of  power  and  dominion. 
The  treasures  of  kingdoms  which  had 
been  hoarded  for  purposes  of  peace  or 
war  he  had  plundered,  and  had  appro- 
priated to  his  own  use.  Comp.  Note 
wi  ch.  xlvi  3.  V  J  have  put  down  the 
inhabitants.  I  have  subdued  them ; 
have  vanquished  them.  1  As  a  valiant 
man.  l^aKB  .  Marg.  Many  people. 
The  Keri,  or  Hebrew  marginal  read- 
ing, is  "V3S  without  the  X ,  a  mighty 
or  strong  man.  The  sense  is  not  ma- 
terially different.  It  is  a  claim  that  he 
had  evinced  might  and  valour  in  bring- 
ing down  nations.  Lowth  renders  it, 
"  them  that  were  strongly  seated." 
N'oyes,  "  them  that  sat  upon  thrones." 
The  Chaldee  renders  the  verse,  not 
literally,  but  according  to  the  sense, 
"  I  have  made  people  to  migrate  from 
province  to  province,  and  have  plun- 
dered the  cities  that  were  the  subjects 
of  praise,  and  have  brought  down  by 
strength  those  who  dwelt  in  fortified 
places  "  Our  translation  has  given  the 
sense  correctly. 

14.  And  my  hand  hath  found,  as  a 
nest.  By  a  beautiful  and  striking  fig- 
ure here,  the  Assyrian  monarch  is  rep- 
resented as  describing  the  ease  with 
which  he  had  subdued  kingdoms,  and 
rified  them  of  their  treasures.  No 
10* 


that  are  left,  have  I  gathered  all 
the  earth  ;  and  there  was  none 
that  moved  the  wing,  or  opened 
the  mouth,  or  peeped. 

15  Shall   the  axe  boast  itself 
against  him   that  heweth  there- 


resistance  had  been  offered.  He  had 
taken  them  with  as  little  opposition  as 
a  rustic  takes  posession  of  a  nest  with 
its  eggs  or  young  when  the  parent 
bird  is  away.  II  Eggs  that  are  left. 
That  is,  eggs  that  are  left  of  the  parent 
bird  ;  when  the  bird  from  fright,  or  any 
other  cause,  has  gone,  and  when  no 
resistance  is  offered.  IT  Have  I  gath- 
ered all  the  earth.  That  is,  I  have 
subdued  and  plundered  it.  This  shows 
the  height  of  his  self-confidence  and  his 
arrogant  assumptions.  IT  That  moved 
the  wins.  Keeping  up  the  figure  of  the 
nest.  There  was  none  that  offered 
resistance — as  an  angry  bird  does  when 
her  nest  is  about  to  be  robbed.  If  Or 
opened  the  mouth.  To  make  a  noise 
in  alarm.  The  dread  of  him  produced 
perfect  silence  and  submission.  IT  Or 
peeped.  Or  that  chirped — the  noise 
made  by  young  birds.  Note  ch.  viii. 
19.  The  idea  is,  that  such  was  the 
dread  of  his  name  and  power  that  there 
was  universal  silence.  None  dared  to 
resist  the  terror  of  his  arms. 

15.  Shall  the.  axe,  &c.  In  this  verse 
God  reproves  the  pride  and  arrogance 
of  the  Assyrian  monarch.  He  does  it 
by  reminding  him  that  he  was  the  mere 
instrument  in  his  hand,  to  accomplish 
his  purposes ;  and  that  it  was  just  as 
absurd  for  him  to  boast  of  what  he  had 
done  as  it  would  be  for  the  axe  to  boast 
when  it  had  been  wielded  with  effect. 
In  the  axe  there  is  no  wisdom,  no  skill, 
no  power ;  and  though  it  may  lay  the 
forest  low,  yet  it  is  not  by  any  skill  or 
power  which  it  possesses.  So  with  the 
Assyrian  monarch  Though  nations 
had  trembled  at  his  power,  yet  he  was 
in  the  hand  of  God,  and  had  been  di- 
rected by  an  unseen  arm  in  accom 
j  plishing  the  designs  of  the  Ruler  of  the 
|  Universe  Though  himself  free,  yet 
i  he  was  under  the  direction  of  God,  aud 


226 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  139 


with?  or  shall  the   saw  magnify  I  if  the  staff  should   lift  up  "itself 
itself  against  him  that  shaketh  it  ?    as  if  it  were  no  wood, 
as  if  'the  rod  should  shake  itself         16  Therefore  2shall  the  Lord, 
against  them  that  lift  it  up,  or  as     the  Lord  of  hosts,   send    among 

1  or.  a  rod  should  shake  them.  |      2  or,  that  which  is  not  wood.       z  Acts  12.  23. 


had   been  so  directed  as  to  accomplish 
his  designs.    IT  The  saw  magnify  itself. 
That  is,  boast  or  exalt  itself  against  or 
over  him  that  uses  it.     T  That  shaketh 
it.     Or  moves  it  backwards  and  for- 
wards for  the  purpose  of  sawing.     IT  As 
if  the  rod.     A  rod  is  an  instrument  of 
chastisement  or  punishment  ;  and  such 
God    regarded    the    king    of   Assyria. 
IT  Should  shake  itself,  &c.     The  He- 
brew in  this  place  is  as  in  the  margin  : 
'  a  rod  should  shake  them   that  lift  it 
up  '    But  the  sense  is  evidently  retained 
in  our  translation,  as  i his  accords  with 
all   the   other   members   of  the   verse, 
where  the  leading  idea  is,  the  absurdity 
that  a  mere   instrument  should  exalt 
itself  against  him  who  makes  use  of  it. 
In  this  manner  the  preposition  5?  over, 
or    against,    is    evidently    understood. 
So  the  Vulgate  and  the  Syriac.     IT  The 
staff.     This  word  here  is  synonymou? 
with  roil,  and   denotes  an   instrument 
of  chastisement.     IT  As  if  it   were   no, 
wood.     That  is,  as  if  it  were  a  moral 
agent,   itself  the   actor  or   deviser   of 
what  it  is  made   to   do.     It  would  be 
impossible   to    express    more    strongly 
the  idea  intended  here,  that  the  Assy- 
rian was  a  mere  instrument  in  the  hand 
of  God  to  accomplish  his  purposes,  and 
to  be  employed  at  his  will.     The  state- 
ment of  this  truth  is  designed  to  hum- 
ble him  :  and  if  there  be  any  truth  that 
will  humble  sinners,  it  is,  that  they  are 
in  the  hands  of  God  ;  that  he  will  ac- 
complish  his   purposes  by  them  ;  that 
when  they  are  laying  plans  against  lii'ii 
he  will  overrule  them  for  his  own  glo- 
ry ;  and  that  they  will  be  arrested,  re- 
strained, or  directed,  just  as  he  pleases. 
— Man,  in  his  schemes  of  pride   and 
vanity,  therefore,  should  not  boast.    He 
is  under  the  God  of  nations;   and  it  is 
one  part  oi  his  administration  to  control 
and  govern  all  THE  intellect  in  the 
universe.     In  all  these  passages,  how- 
tver,  there  is  not  the  slightest  intima- 


tion that  the  Assyrian  was  not  free. 
There  is  no  fate  ;  no  compulsion.  He 
regarded  himself  as  a  free  moral  agent ; 
he  did  what  he  pleased ;  lie  never 
supposed  that  he  was  urged  on  by  any 
power  that  violated  his  own  liberty. 
If  he  did  what  he  pleased,  he  was  free 
And  so  it  is  with  all  sinners.  They 
do  as  they  please.  They  form  and 
execute  such  plans  as  they  choose  ;  and 
God  overrules  their  designs  to  accom- 
plish his  own  purposes  The  Targum 
of  Jonathan  has  given  the  senseof  this 
passage  :  "  Shall  the  axe  boast  against 
him  who  uses  it,  saying,  I  have  cut 
[wood]  ;  or  the  saw  boast  against  him 
who  moves  it,  saying,  I  have  sawed  ? 
When  the  rod  is  raised  to  smile,  it  is 
not  the  rod  that  smites,  but  he  who 
smites  with  it." 

16.    Therefore  shall  the  Lord     Heb. 

'"HX  Ad  on.  IT  The  Lord  of  hosts. 
In  the  present  Hebrew  text  the  original 
word  is  also  "^"l*?.  adondi,  but  lifty-two 
MSS.  and  six  editions  read  Jehovah. 
On  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  the  Lord 
of  hosts,  see  Note  ch.  i.  9.  This  verse 
contains  a  threatening  of  the  punish- 
ment that  would  come  upon  the  Assy- 
rian for  his  insolence  and  pride,  and 
the  remainder  of  the  chapter  is  mainly 
occupied  with  the  details  of  that  pun 
ishment.  The  punishment  here  threat- 
ened is,  that  while  he  appeared  to  be  a 
victor,  and  was  boasting  of  success  and 
of  his  plunder,  God  would  send  lean- 
ness— as  a  body  becomes  wasted  with 
disease.  T  His  fat  ones.  That  is, 
those  who  had  fattened  on  the  spoils 
of  victory ;  his  vigorous,  prosperous, 
and  flourishing  army.  The  ^prophe" 
here  evidently  intends  to  describe  his 
numerous  army  glutted  with  the  tro- 
phies of  victory,  and  revelling  on  the 
spoils.  IT  Leanness  They  shall  be 
emaciated  and  reduced  ;  their  vigour 
and  strength  shall  be  diminished.  In 
Ps.  cvi.   15,  the   word   leanness,  "pin 


B.C.T38.] 


CHAfTkK    \ 


2'21 


his  fat  ones"  leanness  ;  and  un- 
der his  glory  he  shall  kindle  a 
burning  like  the  burning  of  a 
fire. 

17  And  the  light  of  Israel 
shall  be  for  a  fire,d  and  his  Holy 

a  Ps.  IOC.  15.       d  Heb.  12.  29.       /ch.  37.  36. 

rdzon,  is  used  to  denote  destruction, 
disease.  Id  Micah  vi.  10,  it  denotes 
diminution,  scantiness  —  "the  scant 
ephah."  Here  it  denotes  evidently 
that  the  army  which  was  so  large  and 
vigorous,  should  waste  away  as  with 
a  pestilential  disease.  Comp.  ver.  19. 
The  fact  was,  that  of  that  vast  host  few 
escaped  The  angel  of  the  Lord  slew 
a  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand 
men  in  a  single  night.  2  Kings  xviii. 
35.  See  Notes  on  ch.  xxxviii.  36. 
1T  And  under  his  glory.  That  is,  be- 
neath the  boasted  honour,  might,  and 
magnificence  of  the  prcud  monarch. 
IT  lie  shall  kindle.  That  is,  God  shall 
suddenly  and  entirely  destroy  his  mag- 
nificence and  pride,  as  when  a  fire  is 
kindled  beneath  a  magnificent  temple. 
A  similar  passage  occurs  in  Zech. 
xii.  6 : 

In  that  day  I  will  make  the  governors  of  Judah 

Like  a  hearth  of  fire  among  the  wood, 

And  like  a  torch  of  rire  in  a  sheaf ; 

And  they  shall  devour  all  the  people  round  about. 

17.  And  the  light  of  Israel.  That 
is,  Jehovah.  The  word  light  here, 
""■X  ,  is  used  also  to  denote  a  fire,  or 
that  which  causes  light  and  heat.  See 
fv/.ek.  v.  2.  Isa.  xliv.  16,  xlvii.  14. 
Hi're  it  is  used  in  the  same  sense,  de- 
noting that  Jehovah  would  be  the  fire 
("T1X)  that  would  cause  ihefiatne  (^Sj) 
which  would  consume  the  Assyrian. 
Jehovah  is  often  compared  to  a  burn- 
ing flame,  or  fire.  Deut.  iv.  24,  ix.  3. 
Heb.  xii.  29.  H  Shall  be  for  a  fire. 
By  his  power  and  his  judgment  he  shall 
destroy  them.  IT  His  Holy  One.  Is- 
rael's Holy  One  ;  that  is,  Jehovah — 
often  called  in  the  Scriptures  the  Holy- 
One  of  Israel.  IT  And  it  shall  burn. 
That  is,  the  flame  that  Jehovah  shall 
Kindle,  or  his  judgments  that  he  shall 
Bend   forth.     H  And  devour  his  thorns 


One  ioi  ^  naint,  auu  n  shall 
burn  and  devuU:  :us  noi  ns  and 
his  briers  in  one-^  any 

18  And  shall  consume  the 
glory  of  his  forest,  and  of  his 
fruitful  field,3  both  soul  and   bo- 

3  from  the  soul,  and  even  to  the  flesh. 


and  hi*  briers.  An  expression  de- 
noting the  utter  impotency  of  all  the 
mighty  armies  of  the  Assyrian  to  resist 
Jehovah.  As  dry  thorns  and  briers 
cannot  resist  the  action  of  heat,  so 
certainly  and  speedily  would  the  armies 
of  Sennacherib  be  destroyed  before 
Jehovah.  Comp.  Note  ch.  ix.  18. 
Lowth  supposes  that  by  "  briers  and 
thorns  "  here  the  common  soldiers  of 
the  army  are  intended,  and  by  "  the 
glory  of  his  forest"  (ver.  18),  the 
princes,  officers,  and  nobles.  This  is 
doubtless  the  correct  interpretation  ; 
and  the  idea  is,  that  all  would  be  com- 
pletely consumed  and  destroyed.  IT  In 
one  day.  The  army  of  Sennacherib 
was  suddenly  destroyed  by  the  angel. 
See  Notes  on  ch.  xxxvii.  36. 

18.  The  glory  of  his  forest  In  these 
expressions  the  army  of  Sennacherib  is 
compared  with  a  beautiful  grove  thick, 
set  with  trees  ;  and  as  all  the  beauty 
of  a  grove  which  the  fire  overruns  is 
destroyed,  so,  says  the  prophet,  it  will 
be  with  the  army  of  the  Assyrian  under 
the  judgments  of  God.  If  the  "  briers 
and  thorns"  (ver.  17)  refer  to  the  com- 
mon soldiers  of  his  army,  then  the  glory 
of  the  forest — the  tall,  majestic  trees, 
refer  to  the  princes  and  nobles.  But 
this  mode  of  interpretation  should  not 
be  pressed  too  far.  IT  And  of  his  fruit' 
ful  field.  ft»*?W  .  The  word  used 
here — carmel — is  applied  commonly  to 
a  rich  mountain  or  promontory  on  the 
Mediterranean  on  the  southern  bound- 
ary of  the  tribe  of  Asher.  The  word, 
however,  properly  means  a  fruitful  field, 
a  finely  cultivated  country,  and  was 
given  to  Mount  Carrnel  on  this  account. 
In  this  place  it  has  no  reference  to  that 
mountain,  but  is  given  to  the  army  o*' 
Sennacherib  to  keep  up  the  figure 
which  the  prophet  commenced  in  ver. 


223 


ISA]  UI. 


[i^.C.738 


dy :  and  they  shall  be   as  when    of  his  forest  shall  be  'few,  that  s 


a  standard-bearer  fainteth. 

19  And  the  rest  of  the   trees 

17.     That    army,    numerous,   mighty, 
and  well  disciplined,  was  compared  to 
an  extensive  region  of  hill  and  vale  ; 
of  forests  and    fruitful    fields ;    but   it 
should   all   be   destroyed   as  when  the 
fire   runs  over  fields  and  forests,  and 
consumes  all  their  beauty.    Perhaps  in 
all  this,  there  may  be  allusion   to  the 
proud  boast  of  Sennacherib  (2  Kings 
xix.  23),   that   he   would   "  go  up  the 
sides  of  Lebanon,  and  cut  down  the 
cedars  thereof,  and  the  choice  fir-trees 
thereof,  and  enter  into   the   forest   of 
Carmel  "     In  allusion,  possibly,  to  this, 
the   prophet  says  that  God  would  cut 
down  the  tall  trees  and  desolate  the 
fruitful  field — the  '  carmel'  of  his  army, 
and  would  lay  all  waste.     IT  Both  soul 
dnd   body.     lleb.  From  the  soul,  to  the 
flesh  ;  i.  e.  entirely.     As  the  soul  and 
the  flesh,  or  body,  compose  the  tutu. 
man,  so  the  phrase  denotes  the  entire- 
ties.*  or    totality  of  any    thing      The 
army  would  be  totally  ruined.     IT  And 
they  shall  be  as  when  a  standard-bearer 
fainteth.    There  is  here  a  great  variety 
of  interpretation.     The  LXX  read  it, 
"  And  he  shall  flee  as  one  that  flees 
from  a  burning  flame."     This  reading 
Lowth  has  followed  ;  but  for  this  there 
is  not  the  slightest  authority  in  the  He- 
brew.   The  Vulgate  reads  it,  "  And  he 
shall  fly  for  terror,"  et  erit  terrors  pr'o- 
fugus.     The  Chaldee,  "And  he  shall 
be  broken,  and  shall  fly."    The  Syriac, 
"  And  he  shall  be  as  if  he  had  never 
been."     Probably  the  correct   idea  is, 
and  they  shall  be  as  when  a  sicl:  man 
wastes  away.     The  words  which  are 
used  (OOD  OO^S)  are  brought,  together 
for  the  sake  of  a  paronomasia — a  figure 
of  Bpeech  common  in  the  Hebrew     Hie 
word  rendered  in  our  version  fainteth 
(Ob"0  mesos)  is  probably  the  infinitive 
construct  of  the  verb  OO'B  m&sas,  to 
melt,  dissolve,  faint.      It  is  applied   to 
the  manna  that  was  dissolved  by  the 
heat  of  the  sun,  Ex.  xvi   21  ;  to  wax 
melted  by  the  fire,  Ps.  lxviii.  2  ;  to  a 


child  may  write  them. 


snail  that  consumes  away,  Ps.  lviii.  H  ; 
or  to  water  that  evaporates,  Ps.  lviii.  7. 
Hence  it  is  applied  to  the  heart,  ex- 
hausted of  its  vigour  and  spirit,  Job  vii. 
5 ;  to  things  decayed  that  have  lost 
their  strength,  I  Sam.  xv.  9  ;  to  a  loan 
or  tax  laid  upon  a  people  that  wastes 
and  exhausts  their  wealth.  It  has  the 
general  notion  therefore  of  melting, 
fainting,  sinking  away  with  the  loss  of 
strength.  Ps  xxii.  14,  cxii  10,  xcvii. 
5.  Isa.  xix.  1,  xiii.  7.  Josh.  ii.  11,  v.  1, 
vii.  5.  The  word  rendered  standard' 
bearer  (003;  is  from  the  verb  OOJ  „^. 
sas.  This  word  signifies  sometimes 
to  lift  up,  to  elevate,  or  to  erect  a  flag 
or  standard  to  public  view,  to  call  men 
to  arms,  Isa.  v.  26,  xi.  10,  12,  xiii:  2, 
xviii  3,  xlix.  22  ;  and  also  to  lift  up, 
or  to  exhibit  any  thing  as  a  judgment 
or  public  warning,  and  may  thus  be 
applied  to  divine  judgments  Gesenius 
i  riders  the  verb,  to  waste  away,  to  be 
sick.  In  Syriac  it  has  this  significa- 
tion. Taylor  (Heb.  con  )  says,  that  it 
does  not  appear  that  this  word  ever  has 
the  signification  of  a  military  standard 
under  which  armies  fight,  but  refers  to 
a  standard  or  ensign  to  call  men  toge- 
ther, or  to  indicate  alarm  and  danger. 
The  probable  signification  here,  is  that 
which  refers  it  to  a  man  wasting  away 
with  sickness,  whose  strength  and  rig- 
our are  gone,  and  who  becomes  we;.k 
and  helpless.  Thus  applied  to  th<=  As- 
syrian army,  it  is  very  striking.  Though 
mighty,  confident  and  vigorous — like 
a  man  in  full  health— yet  it  would  be 
like  a  vigorous  man  when  disease 
comes  upon  him,  and  he  pines  away 
and  sinks  to  the  grave. 

\9.  And  the  rest  of  the  trees,  <fec. 
Keeping  up  still  the  imape  of  a  la  rue 
and  once  dense  forest  to  vihich  he  had 
likened  the  Assyrian  army.  "  The 
rest"  here  means  that  which  shall  be 
left  after  the  threatened  judgment  shall 
come  upon  them.  1T  That  a  child  may 
write  them.     That  a  child  shall  be  ab!« 


fl.C.738.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


229 


20  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
in  that  day,  that  the  remnant  of 
Israel,  and  such  as  are  escaped 
of  the  house  of  Jacob,  shall  no 
more  again  stay  upon  him  that 
smote  them  ;h  but  shall  stay  up- 


h  2  Chron.  28  20. 


t<r  number  them,  or  write  their  names  ; 
that  is,  they  shall  be  very  few.  A 
child  can  number  or  count  but  few  ; 
yet  the  number  of  those  who  would  be 
left,  would  be  so  very  small  that  even 
a  child  could  count  them  with  ease. 
It  is  probable  that  a  few  of  the  army 
of  Sennacherib  escaped  (see  Note  ch. 
xxxvii.  37)  ;  and  compared  with  the 
whole  arm)'',  the  remnant  might  bear 
a  striking  resemblance  to  the  few  de- 
caying trees  of  a  once  magnificent  for- 
est of  cedars. 

20.  And  it  shall  come  to  piss.  The 
prophet  proceeds  to  state  the  effect  on 
the  Jews  of  the  judgment  that  would 
overtake  the  army  of  the  Assyrian. 
One  of  those  effects,  as  stated  in  this 
verse,  would  be,  that  they  would  be 
led  to  see  that  it  was  in  vain  to  look 
to  the  Assyrians  any  more  for  aid,  or 
to  form  any  further  alliance  with  them, 
but  that  they  should  trust  in  the  Lord 
alone.  IT  The  remnant  of  Israel. 
Those  that  would  be  left  after  the  As- 
syrian had  invaded  and  desolated  the 
land.  T  Shall  no  more  again  stay. 
Shall  no  more  depend  on  them.  Alli- 
ances had  been  formed  with  the  Assy- 
rians for  aid,  and  they  had  resulted  as 
all  alliances  formed  between  the  friends 
and  the  enemies  of  God  do.  They  are 
observed  as  long  as  it  is  for  the  interest 
or  the  convenience  of  God's  enemies  to 
observe  them  ;  and  then  his  professed 
friends  are  made  the  victims  of  perse- 
cution, invasion,  and  ruin.  IT  Upon 
him  that  smote  them.  Upon  the  Assy- 
rian, who  was  about  to  desolate  the 
land.  The  calamities  which  he  would 
bring  upon  them  would  be  the  main 
thing  which  would  open  their  eyes  and 
lead  them  to  forsake  the  alliance  One 
design  of  God's  permuting  the  Assyri- 
ans to  invade  the  land  was,  to  punish 
them  for  this  alliance,  anc1  to  induce 


or.  the  ^ord,  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel,  in  truth. 

21  The  remnantfc  shall  return, 
even  the  remnant  of  Jacob,  unto 
the  mighty  God. 

22  For  though  thy  people  Is- 


i  Hosea  14.  3. 


k  ch.  6.  13.  65.  3,  9. 


them  to  trust  in  God.  IT  But  shall 
stay,  &c.  They  shall  depend  upon 
Jehovah,  or  shall  trust  in  him  for  pro- 
tection and  defence.  IT  The  Holy  One 
of  Israel.  See  ver.  17.  IT  In  truth. 
They  shall  serve  him  sincerely  and 
heartily,  not  with  feigned  or  divided 
service.  They  shall  be  so  fully  satisfied 
that  the  Assyrian  cannot  aid  them, 
and  be  so  severely  punished  for  ever 
having  formed  an  alliance  with  him, 
that  they  shall  now  return  to  Jehovah, 
and  become  his  sincere  worshippers. 
In  this  verse,  the  prophet  refers  doubt- 
less to  the  times  of  Hezekiah,  and  tc- 
the  extensive  reformation  and  genera, 
prevalence  of  piety  which  would  take 
place  under  his  reign.  2  Chron.  xxxii. 
22-33.  Vitringa,  Cocceius,  Schmidius, 
&c,  however,  refer  this  to  the  time  of 
the  Messiah  ;  Vitringa  supposing  that 
the  prophet  refers  immediately  to  the 
times  of  Hezekiah,  but  in  a  secondary 
sense,  for  the  complete  fulfilment  of  the 
prophecy,  to  the  times  of  the  Messiah. 
But  it  is  not  clear  that  he  had  reference 
to  any  other  period  than  that  which 
would  immediately  follow  the  invasion 
of  Sennacherib. 

21.  The  remnant,  &c.  That  is,  those 
who  shall  be  left  after  the  invasion  of 
Sennacherib.  IT  Shall  return.  Shall 
abandon  their  idolatrous  rites  and 
places  of  worship,  and  shall  worship 
the  true  God.  V  The  mighty  God. 
The  God  that  had  evinced  his  power  in 
overcoming  and  destroying  the  armies 
of  Sennacherib. 

22.  For  though,  &c.  In  this  verse, 
and  in  ver.  23,  the  prophet  expresses 
positively  the  idea  that  but  a  remnant 
of  the  people  should  be  preserved 
amidst  the  calamities.  He  had  said 
(vs.  20,  21,)  that  a  remnant  should  re- 
turn to  God.  He  now  carries  forward 
the  idea,  and  states  that  only  a  rem- 


::30 


ISAIAH. 


B.C. 738 


raei  be  as  the  sand  of  the  sea, 
yet  "a  remnant  6of  them  shall 
return :    the    consumption"    de- 

m  Rom.  9.  2".  2S.  6  in,  or,  among. 

nant  should  be  preserved  out  of  the 
multitude,  however  great  it  was.  Ad- 
mitting that  the  number  was  then  very 
great,  yet  the  great  mass  of  the  nation 
would  be  cut  off,  and  only  a  small  por- 
tion would  remain.  H  Thy  people 
Israel.  Or  rather,  '  thy  people,  O  Is- 
rael,' making  it  a  direct  address  to  the 
Jews,  rather  than  to  God.  IT  Be  as 
the  sand  of  the  sea.  The  sands  of  the 
sea  cannot  be  numbered,  and  hence  the 
expression  is  used  in  the  Bible  to  denote 
a  number  indefinitely  great.  Ps  cxix. 
18  Gen.  xxii.  17,  xli.  49.  Josh.  xi.  4. 
Judges  vii.  12.  1  Sain.  xiii.  5,  &,c. 
IT  Yet  a  remnant.  The  word  yet  has 
been  supplied  by  the  translators,  and 
evidently  obscures  the  sense.  The  idea 
is,  that  a  remnant  only,  a  very  small 
portion  of  the  whole,  should  be  pre- 
served. Though  they  were  exceed- 
ingly numerous  as  a  nation,  yet  the 
i.  rass  of  the  nation  would  be  cut  off  or 
carried  into  captivity,  and  only  a  few 
would  be  left.  IF  Shall  return.  That 
is,  shall  be  saved  from  destruction,  and 
return  by  repentance  unto  God,  ver. 
21.  Or,  if  it  has  reference  to  the  ap- 
proaching captivity  of  the  nation,  it 
means  that  but  a  few  of  them  would  re- 
turn from  captivity  to  the  land  of  their 
fathers.  1T  The  consumption.  The 
general  sense  of  this  is  plain.  The 
prophet  is  giving  a  reason  why  only  a 
few  of  them  would  return,  and  he  says, 
that  the  judgment  which  God  had  de- 
termined on  was  inevitable,  and  would 
overflow  the  land  in  justice.  As  God 
had  determined  this,  their  numbers 
availed  nothing,  but  the  consumption 
would  be  certainly  accomplished.  The 
word  consumption,  "P"1*?  from  "^j? 
kdld  to  complete,  to  finish,  to  waste 
away,  vanish,  disappear;  denotes  a 
languishing,  or  wasting  away — as  in 
disease — and  then  destruction,  or  that 
which  completes  life  and  prosperity.'  It 
denotes  such  a  series  of  judgments  as 
would  be  a  completion  of  the  national 


creed  shall  overflow  7with  right, 
eousness 

23  For  the  Lord  God  of  hosts 


n  ch.  28.  or..  Dan.  9.  27. 


prosperity,  or  as  should  terminate  it 
entirely.  T  Decreed.  S1*lH  hharutz 
The  word  here  used  >s  derived  from 
S"nn  hhdrStz  to  sharren  or  bring  to  a 
point ;  to  rend,  tear,  lacerate  ;  to  be 
quick,  active,  diligent ;  and  then  to  de- 
cide, determine,  decree  ;  because  that 
which  is  decreed  is  brought  to  a  point, 
or  issue.  Taylor.  It  evidently  meat  8 
here  that  it  was  fixed  upon  or  decreed 
in  the  mind  of  God,  and  that  being 
thus  decreed,  it  must  certainly  take 
place.  IT  Shall  overflow.  Sl^'D  sho- 
ttnh.  This  word  is  usually  applied  to 
an  inundation,  when  a  stream  rises 
above  its  banks  and  overflows  the  adja- 
cent land.  Isa.  xxx.  28,  lxvi.  12.  Fs. 
lxxviii  20.  Here  it  means  evidently 
that  the  threatened  judgment  would 
spread  like  an  overflowing  river  through 
the  land,  and  would  accomplish  the 
devastation  which  God  hud  determined. 
H  With  righteousness.  With  justice, 
or  in  the  infliction  of  justice.  Justice 
would  abound  or  overtlow,  and  the  con- 
sequence would  be  that  the  nation 
would  be  desolated. 

:1'.\.  For  the  Lord  God  of  hosts. 
Note  ch.  i.  9.  f  Shall  make  a  con- 
sumption. The  Hebrew  of  this  verse 
might  be  rendered,  "  for  its  [destruc- 
tion] is  completed,  and  is  determined 
on  ;  the  Lord  Jehovah  of  hosts  will 
execute  it  in  the  midst  of  the  land." 
Our  translation,  however,  expresses  the 
force  of  the  original.  It  means  that 
the  destruction  was  fixed  in  the  mind 
or  purpose  of  God,  and  would  be  cer- 
tainly executed.  The  translation  by 
the  LXX,  which  is  followed  in  the 
main  by  the  Apostle  Paul  in  quoting 
this  passage,  is  somewhat  different. 
"  For  he  will  finish  the  work,  and  cut 
it  short  in  righteousness  ;  for  a  short 
work  will  the  Lord  make  in  the  whoie 
habitable  world" — lv  rfj  oUovfxivn  6X5; 
as  quoted  by  Paul,  "  upon  the  earth" 
— tiri  rrjs  yfii.  For  the  manner  in  which 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


shall  make  a  consumption,  even 
determined,  in  the  midst  of  all 
the  land. 

24  Therefore  thus  saitn  me 
Lord  God  of  hosts,  O  my  people 
that  dwellest  in  Zion,  be  not 
°afraid  of  the  Assyrian  :  he  shall 

0  Ch.  37.  6. 

this  passage  is  quoted  by  Paul,  see 
Notes  on  Rom.  ix.  27,  28.  If  In  the 
midst  of  all  the  land.  That  is,  the 
land  of  Israel,  for  the  threatened  judg- 
ment extended  no  farther. 

24.  There-fore,  &c.  In  this  verse 
the  prophet  returns  to  the  main  subject 
of  this  prophecy,  which  is  to  comfort 
the  people  of  Jerusalem  with  the  .insu- 
rance that  the  army  of  the  Assyrian 
would  be  destroyed.  IT  O  my  people. 
An  expression  of  tenderness,  showing 
that  God  regarded  them  as  his  children, 
and  notwithstanding  the  judgments 
that  he  would  bring  upon  them  for 
their  sins  In  the  midst  of  severe 
judgments  God  speaks  the  language 
of.  tenderness  ;  and,  even  when  he 
punishes,  has  towards  his  people  the 
feelings  of  a  father.  Heb.  xii.  5-11. 
IT  That  direlleth  in  Zion.  Literally, 
in  mount  Zion  ;  but  here  taken  for  the 
whole  city  of  Jerusalem.  See  Note 
ch.  i.  8  If  Be  not  afraid,  &c.  For 
his  course  shall  be  arrested,  and  he 
shall  be  repelled  and  punished,  vs.  25- 
27.  IS  He  shall  smite  thee.  He  shall, 
indeed,  smite  thee,  but  shall  not  utterly 
destroy  thee.  T  And  shall  lift  up  his 
staff  Note  ver.  5.  The  staff  here  is  re- 
garded as  an  instrument  of  punishment, 
comp.  Note  ch.  ix.  4,  and  the  sense  is, 
that  by  his  invasion,  and  by  his  exac- 
tions, he  would  oppress  and  punish  the 
nation.  If  After  the  manner  of  Egypt. 
Heb.  In  the  way  of  Egypt.  Some  in- 
terpreters have  supposed  that  this 
means  that  Sennacherib  would  oppress 
and  afflict  the  Jews  in  his  going  down 
to  Egypt,  or  on  his  way  thither  to  at- 
tack the  Egyptians.  But  the  more 
correct  interpretation  is  that  which  is 
csoressed  in  our  translation  ;  after  the 
manner  of  Egypt.     That  is,  the  nature 


smite  thee  with  a  rod,  'and  shal 
lift  up  his  staff*  against  thee,  aftei 
the  manner  of  Egypt. 

25  For  yet  a  very  little  while, 
and  the  indignation*"  shall  cease, 
and  mine  anger  in  their  'destruc- 
tion. 

1  but  he  snaiu     r  uau.  u.  36      9  2  Kings  19.  35. 

of  his  oppressions  shall  be  like  those 
which  the  Egyptians  under  Pharaoh  in- 
flicted on  the  Jews.  There  are  two 
ideas  evidently  implied  here.  (1.)  That 
the  oppression  would  be  heavy  and 
severe.  Those  which  their  fathers  ex- 
perienced in  Egypt  were  exceedingly 
burdensome  and  cruel.  So  it  would 
be  in  the  calamities  that  the  Assyrian 
would  bring  upon  them.  But  (2,)  their 
fathers  had  been  delivered  from  the 
oppressions  of  the  Egyptians.  And  so 
it  would  be  now.  The  Assyrian  would 
oppress  them  ;  but  God  would  deliver 
and  save  them.  The  phrase  "  in  the 
way  of,"  is  used  to  denote  after  the 
mariner  of,  or,  as  an  example,  in  Amos 
iv.  10,  "  I  have  sent  among  you  the 
pestilence  after  the  manner  of  Egypt." 
Heb.  In  the  way  of  Egypt.  Comp. 
Ezek.  xx.  30. 

25.  For  yet  a  very  little  ivhile  This 
is  designed  to  console  them  with  the 
hope  of  deliverance.  The  threatened 
invasion  was  brief,  and  was  soon  ended 
by  the  pestilence  that  swept  off  the 
greater  part  of  the  army  of  the  Assy- 
rian. If  The  indignation  shall  cease. 
The  anger  of  God  against  his  offend- 
ing people  shall  come  to  an  end  ;  his 
purposes  of  chastisement  shall  be  com- 
pleted ;  and  the  land  shall  be  delivered. 
IT  In  their  destruction,  Drnban-bs 
from  Ftpa  bald  to  wear  out ;  to  con- 
sume ;  to  be  annihilated.  It  means 
here,  that  his  anger  would  terminate  in 
the  entire  annihilation  of  their  power 
to  injure  them.  Such  was  the  qom- 
plete  overthrow  of  Sennacherib  by 
the  pestilence.  2  Kings  xix  35.  The 
word  here  used,  occurs  in  this  form  in 
no  other  place  in  the  Hebrew  Bible, 
though    the    verb   is    used,   and   other 


232 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  73& 


26  And  the  Lord  of  hosts 
shall  stir  up  a  scourge  for  him, 
according  to  the  slaughter  of 
Midian"  at  the  rock  of  Oreb : 
and  as  his  rod  was  upon  the  sea, 
so  shall  he  lift  it  up  after  the 
manner  of  Egypt. 

O  Judges  7.  25. 

forms  of  the  noun.  The  verb,  Deut. 
vii.  4,  xxix  5,  Josh,  ix  13,  Neh.  ix. 
21,  &c.  Nouns,  Ezek.  xxiii.  43,  Isa. 
xxxviii.  17,  Jer.  xxxviii.  11,  12,  Isa. 
xvii.  14,  et  al. 

26.  And  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall 
stir  op.  Or  shall  raise  up  that  which 
shall  prove  as  a  scourge  to  him.  1T  A 
scourge  for  him.  That  is,  that  which 
shall  punish  him.  The  scourge  or  rod 
is  used  to  denote  severe  punishment  of 
any  kind.  The  nature  of  this  punish- 
ment is  immediately  specified.  H  Ac- 
cording to  the  slaughter  of  Midian. 
That  is,  as  the  Midianites  were  dis- 
comfited and  punished.  There  is  re- 
ference here,  doubtless,  to  the  discom- 
fiture and  slaughter  of  the  Midianites 
by  Gideon,  as  recorded  in  Judges  vii 
24,  25.  That  was  signal  and  entire  ; 
and  the  prophet  means  to  say  that  the 
dt  strnction  of  the  Assyrian  would  be 
also  signal  and  total.  The  country  of 
Midian  or  Madian  was  on  the  east  side 
of  the  Elanitie  branch  of  the  Red  Sea  ; 
but  it  extended  also  north  along  the 
desert  of  Mount  Seir  to  the  country 
of  the  Moabites.  See  Note  on  ch.  Ix. 
6.  ir  At  the  rock  of  Oreb.  At  this 
rock  Gideon  slew  the  two  princes  of 
the  Midianites,  Oreb  and  Zeeb  (Judges 
vii.  25)  ;  and  from  this  circumstance, 
probably,  the  name  was  given  to  the 
rock  Lev.  xi.  15.  Deut.  xiv.  14.  It 
was  on  the  east  side  of  the  Jordan. 
IT  And  as  his  rod,  &c.  That  is,  as 
God  punished  the  Egyptians  in  the 
Red  Sea.  H  So  shall  he  lift  it  up  after 
the  manner  of  Egypt.  As  God  over- 
threw the  Egyptians  in  the  Red  Sea,  so 
shall  he  overthrow  and  destroy  the  As- 
syrian. By  these  two  comparisons, 
therefore,  the  prophet  represents  the 
complete  destruction  of  the    Assyrian 


27  And  it  shall  come  to  pas* 
in  that  day,  that  his  burden  shall 
4  be  taken  away  from  off*  thy 
shoulder,  and  his  yoke  from  off 
thy  neck,  and  the  yoke  shall  be 
destroyed  because  of  the  "an- 
ointing. 


army.  In  both  of  these  cases  the  ene- 
mies of  the  Jews  had  been  completely 
overthrown,  and  so  it  would  be  in  re- 
gard to  She  hosts  of  the  Assyrian. 

27.  His  burden  shall  be  taken  away. 
The  oppressions  and  exactions  of  the 
Assyrian.  IT  From  off  thy  shoulder. 
We  bear  a  burden  on  the  shoi.  jder  ;  and 
hence  any  grievous  exaction  or  oppres- 
sion is  represented  as  borne  upoir  the 
shoulder.  IT  And  his  yoke,  &c.  Ano- 
ther image  denoting  deliverance  from 
oppression  and  calamity.  U  And  the 
yoke  shall  be  destroyed  because  of  the 
anointing.  In  the  interpretation  of 
these  words,  expositors  have  greatly 
differed.  The  Hebrew  is  literally, 
'  from  the  face  of  oil,'  TOw"" \3QT3  .  The 
Vulgate  renders  it  literally  a  facie  olei. 
The  LXX,  '  His  fear  shall  be  taken 
from  thee,  and  his  yoke  from  thy 
shoulders.'  The  Sy-riac,  '  His  yoke 
shall  be  broken  before  the  oxen  '  The 
Chaldee  Paraphrase,  '  The  people  shall 
be  broken  before  the  Messiah.'  Losvth 
renders  it, '  The  yoke  shall  perish  from 
off  your  shoulders  ;'  following  the  Sep- 
tuagint.  Giotius  suggests  that  it  means 
that  the  yoke  which  the  Assyrians  had 
imposed  upon  the  Jews  would  be  broken 
by  Hezekiah,  the  king  who  had  been 
anointed  with  oil  Jarchi  also  supposes 
that  it  refers  to  one  who  was  anointed 
—to  the  king  ;  and  many  interpreters 
have  referred  it  to  the  Messiah,  as  the 
anointed  of  God.  Vitringa  supposes 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  here  intended. 
Kimchi  supposes  that  the  figure  is  de- 
rived from  the  effect  of  oil  on  wood  in 
destroying  its  consistency,  and  loosen- 
ing its  fibres  ;  and  that  the  expression 
means  that  the  yoke  would  be  broken 
or  dissolved  as  if  it  were  penetrated 
with  oil      But  this  is  ascribing  a  pro- 


B.C.  733.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


233 


28.  Ht  is  come  to  Aiath,  he 
is  passed  to  Migron  ;   at  Mich- 

perty  to  oil  which  it  does  not  possess. 
Archbishop  Seckar  supposes  that  in- 
stead of  oil,  the  text  should  read 
aitoulder,  by  a  slight  change  in  the 
Hebrew.  But  for  this  conjectural  read- 
ng  there  is  no  authority.  Cocceius 
lpposes  that  the  word  oil  here  means 
fatness,  and  is  used  to  denote  prospe- 
rity and  wealth,  and  that  the  prophet 
means  to  say  that  the  Assyrian  would 
be  corrupted  and  destroyed  by  the 
great  amount  of  wealth  which  he  would 
amass.  The  Rabbins  say  that  this  de- 
liverance was  wrought  on  account  of 
the  great  quantity  of  oil  which  Heze- 
kiah  caused  to  be  consumed  in  the 
synagogues  for  the  study  of  th$  law — 
a  striking  instance  of  the  weak  and 
puerile  methods  of  interpretation  which 
they  have  every  where  evinced.  I 
confess  that  none  of  these  explanations 
seem  to  me  to  be  satisfactory,  and  that 
I  do  not  know  what  is  the  meaning  of 
the  expression. 

28.  He.  is  come  to  Aiath.  These 
verses  (28-32)  contain  a  description 
of  the  inarch  of  the  army  of  Senna- 
cherib as  he  approached  Jerusalem  to 
invest  it.  The  description  is  expressed 
with  great  beauty.  It  is  rapid  and 
hurried,  and  is  such  as  one  would  give 
who  was  alarmed  by  the  sudden  and 
near  approach  of  an  enemy — as  if  while 
the  narrator  was  stating  that  the  in- 
vader had  arrived  at  one  place,  he 
had  already  come  to  another  ;  or  as  if 
while  one  messenger  should  say  that 
he  had  come  to  one  place,  another 
should  answer  that  he  was  still  nearer, 
and  a  third,  that  he  was  nearer  still,  so 
as  to  produce  universal  consternation. 
The  prophet  speaks  of  this  as  if  he  saw 
it  (comp  Note  ch.  i.  1)  ;  as  if  with  the 
glance  of  the  eye  he  sees  Sennacherib 
advancing  rapidly  to  Jerusalem.  The 
general  course  of  this  march  is  from 
the  northeast  to  the  southwest  to- 
wards Jerusalem,  and  it  is  possible  still 
to  follow  the  route  by  ths  names  of  the 
places  here  mentioned,  and  which  re- 
main at  present.     All  the  places  are  in 


mash   he   hath   laid   up   his  car- 
riages : 

the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem,  and  this 
shows  how  much  his  rapid  approach 
was  fitted  to  excite  alarm.  The  name 
Aiath  ri*?  does  not  occur  elsewhere 
but  Ai  h?  is  often  mentioned,  and 
Aijah  X;?  is  found  in  Neh.  xi.  31 
Doubtless  the  same  city  is  meant  It 
was  situated  near  Bethel  eastward. 
Josh.  vii.  2.  It  was  at  this  place  that 
Joshua  was  repulsed  on  account  of  the 
sin  of  Ahaz,  though  the  city  was  after- 
wards taken  by  Joshua,  the  king  seized 
and  hanged,  and  the  city  destroyed. 
It  was  afterwards  rebuilt,  and  is  often 
mentioned.  Ezra  ii.  26.  Neh.  vii.  32. 
It  is  called  by  the  LXX,  'Ayyat ;  and 
by  Josephus,  AJna.  In  the  time  of 
Eusebiusand  Jerome  its  site  and  scanty 
ruins  were  still  pointed  out,  not  far  dis- 
tant from  Bethel  towards  the  East. 
The  name,  however,  has  at  present 
wholly  perished,  and  no  trace  of  the 
place  now  remains.  It  is  probable 
that  it  was  near  the  modern  Deir 
Diwan,  about  three  miles  to  the  East 
of  Bethel.  See  Robinson's  Bibli.  Re- 
search, ii.  119,  312,  313.  T  He  is 
passed  to  Migron-  That  is,  he  does  not 
remain  at  Aiath,  but  is  advancing  ra- 
pidly towards  Jerusalem.  This  place 
is  mentioned  in  1  Sam.  xiv.  2,  from 
which  it  appears  that  it  was  near 
Gibeah,and  was  in  the  boundaries  of  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin,  to  the  southwest 
of  Ai  and  Bethel.  No  trace  of  this 
place  now  remains,  1f  At  Michmash. 
This  was  a  town  within  the  tribe  of 
Ephraim,  on  the  confines  of  Benjamin. 
Ezra  ii.  27.  INeh.  vii.  31.  This  place 
is  now  called  Mukhmas,  and  is  situated 
on  a  slope  or  low  ridge  of  land  between 
two  small  Wadys,  or  water-courses. 
It  is  now  desolate,  but  bears  the  marks 
of  having  been  a  much  larger  and 
stronger  place  than- the -other  towns  in 
the  neighbourhood.  There  are  many 
foundations  of  hewn  stones  ;  and  some 
columns  are  lying  among  them.  It  is 
about  nine  miles  to  the  northeast  ot 
Jerusalem,  and  in  the  immcdia  e  neigh 


234 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.lSt. 


29  They  are  gone  over   the 
passage :    they    have    taken    up 


bourhood  of  Gibeah  and  Ramah. — 
Robinson's  Bibli.  Research,  ii.  117.  In 
the  time  of  Eust-hius  it  was  a  large 
village,  f/nomast.  Art.  Machmds. 
1!  llr  hath  laid  up  hit  carnages  Heb. 
'  He  hath  deposited  his  weapons.'  The 
word  rendered  hath  laid  up  (T,J5S^J 
may  possibly  mean  he  reviewed,  or  he 
took  an  account  of;  that  is,  he  made 
that  the  place  of  review  preparatory  to 
his  attack  on  Jerusalem.  Jerome  says, 
that  the  passage  means  that  he  had 
such  confidence  of  taking  Jerusalem 
that  he  deposited  his  an. ■our  at  Mich- 
mash,  as  being  unnecessary  in  the  siege 
of  Jerusalem.  1  think,  however,  that 
the  passage  means  simply  that  he  had 
made  Michmash  one  of  his  stations  to 
which  he  had  come,  and  that  the  ex- 
pression "  he  hath  deposited  his  armour 
there,"  denotes  merely  that  he  had 
come  there  as  one  of  his  stations,  and 
had  pitched  his  camp  in  that  place  on 
the  way  to  Jerusalem.  The  English 
word  carriage  sometimes  meant  for- 
merly that  which  is  carried,  baggage, 
vessels,  furniture,  &c.  (Webster  )  In 
this  sense  it  is  used  in  this  place,  and 
also  in  1  Sam.  xvii.  22.  Acts  xxi.  15. 

29.  They  are  gone  over  the  passage. 
The  word  passage  ("T^SS1^)  may  refer 
to  any  passage  or  ford  of  a  stream,  a 
shallow  part  of  a  river  where  crossing 
was  practicable  ;  or  it  may  refer  to  any 
narrow  pass,  or  place  of  passing  in 
mountains.  The  Chaldee  Paraphrase 
renders  this,  '  they  have  passed  the 
Jordan  ;'  but  this  cannot  be  the  mean- 
ing, as  all  the  transactions  referred  to 
here  occurred  in  the  vicinity  of  Jerusa- 
lem, and  long  after  they  had  crossed 
the    lordan.     In    1    Sam.  xiii.  23,  the 

passage  of  Michmash"  is  mentioned 
as  the  boundary  of  the  garrison  of  the 
Philistines.  Between  eba' and  Mukh- 
mis  f.here  is  now  />  iteep,  precipitous 
valley,  which  is  uro  ably  the  passage* 
here  referred  to  This  W'ady  or  valley 
runs  into  anothe,  thai  joins  it  on  the 
uortl.    and  then   issues  out   upon  the 


their  lodging  at  Geba ;   Ramah' 
is  afraid  :   Gibeah  of  Saul  is  fled.- 


plain  not  far  from  Jericho.  In  the  val- 
ley are  two  hills  of  a  conical  form, 
having  steep  rocky  sides,  which  are 
probably  the  rocks  mentioned,  in  con- 
nexion with  Jonathan's  adventure,  as  a 
narrow  defile  or  way  between  the  rock 
Bozez  on  the  one  side,  and  Seneh  on 
the  other.  1  Sam.  xiv.  4,  f>.  This 
valley  appears  at  a  later  time  to  have 
beefi  tin-  dividing  line  between  the 
tribes  of  Ephraim  and  Benjamin,  for 
Geba  on  the  south  side  of  this  valley 
was  the  northern  limit  of  Judah  and 
Benjamin,  2  Kings  xxiii.  6  ;  while 
Bethel  on  its  north  side  was  on  the 
southern  border  f  Ephraim.  Judges 
xvi.  1,  2.  Robir.son's  Bibli.  Research, 
ii.  lib'.  Of  course  it  was  an  important 
place,  and  could  be  easily  guarded — 
like  the  strait  of  Thermopylae.  By  his 
having  passed  this  place  is  denoted  an 
advance  towards  Jerusalem,  showing 
that  nothing  impeded  his  progress,  and 
that  he  was  rapidly  hastening  with  his 
army  to  the  city.  IT  They  have  taken 
up  their  lodging  at  Geba.  They  have 
pitched  their  camp  there,  being  entirely 
through  the  defile  of  Michmash.  Heb. 
'  Geba  is  a  lodging  place  for  us  ;'  that  is, 
for  the  Assyrians.  Perhaps,  however, 
there  is  an  error  in  the  common  He- 
brew text  here,  and  that  it  should  be 
"i -5  lamo,  for  them,  instead  of  "133 
Idnu,  for  us.  The  LXX  and  the 
Chaldee  so  read  it,  and  so  our  transla- 
tors have  understood  it.  Geba  hen-  is 
not  to  be  confounded  with  "  Gibeah 
of  Saul,"  mentioned  just  alter  it 
was  in  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  (1  Kings 
xv.  22)  ;  and  was  on  the  line,  or  nearly 
on  the  line  of  Judah,  so  as  to  be  its 
northern  boundary.  2  Kings  xxiii.  8. 
It  was  not  far  from  Gibeah,  or  Gibeon. 
There  are  at  present  no  traces  of  the 
place  known.  IT  Ramah.  This  city 
was  in  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  It  was 
between  Geba  and  Gibeah.  It  was 
called  Ramah  from  its  being  on  elevated 
ground  Comp.  Note  Matt.  ii.  18.  Rah* 
man.  now  called  er-Rdm,  lies  on  a  lugh 


£.C.~m.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


235 


30  Lift5  up  thy  voice,  O  daugh- 
ter of  Gallim :    cause   it  to   be 

5  cry  shrill  toith. 

hill  a  little  east  of  the  road  from  Jeru- 
salem to  Bethel.  It  is  now  a  miserable 
village  with  few  houses,  and  these  in  the 
summer  mostly  deserted.  There  are  here 
large  square  stones,  and  also  columns 
scattered  about  in  the  fields,  indicating 
an  ancient  place  of  some  importance. 
A  small  mosk  is  here  with  columns 
which  seems  once  to  have  been  a 
church.  Its  situation  is  very  conspi- 
cuous, and  commands  a  fine  prospect. 
It  is  near  Gibeah,  about  six  Roman 
miles  from  Jerusalem.  .  So  Jerome, 
eomm.  in  Hos.  v  8.  "  Rama  quae  est 
jiixtn  Gabaa  in  septimo  lapide  a  Jero- 
solyn.  s  sita."  Josephus  places  it  at 
forty  stadia  from  Jerusalem.  Ant.  viii. 
12.  3.  f  Is  afraid.  Is  terrified  and 
alarmed  at  the  approach,  of  Senna- 
cherib— a  beautiful  variation  in  the  de- 
scription denoting  his  rapid  and  certain 
advance  on  the  city  of  Jerusalem, 
spreading  consternation  every  where 
^  J-tbvah  of  Saul.  This  was  called 
•  Gibeah  of  Saul,"  because  it  was  the 
oirth-place  ot  Saul  (1  Sam.  xi.  4,  xv. 
34  2  Sam.  xxi.  6>  ;  and  to  distinguish 
it  from  Gibeaia  in  the  tribe  of  Judah 
(Josh.  xv.  57) ;  and  also  a  Gibeah 
where  Eleazer  was  buried,  iostt  xxiv. 
33.  Jerome  mentions  Gibeah  as  in  His 
day  level  with  the  ground.  Epis.  8r.;. 
ad  Eustoch.  It  has  been  almost  wholly 
since  his  time,  unnoticed  by  travellers. 
It  is  probably  i<he  same  as  the  modern 
village  of  Jeba,  lying  in  a  direction  to 
ihe  southwest  of  Alukhmas.  This  vil- 
lage is  small,  and  is  half  in  ruins. 
Among  these  there  are  occasionally 
seen  large  hewn  stones  indicating  anti- 
quity. There  is  here  the  ruin  of  a 
small  tower  almost  solid,  and  a  small 
building  having  the  appearance  of  an 
ancient  church.  It  is  an  elevated  place 
from  which  several  villages  are  visible. 
Robinson's  Bibli.  Research,  ii.  113. 
1T  Is  fled.  That  is,  the  inhabitants 
have  fled.  Such  was  the  consternation 
produced  by  the  march  of  the  army  of 
Sennacherib  that  the  city  was  thrown 
into  commotion  and  left  empty. 


heard  unto  I  aish,  O  ooor  Ana- 
thoth. 


30.  Lift  up  thy  voice.  That  is,  cry 
aloud  from  alarm  and  terror.  The 
prophet  here  changes  the  manner  of 
describing  the  advance  of  Sennacherib. 
He  had  described  his  rapid  march  from 
place  to  place  (vs.  28,  23\  and  the 
consternation  at  Ramali  and  Gibeah ; 
he  now  changes  the  mode  of  descrip- 
tion, and  calls  on  Gallim  to  lift  up  her 
voice  of  alarm  at  the  approach  of  the 
army,  so  that  it  might  reverberate 
among  the  hills,  and  be  heard  by  neigh- 
bouring towns,  t  Daughter.  A  term 
often  applied  to  a  beautiful  city  or  town. 
See  Note  on  ch.  i.  8.  IT  Gallim.  This 
was  a  city  of  Benjamin,  north  of  Jeru- 
salem. It  is  mentioned  only  in  this 
place  and  in  1  Sam.  xxv.  44.  No 
traces  of  this  place  are  now  to  be 
found.  H  Cause  it  to  be  heard.  That 
is,  cause  thy  .voice  to  be  heard.  Raise 
the  cry  of  distress  and  alarm.  IT  Unto 
Laish.  There  was  a  city  of  this  name 
in  the  northern  part  of  Palestine,  in  the 
bounds  of  the  tribe  of  Dan.  Judges 
xviii.  7,  29.  But  it  is  contrary  to  all 
the  circumstances  of  the  case  to  sup- 
pose that  the  prophet  refers  to  a  place 
in  the  north  of  Palestine.  It  was 
probably  a  small  village  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Gallim.  There  are  at 
present  no  traces  of  the  village.  In  1 
Mac.  as  ");■  a  city  ot  this  name  is  men- 
tioned id  .ne  vicinity  ot  Jerusalem, 
whicn  is  douoaess  the  one  here  referred 
to.  IT  o  poo-  ciiwthoin.  ^natnoth 
was  a  city  of  Benjamin  :  Josh.  xxi.  18V 
where  Jeremiah  was  born.  )er  i  1, 
'Anata,  which  is  doubtless  the  same 
place  here  intended,  is  situated  on  a 
broad  ridge  of  land  at  the  distance  ot 
one  hour  and  a  quarter,  or  about  three 
miles  from  Jerusalem.  Josephus  de- 
scribes Anathoth  as  twenty  stadia  dis- 
tant from  Jerusalem  (Ant.  x.  7.  3) ; 
and  Eusebius  and  Jerome  mention  it 
as  about  three  miles  to  the  north  of  the 
city  'Anata  appears  to  have  been 
once  a  walled  town,  and  a  place  of 
strength.  Portions  of  the  wall  still  re- 
main, built  of  large  hewn  stones,  and 


236 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. IS* 


31  Madmenah  is  removed  ;  the 
inhabitants  of  Gebim  gather  them- 
selves to  flee. 

32  As  yet  shall  he  remain  at 

apparently  ancient,  as  are  also  the 
foundations  of  some  of  the  houses. 
The  houses  are  few,  and  the  people  are 
poor  and  miserable.  From  this  point 
there  is  an  extensive  view  over  the 
whole  eastern  slope  of  the  mountainous 
country  of  Benjamin,  including  all  the 
valley  of  the  Jordan,  and  the  northern 
part  of  the  Dead  Sea  From  this  place, 
also,  several  of  the  villages  here  men- 
tioned are  visible.  Robinson's  Bibli. 
Research  ii.  109-111.  The  word 
poor  applied  to  it  here  i/"1^??)  denotes 
afflicted,  oppressed  ;  and  the  language 
is  that  of  pity  on  accoupt  of  the  im- 
pending calamity,  and  is  not  designed 
to  be  descriptive  of  its  ordinary  state. 
The  language  in  the  Hebrew  is  a  para- 
nomasia,  a  species  of  writing  quite 
common  in  the  sacred  writings.  See 
Gen.  i.  2,  iv.  12.  Isa.  xxviii.  10,  13. 
Joel  i.  15.  Isa.  xxxii.  7.  Micah  i.  10, 
14.  Zeph.  ii.  4.  Comp.  Stuarfs  Heb. 
Gram.  Ed.  1,  §  246.  The  figure 
abounded  not  only  in  the  Hebrew  but 
among  the  Orientals  generally.  Lowth 
reads  this,  "  answer  her,  0  Anathoth  ;" 
following  in  this  the  Syriac  version, 
which  reads  the  word  rendered  poor 
C*t??,)  as  a  verb  from  !"I£'  ana,  to  an- 
swer, or  respond,  and  supposes  that  the 
idea  is  retained  of  an  echo,  or  reverbe- 
ration among  the  hills,  from  which  he 
thinks  Anathoth,  from  the  same  verb, 
took  its  name.  But  the  meaning  of  the 
Hebrew  text  is  that  given  in  our  trans- 
lation. The  simple  idea  is  that  of 
m-iahbouring  cities  and  towns  lifting 
up  the  voice  of  alarm  at  the  approach 
of  the  enemy. 

31.  Madmenah.  This  city  is  men- 
tioned nowhere  else.  The  city  of  Mad- 
manna,  or  Medemene,  mentioned  in 
Josh  xv.  31,  was  in  the  bounds  of  the 
tribe  of  Simeon,  and  was  far  south  to- 
wards Gaza.  It  cannot  be  the  place 
intended  here.  IT  Is  removed.  Or,  the 
inhabitants  have  fled  from  fear.     See 


Nob  that  day:  he  shall  shake  hia 
hand  against  the  mount  of  the 
daughter  of  Zion,  the  hill  of  Je- 
rusalem. 

vej.  29.  tf  Gebim.  This  place  is  un- 
known. It  is  nowhere  else  mentioned 
IT  Gather  themselves  to  flee..  A  de- 
scription of  the  alarm  prevailing  at,  the 
approach  of  Sennacherib. 

32.  As  yet  shall  he  remain.  This 
is  still  a  description  of  his  advancing 
towards  Jerusalem.  He  would  make 
a  station  at  Nob  and  remain  there  a 
day,  meaning,  perhaps,  only  one  day, 
such  would  be  his  impatience  to  attack 
and  destroy  Jerusalem.  1T  At  Nob'. 
Nob  was  a  city  of  Benjamin  inhabited 
by  priests.  Neh.  xi.  32.  When  David 
was  driven  away  by  Saul  he  came  to 
this  city  ,and  received  supplies  from 
Ahimelech  the  priest  1  Sam.  xxi.  1- 
6.  Nob  must  have  been  situated  some- 
where upon  the  ridge  of  the  Mount  of 
Olives  to  the  northeast  of  the  city. 
So  Jerome,  professedly  from  Hebrew 
tradition,  "says,  "  Stans  in  oppidulo 
Nob  et  procul  urbem  conspiciens  Jeru- 
salem." Comm.  in  loc.  Messrs.  Ro- 
binson and  Smith  sought  all  along  the 
ridge  of  the  Mount  of  Olives  from  the 
Damascus  road  to  the  summit  opposite 
to  the  city  for  some  traces  of  an  an- 
cient site  which  might  be  regarded  as 
the  place  of  Nob ;  but  without  the 
slightest  success.  Bibli.  Research,  ii. 
150.  If  He  shall  shake  his  hand. 
That  is,  in  the  attitude  of  menace  or 
threatening.  This  language  implies 
that  the  city  of  Nob  was  so  near  to 
Jerusalem  that  the  latter  cily  could  b» 
seen  from  it,  and  the  description  de- 
notes, that  at  the  sight  of  Jerusalem 
Sennacherib  would  be  full  of  indigna- 
tion', and  utter  against  it  the  threat  of 
speedy  and  complete  ruin.  H  The 
mount  of  the  daughter  of  Zion.  See 
Note  eh.  i.  8.  The  Chajdee  renders 
this,  "  He  shall  come,  and  stand  in 
Nob,  the  city  of  the  priests,  over 
airuinst  the  wail  of  Jerusalem,  and 
shall  answer  and  say  to  his  army,  •  is 
not  this  that  city  of  Jerusalem  against 
which  I  have  assembled  all  my  armies, 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


237 


33  Behold,  the  Lord,  the  Lord 
of  hosts,  shall  lop  the  bough  with 
terror  :  and  the  high  ones.of  sta- 
ture shall  he  hewn  down,  and  the 
haughty  shall  be  humbled. 


and  on  account  of  which  I  have  made 
an  exaction  on  all  my  provinces  ?  And 
lo,  it  is  less  and  more  feeble  than  any 
of  the  defences  of  the  people  which  I 
have  subjected  in  the  strength  of  my 
hand.'  Over  against  that  he  shall 
6tand,  and  shake  his  head,  and  shall 
bring  his  hand  against  the  Mount  of 
the  sanctuary  which  is  Zion,  and 
ag  linst  the  court  which  is  in  Jerusa- 
lem." Jarchi  and  Kimchi  say  that 
Nob  was  so  near  to  Jerusalem  that  it 
could  be  seen  from  thence  ;  and  hence 
this  is  mentioned  as  the  last  station  of 
the  army  of  the  Assyrian,  the  end  of  his 
march,  and  where  the  prize  seemed  to 
be  within  his  grasp. 

33.  Behold,  the  Lord,  &c.  The 
prophet  had  described  in  the  previous 
verses  the  march  of  the  Assyrian  to- 
wards Jerasalem,  station  by  station. 
He  had  accompanied  him  in  his  de- 
scription until  he  had  arrived  in  full 
sight  of  the  city  which  was  the  object 
of  all  his  preparation.  He  had  de- 
scribed the  consternation  which  was 
felt  at  his  approach  in  all  the  smaller 
towns.  Nothing  had  been  able  to 
stand  before  him ;  and  now,  flushed 
with  success,  and  confident  that  Jeru- 
salem would  fall,  he  stands  before  the 
devoted  city.  But  here,  the  prophet 
announces  that  his  career  was  to  close  ; 
and  here  his  arms  to  be  stayed.  Here 
he  was  to  meet  with  an  overthrow,  and 
Jerusalem  would  still  be  safe.  This  is 
the  design  of  the  prophecy,  to  comfort 
the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  with  the 
assurance  that  they  still  would  be  safe. 
H  Will  lop  the  bough.  The  word  bough 
here  (i"HXS)  is  from  "HXS  to  adorn,  to 
beautify  ;  aiid  is  given  to  a  branch  or 
bough  of  a  tree  on  account  of  its  beau- 
ty.    It  is,  therefore,  descriptive  of  that 


34  And  he  shall  cut  down  the 
thickets  of  the  forests  with  iron, 
and  Lebanon  shall  fall  Bby  a 
mighty  one. 

9  or,  mightily. 

which  is  beautiful ;  honoured  ;  proud  ; 
and  is  applied  to  the  Assyrian  on  ac- 
count of  his  pride  and  magnificence. 
In  vs.  18,  19,  the  prophet  had  de- 
scribed the  army  of  the  Assyrian  as  a 
magnificent  forest.  Here  he  says  that 
the  glory  of  that  army  shoulj  be  de- 
stroyed, as  the  vitality  and  beauty  of 
the  waving  bough  of  a  tree  is  quickly 
destroyed  when  it  is  lopped  with  an 
axe.  There  can  scarcely  be  conceived 
a  description  that  would  moie  beauti- 
fully represent  the  fading  strength  of 
the  army  of  the  Assyrian  than  this. 
11  With  terror.  In  such  a  way  as  to 
inspire  terror.  %  The  -high  ones  of 
stature.  The  chief  men  and  officers 
of  the  army. 

34.  And  he  shall  cut  down  the  thick- 
ets of  the  forest.  The  army  of  the 
Assyrians,  described  here  as  a  thick, 
dense  forest.  Comp.  vs.  18,19.  IT  With 
iron.  As  a  forest  is  cut  down  with  an 
axe,  so  the  prophet  uses  this  phrase 
here  to  keep  up  and  carry  out  the  figure. 
The  army  was  destroyed  with  the  pes- 
tilence (2  Kings  xix.  35) ;  but  it  fell  as 
certainly  as  a  forest  falls  before  the 
axe.  11  And  Lebanon.  Lebanon  is 
here  evidently  descriptive  of  the  army 
of  the  Assyrian,  retaining  the  idea  of  a 
beautiful  and  magnificent  forest.  Thus 
in  Ezek.  xxxi.  3,  it  is  said,  "  the  king 
of  the  Assyrians  was  a  cedar  of  Leba- 
non with  fair  branches."  Lebanon  is 
usually  applied  to  the  Jews  as  descrip- 
tive of  them  (Jer.  xxii.  6,  23.  Zech.  x. 
10,  xi.  1),  but  it  is  evidently  applied 
here  to  the  Assyrian  army  ;  and  the 
sense  is,  that  that  army  should  be  soon 
and  certainly  destroyed,  and  that, 
therefore,  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem 
had  no  cause  of  alarm.  See  Notes  ott 
ch.  xxxvii. 


238 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738 


CHAPTER  XI. 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    CHAPTER. 


Thischapto  is  connected  with  the  preceding  as  part  of  the  same  general  prophecy.  In  that,  the 
prophet  had  described  the  invasion  of  Sennacherib,  and  had  given  'he  assurance  ihiit  Jerusalem  should 
be  safi .  notwithstanding  the  threatened  invasion.  The  general  design  of  thai  prophecy  was  to  con- 
sole the  people  with  the  assurance  of  thfir  deliverance  from  impending  calamity.  But  it  was  a 
general  principle  with  the  Hebrew  prophets,  and  particularly  wit  i  Isaiah,  when  an;/  event  tending 
to  console  ti,e  people,  or  to  excite  the  national  gratitude  occurred,  to  cast  the  eye  forward  lo  thail 
great  future  deliverance  which  they  anticipated  under  the  Messiah.    See  (he  Introduction  $  7,  (30 

The  contemplation  of  present  objects  dies  away  .  the  mind  fixes  more  intently  on  tin-  -lories  of  Hie 
Messiah's  reign  ;  the  prophetic  vision  ranees  over  the  beauties  of  his  person  and  tee  glories  of  his 
kingdom   until  the   prophet  seems  10  have  forgotten  the  subject  with  which  hi  Tim 

needy  natural.     It   was   by   an  obvious  law  of  association  in  the  mind,  by  which  Hie  nieniion 
of  deliverance  in  any  form,  however  humhle.  would  suggest  that  great  deliverance  on  which  tl 

Jew  would  rest.     II  hence  follows    that  wherever  the  prophet  begins,  he  usually  ends  with 

a  slowing  description  of  the  reign  of  the  Mi  roiah.  However  far  from  this  central  object  of  revealed 
religion  he  may  commence,  yet  then  it  a  !■  ndency  everj  u  here  to  't  in  He-  prophetic  writings  ;  and 
the  moment  that  by  any  law  ot  association  this  objeel  is  suggested,  or  He-  eye  catches  a  "limp-''  0*1  it, 
the  former  object  sinks  out  of  view,  ami  tie'  person  and  reign  of  the  .Ale- isi  .  i  b<  conn  -  the  sole  theme 
of  the  prophetic  description.  This  is  the  case  here.  Isaiah  had  commenced  the  prophecy  with  an 
account  of  the  invasion  oj  Sennacherib,  ch.  x.  ">.*<•.  lie  had  described  the  deliverance  from  that 
danger,  eh.  x.  33.  34-  The  mention  of  this  deliverance  directs  his  thoughts  to  that  far  greater  deliver- 
ance which  would  take  place  under  the  (Messiah  ;  and  immediately  [ch.  si.)  he  commences  a  glow 
ing  description  of  his  coming  and  ins  reign.  The  language  with  which  he  commenced  the  prophi  py 
is  retained ;  the  illustrations  are  drawn  from  the  subjeel  befort  under  consideration*;  bul  1 1, ,r  descrip- 
tion pertains  to  the  glories  of  the  reign  of  the  Messiah.  Tin-  proof  ol  tins  mil  appear  in  the  Notes 
on  particular  pas-a_vs  n  the  chapter.  It-  genefal  design  is.  to  console  the  people  bj  the  prospect  of 
a  great  future  deliverance,  under  the  Messiah,  and  by  a  prospect  of  the  glories  of  his  reign  lb-  de- 
scribes, (i>  The  certainty  that  he  would  come.,  and  his  character,  n  1— 3.  (ii.)  The  peace  and 
ty  which  would  follow  from  his  advent,  vs  6-9.  (iii.)  The  fact  that  the  Gentiles  would  be 
called  to  partake  of  the  privileges  «i  Ins  reign,  ver.  in.    'iv.)  The  restoration  of  the  exiles  to  their 

native  land  under  his  reign,  vs  11,12.  (v.)  The  fact  that  his  reign  would  put  a  period  to  dissen- 
sions and  strifes  between  the  contending  nations  of  the  Jews.  ver.  13;  and  (vi.)  The  universal  pre- 
valence of  his  religio-.,  and  the  deliverance  of  his  people,  vs.  H— 16. 


1  And  ethere  shall  come  forth 
a  rod  out  of  the  st(jm^  of  Jesse, 

e  ch.  53.  2.       /  Acts  13.  ?3.     Rev.  22.  16. 

1.  And  there  shall  come  forth  a  rod . 
In  the  previous  chapter  the  prophet  had 
represented  the  Assyrian  monarch  and 
his  army  under  the  image  of  a  dense 
and  flourishing  forest  witli  all  its  glory 
and  grandeur.  In  opposition  to  this, 
he  describes  the  illustrious  personage 
who  is  the  subject  of  this  chapter  antler 
the  image  of  a  slender  twig  or  shoot 
Bprouting  up  from  the  root  of  a  decayed 
and  fallen  tree.  Between  the  Assyrian, 
therefore,  and  the  person  who  is  the 
subject  of  this  chapter,  there  is  a  most 
striking  and  beautiful  contrast.  The 
one  was  at  first  magnificent — like  a 
vast  spreading  forest — yet  should  soon 
fall  and  decay  ;  the  other  was  the  little 
sprout  of  a  decayed  tree,  which  should 
yet  rise,  expand,  and  flourish..  IT  A 
fod  i'^-H  hhSter).  This  word  occurs 
in  but  one  other  place,  Prov.  xiv.  3  : 
"  In  the  mouth  of  the  foolish  is  a  rod 
ef  pride."     Here  it  means,  evidently,  a 


and  a  branch^  shall  grow  out  of 
his  roots  : 

g  Zech.  6.  12. 

branch,  a  twig,  a  shoot,  such  as  starts 
up  from  the  roots  of  a  decayed  tree, 
and  is  synonymous  with  the  word  ren- 
dered branch  (fl?^  tzemdhk)  in  ch.  iv. 
2  See  the  Note  on  that  place.  IT  Out 
of  the  stem.  (StaT3;)  This  word  oc- 
curs but  three  times  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. See  Job  xiv.  8 ;  where  it  is 
rendered  stork  : 

Though  the  root  thereof  wax  old  in  the  earth, 
And  the  stock  thereof  die  in  the  ground  ; 

and  in  Isa.  xl.  24:  "Yea  their  stock 
shall  not  take  root  in  the  earth."  It 
means,  therefore,  the  stock  or  stump 
of  a  tree  that  has  been  cut  down — a 
stock,  however,  which  may  not  be 
quite  dead,  but  where  it  may  send  up 
a  branch  or  shoot  from  its  roots.  It  ia 
beautifully  applied  to  an  ancient  family 
that  is  fallen  into  decay,  y.ex  wh*»m 
there  may   be  a  descendant  that  el 


B.  C.738.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


239 


rise  and  flourish — as  a  tree  may  fall 
and  decay,  but  still  there  may  be  vi- 
tality in  the  root,  and  it  shall  send  up 
a  tender  germ  or  sprout.  IT  Of  Jesse. 
The  father  of  David.  It  means,  thaf 
he  who  is  here  spoken  of  should  be  of 
the  family  of  Jesse  or  David.  Though 
Jesse  had  died  ;  and  though  the  ancient 
family  of  David  would  fall  into  decay, 
yet.  there  would  arise  from  that  family 
an  illustrious  descendant  The  beauty 
of  this  description  is  apparent  if  we 
bear  in  recollection  that  when  the  Mes- 
siah was  born,  the  ancient  and  much 
honoured  family  of  David  had  fallen 
into  decay  ;  that  the  mother  of  Jesus, 
though  appertaining  to  that  family,  was 
poor,  obscure  and  unknown  ;  and  that, 
to  all  appearance,  the  glory  of  the 
family  had  departed.  Yet  from  that, 
as  from  a  long-decayed  root  in  the 
ground,  he  should  spring  who  would 
restore  the  family  to  more  than  its  an- 
cient glory,  and  shed  additional  lustre 
on  the  honoured  name  of  Jesse.  If  And 
a  branch  ("'^•3  netzer).  A  twig,  branch, 
or  shoot ;  a  slip,  scion,  or  young  sucker 
of  a  tree  that  is  selected  for  transplant- 
ing, and  that  requires  to  be  watched 
with  peculiar  care.  The  word  occurs 
but  four  times.  Isa.  lx.  21 :  "  They 
shall  inherit  the  land  for  ever,  the 
branch  of  my  planting  "  Isa.  xiv.  19  : 
"  But  thou  art  cast  out  of  thy  grave  as 
an  abominable  branch."  Dan.  xi.  7. 
The  word  rendered  branch  in  Jer. 
x.xiii  5,  xxxiii.  15,  is  a  different  word 
in  the  original  (^"?^  tzeuidhh),  though 
meaning  substantially  the  same  thing. 
The  word  branch  is  also  used  by  our 
translators  in  rendering  several  other 
Hebrew  words.  See  Taylor's  Con- 
cordance. Here  the  word  is  synony- 
mous with  that  which  is  rendered  rod 
in  the  previous  part  of  the  verse — a 
shoot,  or  twig,  from  the  root  of  a  de- 
cayed tree.  H  Out  of  his  roots.  As 
a  shoot  starts  up  from  the  roots  of  a 
decayed  tree  The  LXX  render  this, 
"  and  a  flower,  avdof,  shall  arise  from 
the  root."  The  Chaldee,  "  and  a  king 
shall  proceed  from  the  sons  of  Jesse, 
and  the  Messiah  from  his  sons'  sons 
sn«ii  arise  ;"  showing  conclusively  that 


the  ancient  Jews  referred  this  to   the 
Messiah. 

That  this  verse  and  the  subsequent 
parts  of  the  chapter  refer  to  the  Messi- 
ah, may  be  argued  from  the  following 
considerations.     (1.)  The  fact  that   it 
is  expressly  applied  to  him  in  the  New 
Testament.     Thus  Paul,  in  Rom.  xv. 
12,  quotes  the  tenth  verse  of  this  chap- 
ter as  expressly  applicable,  to  the  times 
of  the    Messiah.      (2.)    The    Chaldee 
Paraphrase    shows    that    this  was   the 
sense  which  the  ancient  Jews  put  upon 
the  passage     That  paraphrase  is  of  au- 
thority only  to  show  that  this  was  the 
sense  which  appeared   to  be  the  true 
one  by  the  ancient  interpreters.     (3.) 
The  description  in  the  chapter  is  not 
applicable  to  any  other  personage  than 
\  the    Messiah.     Grotius    supposes   that 
,  the  passage  refers  to  Hezekiah,  though 
j  "  in  a  more  sublime  sense,"  to  the  Mes- 
j  siah.    Others  have  referred  it  to  Zerub- 
babel.     But   none  of  the   things   here 
I  related  apply  to  either,  except  the   fact 
I  that  they  had  a  descent  from  the  family 
I  of  Jesse  ;  for  neither  of  those  families 
I  had    fallen    into   the   decay  which  the 
I  prophet  here  describes.    (4.)  The  peace, 
j  prosperity,  harmony  and  order,  referred 
j  to   in   the   subsequent  portions  of  the 
'  chapter,  are  not  descriptive  of  any  por- 
tion of  the  reign  of  Hezekiah.    (5.)  The 
|  terms  and  descriptions  here  accord  with 
|  other  portions  of  the  Scriptures  as  ap- 
plicable to  the  .Messiah.    Thus  Jeremi- 
ah, xxiii.  5,  xxxiii.    15,  describes  the 
Messiah    under    the    similitude    of    a 
branch,  a    germ   or  shoot — using,   in- 
deed, a    different    Hebrew  word,   but 
retaining   the  same   idea    and    image. 
Comp     Zech.  iii.  8.     It   accords   also 
with  the  description  by  Isaiah  of  the 
same  personage  in  ch.  iv.  2.    See  Note 
on   the   place.     (6.)   I  may   add,  that 
nearly  all  commentators  have  referred 
this  to   the    Messiah ;   and   perhaps  it 
would  not  be  possible  to  find  greater 
unanimity  in  regard  to  the  interpreta- 
tion of  any  passage  of  Scripture  than 
on  this. 

2.  And  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  The 
Spirit  of  Jehovah.  Chaldee,  "  And 
there  shall  rest  upon  him  the  spirit  of 
prophecy  from   before    Jehovah."     In 


240 


ISAIAH 


[B.cjm. 


2  And  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
shall  rest  upon*  him,  the  spirit 
of  wisdom*    and    understanding, 

h  Matt.  3.  V     John  3.  31. 


the  previous  verse  the  prophet  had  an- 
nounced his  origin  and  his  birth.  In 
this,  he  proceeds  to  describe  his  ex- 
traordinary endowments,  as  eminently 
holy,  pure,  and  wise.  There  can  In  do 
ddiili!  that  reference  is  here  had  to  the 
Holy  Spirit,  the  third  person  of  the  sa- 
cred Trinity,  as  descending  upon  him 
in  the  fulness  of  his  influences,  and 
producing  in  him  perfect  wisdom, 
knowledge,  and  the  tear  of  the  Lord. 
The  Spirit  of  Jeuo\-ah  shall  rest  upon 
him — a  spirit  producing  wisdom,  un- 
derstanding, counsel,  might,  &c.  All 
these  are  in  the  Scriptures  traced  to  the 
agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  See  1  Cor. 
xii.  8,  9,  10,  11.  The  meaning  here 
is,  that  the  Messiah  should  be  endowed 
with  these  eminent  prophetic  gitts  and 
qualifications  for  his  ministry  by  the 
agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  was  by 
that  Spirit  that  the  prophets  had  been 
inspired  (see  2  Pet.  i.  21.  2  Tim.  iii 
16) ;  and  as  the  Messiah  was  to  be  a 
prophet  (Deut.  xviii.  15,  18),  there  was 
a  fitness  that  he  should  be  endowed  in 
the  same  manner.  If  it  be  asked  how 
one  who  was  divine  in  his  own  nature 
could  be  thus  endowed  by  the  aid  of  the 
Spirit,  the  answer  is,  that  he  was  also 
to  be  a  man  descended  from  the  hon- 
oured line  of  David,  and  that  as  a  man 
he  might  be  furnished  for  his  work  by 
the  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  His 
human  nature  was  kept  pure  ;  his  mind 
was  made  eminently  wise  ;  his  heart 
always  retained  the  fear  and  love  of 
God,  and  there  is  no  absurdity  in 
supposing  that  these  extraordinary  en- 
dowments were  to  be  traced  to  God. 
That  he  was  thus  under  the  influence 
cf  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  abundantly  taught 
in  the  New  Testament.  Thus  in  Matt, 
iii  16,  the  Holy  Spirit  is  represented  as 
descending  on  him  at  his  baptism.  In 
John  iii  34,  it  is  said,  "  For  he  whom 
God  hath  sent  speaketh  the  words  of 
God  :  for  God  givetb  not  the  Spirit  by 
measure  unto  him.''    Comp.  Cull  l.  1U. 


the  spirit  of  counsel  and  might, 
the  spirit  of  knowledge,  and  of 
the  fear  of  the  Lord  ; 


II  Shall  rest  upon  him.  That  is,  shall 
descend  on  him  and  remain  with  him. 
it  shall  not  merely  come  upon  him,  but 
shall  attend  him  permanently.  Comp. 
.Num.  xi  2f>,  2(i.  If  The  ipirit  of  wis- 
dom. The  spirit  producing  wisdom,  or 
making  him  wise.  V,  isu<>ni  consists 
in  the  choice  of  the  best  means  to  se- 
cure the  best  ends.  This  attribute  is 
often  given  to  the  Messiah  in  the  New 
Testament,  and  was  always  evinced 
by  him.  Comp.  1  Cor.  i.  3d  EpbJ  i. 
17.  Coll  ii.  3  :  "  In  whom  are  hid  all 
the"  treasures   of  wisdom   and   know- 

"  1F  And  understanding..  The 
difference  between  the  words  here  ren- 
dered  wifflom  and  understanding  is, 
that  the  former  denotes  wisdom  prop- 
erly ;  and  the  latter  that  judgment 
resulting  from  wisdom  by  which  we 
distinguish  things  or  decide  on  their 
character.  H  The  spirit  of  counsel. 
That  by  which  he  shall  be  qualified  to 
give  counsel  or  advice ;  the  qualifica- 
tion of  a  public  instructor  and  guide. 
See  Note  on  ch.  ix.  6.  S  And  might. 
Strength,  vigour,  energy  ;  that  strength 
of  heart  and  purpose  which  will  enable 
a  man  to  meet  difficulties,  to  encounter 
dangers,  to  be  bold,  open,  and  fearless 
in  the  discharge  of  his  duties.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  remark  that  this  char- 
acteristic was  found  in  an  eminent  de- 
gree in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Ii  Of 
knowledge.  1  hat  is,  the  knowledge 
of  the  attributes  and  plans  of  Jehovah. 
Coinp.  Matt.  xi.  27:  "  Neither  Iumw- 
eth  any  man  the  Father  save  the  Son." 
John  i.  18 :  "  No  man  hath  seon  God 
at  any  time ;  the  only  begotten  Son 
which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he 
hath  declared  him."  1  John  v.  20. 
IT  And  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  The 
fear  of  Jehovah  is  often  used  to  denote 
piety   in   general,  as  consisting  in    a 

lie-  far  the  divinej  commands, 
and  a  dread  of  offending  him  ;  i.  e  a 
desire  to  please  Iii  in .  which  is  piety 
Comp.  Job  xxviii.  28.   P9  -xix.  i).  cxi. 


B.C.7S8] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


241 


3  And  shall  make  him  of 
'quick  understanding  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord  :  and  he  shall  not 
judge  after  the  sight  of  his  eyes, 

1  scent ,  or,  smell. 

10.  Prov.  i.  7,  iii.  13,  xv.  33,  xix.  23. 
That  this  characteristic  was  found 
eminently  in  the  Lord  Jesus  it  is  not 
necessary  to  attempt  to  prove. 

3.  And  shull  make  him  of  quick  un- 
derstanding. (in^HI .)  The  LXX 
render  this,  "  And  the  spirit  of  the  fear 
of  God  shall  fill  him."  The  Chaldee, 
"  And  the  Lord  shall  draw  him  near 
to  him  in  his  fear."  The  Syriac,  "  And 
he  shall  be  resplendent  (like  the  sun, 
or  the  stars)  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord." 
The  Hebrew  word  here  used  is  pro- 
bably derived  from  ri"H  ridhh,  used 
only  in  Hiphil,  to  smell ;  and  is  kin- 
dred with  H^-i  rudhh,  wind,  breath, 
for  fragrant  substances  breathe  out  an 
odour.  Gesenitis.  It  then  denotes  to 
take  delight  in  smelling  (Ex.  xxx.  38. 
Lev.  xxvi  31)  ;  and  thence  by  an  easy 
transition  to  take  delight  in  any  thing 
Amos  v.  21.  The  reason  is,  that  the 
objects  of  smell  are  usually  pleasant 
and  agreeable  ;  and  especially  such  as 
were  the  aromatics  used  in  public  wor- 
ship. The  sense  here  is,  probably,  that 
he  would  take  pleasure  in  the  fear  of 
Jehovah,  that  is,  in  piety,  and  in  de- 
voting himself  to  his  service.  The  in- 
terpretation given  in  our  translation, 
is  that  given  by  many  expositors ; 
though  that  above  suggested  is  proba- 
bly the  correct  one.  The  word  is  used 
to  denote  pleasure  in  a  thing ;  it  is  not 
used  any  where,  it  is  believed,  to  de- 
note a  quick  understanding.  Comp. 
Ex.  v.  21.  Phil.  iv.  18.  The  idea 
which  is  conveyed  by  our  translators 
is  probably  derived  from  the  discern- 
ment of  the  quality  of  objects  by  an 
acute  sense  of  smell,  and  hence  they 
interpreted  the  word  to  denote  an  acute 
discrimination  of  any  objects.  %  And 
he  shall  not  judge  aflei  the  sight  of  his 
eyes.  He  shall  not  judge  of  things  by 
their  external  appearance,  or  with  par- 
tiality. Tiiis  is  language  which  is  ap- 
11 


neither  reprove  after  the  rearing 
of  his  ears : 

4  But  c\vith  righteousness  shall 
he  judge  the  poor,  and  3reprove 

c  Bs.  72.  2,  4.    Rev.  19.  11.  3  argue. 

plicable  to  a  magistrate,  and  is  spoken 
of  the  Messiah  as  -he  descendant  of 
David,  and  as  sitting  on  his  throne  as 
a  ruler  of  his  people.  He  who  judges 
"  after  the  sight  of  his  eyes,"  does  it 
according  to  external  appearances, 
showing  favour  to  rank,  to  the  rich  and 
the  great  ;  or  judging  as  things  appear 
without  a  close  and  careful  inquiry  into 
their  true  nature  and  bearings.  Comp. 
John  vii.  24 :  "  Judge  not  according 
to  the  appearance,  but  judge  righteous 
judgment."  Deut.  i.  16, 17.  TT  Neither 
reprove.  f1",31"1  •  This  word  means 
to  show,  to  prove ;  to  correct,  reprove, 
convince;  to  reproach,  or  censure;  to 
punish;  to  judge,  decide,  &c.  Here 
it  is  evidently  used  as  synonymous  with 
"  shall  he  judge"  in  the  former  part  of 
the  parallelism — retaining  the  idea  of 
a  just  judge  who  decides  not  according 
to  the  hearing  of  the  ears,  but  accord- 
ing to  justice.  IT  After  the  hearing  of 
his  ears.  Not  by  plausible  statements, 
and  ingenious  defences,  but  by  weigh- 
ing evidence,  and  by  an  impartial  exa- 
mination of  the  true  merits  of  the  case. 
This  belonged  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  be- 
cause, (1.)  He  was  never  influenced 
by  any  undue  regard  to  rank,  honour, 
or  office.  His  opinions  were  always 
impartial ;  his  judgments  without  bias, 
or  favouritism.  (2.)  He  was  able  to 
discern  the  true  merits  of  every  case. 
He  knew  what  was  in  man,  saw  the 
true  state  of  the  heart,  and  therefore 
was  not  deceived  or  imposed  upon  as 
human  judges  are.  See  John  ii  24,  25. 
Comp.  Rev.  ii.  23.     John  vi.  64. 

4.  Shall  he  judge  the  poor.  That  is, 
he  shall  see  that  impartial  justice  is 
done  them  ;  he  shall  not  take  part  with 
the  rich  against  the  poor,  but  shall 
show  that  he  is  the  friend  of  justice. 
This  is  the  quality  of  a  just  and  upright 
magistrate,  and  this  character  the  Lord 
Jesus  every  where  evinced.  He  <:hose 
Ins  disciples  from  among  the  root  ;  he 


242 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.T.iS. 


with  equity  for  the  meek  of  the 
earth  :  and    he    shall    smite   the 


condescended  to  be  their  companion 
ami  friend  ;  he  provided  for  their  wants  ; 
and  lie  pronounced  their  condition 
blessed.  Matt.  V.  3.  There  may  be  a 
reference  here  to  the  poor  in  spirit — 
the  humble,  the  penitent — but  the  main 
idea  is,  that  he  would  not  be  influenced 
by  any  undue  regard  for  the  higher 
ranks  of  life,  but  would  be  the  friend 
and  patron  of  the  poor.  IT  And  reprove. 
H^ltt  .  And  judge,  decide,  or  argue 
for  ;  that  is,  he  shall  be  their  friend 
and  their  impartial  judge,  ver.  3. 
IT  With  equity.  With  uprightness,  or 
uncorrupted  integrity.  IT  For  the  meek 
of  the  earth.  7>^~M??  .  For  the 
humble,  the  lower  class  ;  referring  to 
those  who  were  usually  passed  by  or 
oppressed  by  those  in  power.  IT  And 
he  shall  smite  the  earth.  By  the  earth 
here,  or  the  land,  is  meant  evidently 
the  icicked,  as  the  following  member 
of  the  parallelism  shows.  Perhaps  it 
is  intended  to  be  implied  that  the  earth 
when  he  should  come  would  be  emi- 
nently depraved— which  was  the  fact 
The  characteristic  here  is  that  of  an 
uptight  judge  or  prince,  who  would 
punish  the  wicked.  To  smite  the 
earth,  or  the  wicked,  is  expressive  of 
punishment ;  and  this  characteristic  is 
elsewhere  attributed  to  the  Messiah. 
See  Ps.  ii.  9-12.  Rev.  ii.  27.  The 
trait  is  that  of  a  just,  upright,  im- 
p;irti;il  exercise  of  power — such  as 
would  be  manifested  in  the  defence  of 
the  poor  and  the  innocent,  and  in  the 
punishment  of  the  proud  and  the  guilty 
Tf  With  the  rod  of  his  mouth.  The 
word  ^5^?  here  rendered  "  rod,"  de- 
notes properly  a  stick  or  staff;  a  rod 
for  chastisement  or  correction  (Prov. 
x.  13,  xiii.  21  Job  ix.  34,  xxi.  9)  ; 
the  Btaff  or  sceptre  of  a  ruler — as  an 
emblem  of  office  ;  a  measuring  rod  ;  a 
spear,  &c.  Note  ch.  x  5.  It  is  not 
•  elsewhere  applied  to  the  mouth,  though 
it  is  often  used  in  other  connections. 
It  means  'hat  which  goes  out  of  the 


earth  with  the  rod*  of  his  mouth, 
and  with  the  breath  of  his  lips 
shall  he  slay  the  wicked. 


month* — a  word,  command,  threaten- 
ing, decision  ;  and  it  is  implied  that  it 
would  go  forth  to  pronounce  sentence 
of  condemnation,  and  to  punish.  His 
word  would  be  so  just,  impartial,  and 
authoritative,  that  the  effect  would  be 
to  overwhelm  the  wicked.  In  a  sense 
similar  to  this,  Christ  is  said  to  have 
been  seen  by  John  when  "  out  of  his 
mouth  went  a  sharp  two-edged  sword'' 
(Rev.  i.  16)  ;  that  is,  his  commands 
and  decisions  were  so  authoritative 
and  so  certain  in  their  execution  as  to 
be  like  a  sharp  sword.  Comp.  Heb. 
iv.  12.  Isa  xlix  2:  "And  he  hath 
made  my  mouth  like  a  sharp  sword  " 
The  discriminating  preaching  ;  the 
pungent  discourses  ;  the  authoritative 
commands  of  the  Lord  Jesus  when  on 
earth  showed,  and  his  judicial  decisions 
in  the  day  of  judgment  will  show,  the 
manner ofthe  fulfilment  ofthe  prediction. 
^  And  with  the  breath  of  his  lips.  This  is 
synonynious  with  the  previous  member 
ofthe  parallelism.  "  The  breath  of  hi.* 
lips"  means  that  which  goes  forth  from 
his  lips — his  doctrines,  his  commands, 
his  decisions  IT  Shall  he  slay  the 
nicked.  That  is,  he  shall  condemn 
the  wicked  ;  or  he  shall  sentence  them 
to  punishment.  This  is  descriptive  of 
a  prince 'or  ruler,  who  by  his  commands 
and  decisions  effectually  subdues  and 
punishes  the  wicked — that  is,  he  does 
justice  to  all.  Grotius  interprets  this, 
"  by  his  prayers,"  referring  it  to  Heze- 
kiah,  and  to  the  influence  of  his  pray- 
ers in  destroying  the  Assyrians  The 
Chaldee  Paraphrast  translates  it,  '  And 
by  the  word  of  his  lips  he  shall  slay 
the  impious  Armillus.'  By  Armillus 
the  Jews  mean  the  last  great  enemy 
Of  their  nation,  who  would  come  alter 
Gog  and  Magog  and  wasre  furious  wars, 
and  who  would  slay  the  Messiah  Ben 
Ephraim,  whom  the  Jews  expect,  but 
who  would  be  himself  slain  by  the  rod 
of  the  Messiah  Ben  David,  or  the  son 
of  David    CaateJ.1. 

5.   And   righteousness  shall   be    the 


B.C. 738  J 


CHAPTER  XI. 


243 


5  And  righteousness  shall  be 
the  girdle8"  of  his  loins,  and  faith- 
fulness the  girdle  of  his  reins. 

6  The  Awolf  also  shall  dwell 


g  Eph.  6   M. 


girdle  of  his  loins.  The  sense  of  this 
verse  is  plain.  He  will  always  exhibit 
himself  as  a  just  and  faithful  king  The 
girdle  of  the  loins  refers  to  the.  cincture 
or  band  with  which  the  ancients  girded 
themselves.  A  part  of  their  dress  con- 
sisted of  an  outward,  loose,  flowing 
robe.  This  robe  it  was  necessary  to 
gird  up,  or  to  confine  close  to  the  body 
in  active  labour,  or  in  running:  and 
the  meaning  of  the  figure  here  used  is, 
probably,  that  the  virtues  of  righteous- 
ness and  justice  would  adhere  to  him 
as  closely  and  inseparably  as  the  gar- 
ment does  to  the  body  to  which  it  was 
bound.  The  figure  of  representing  the 
virtues  as  clothing,  or  describing  them 
as  parts  of  dress  with  which  we  are 
invested,  is  common  in  the  Scriptures. 

I  put  on  righteousness,  and  it  clothed  me  ; 
Ms'  judgment  was  as  a  robe  and  a  diadem. 

Job  xxix.  11. 

I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord, 

My  soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God  ; 

For  he  hath  clothed  me  with  the  garments  of 
salvation, 

He  hath  covered  me  with  the  robe  of  righteous- 
ness. 

As  a  bridegroom  decketh  himself  with  orna- 
ment.--, 

A"d  as  a  bride  adorneth  herselt  with  jewels 

Isa.  Ixi.  10. 

Comp.  Rev.  xix.  8,  and  Paul's  beauti- 
ful description  in  Eph.  vi.  13-17.  In 
like  manner,  vice  and  wickedness  are 
sometimes  represented  as  so  closely 
adhering  to  a  man  as  to  be  a  part  of 
his  very  clothing.     Ps   cix.  18,  19  : 

He  clothed  himself  with  cursing  like  as  with  a 
pirment. 

Let  it  be  unto  him  as  the  garment  which  cover- 
eth  him, 

And  for  a  girdle  wherewith  he  is  girded  conti- 
nually. 

The  Chaldee  renders  this,  "  And  the 
just  shall  be  round  about  him  on  every 
eide  (Tirip  "lino),  and  the  servants 
of  truth  shall  come  near  to  him."  The 
idea  is,  that  he  shall  be  distinguished 
for  justice  and  truth,  and  that  a  zeal 
for   these,   shall   make  him  strong  and 


with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard 
shall  lie  down  with  the  kid  ;  and 
the  calf,  and  the  young  lion,  and 
the  fatling  together;  and  a  little 
child  shall  lead  them. 

active  in  executing  the  purposes  of  his 
reign.  This  closes  the  description  of 
the  personal  qualities  of  the  Messiah. 
The  account  of  the  effects  of  his  reign 
follows  in  the  subsequent  verses. 

6.  The  wolf  also.  In  this,  and  the  fol- 
lowing  verses,   the   prophet    describes 
the    effect   of  his   reign  in    producing 
peace    and   tranquillity  on    the   earth. 
The  description  is  highly  poetical,  and 
is  one  that  is  common   in   ancient  wri- 
tings in  describing  a  golden  age.     The 
two   leading  ideas  are   those  of  peace 
and    security.       The    figure    is    taken 
from   the  condition  of  animals  of  all 
descriptions    living  in  a  state  of  har- 
mony, where  those  which  are  by  nature 
defenceless,  and  which  are  usually  made 
the  prey  of  the  strong, are  suffered  to  live 
in  security.     By  nature  the  wolf  preys 
upon   the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  upon 
the   kid,  and  the   adder  is  venomous, 
and  the  bear,  and  the  cow,  and  the  lion 
and  the  ox  cannot  live  together.  But  if 
a  state  of  things  should  arise  where  all 
this  hostility  would  cease  ;  where  the 
wild  animals  would  lay  aside  their  fero- 
city, and  where  the  feeble  and  the  gen- 
tle would    be   safe  ;  where    the   adder 
would  cease  to  be  venomous,  and  where 
all  would  be  so  mild  and  harmless  that 
a  little  child  would  be  safe,  and  could 
lead  even  the  most  ferocious  animals, 
that  state  would  represent  the  reign  of 
the    Messiah.       Under    his    dominion 
such  a  change  would  be  produced  as 
that  those  who  are  by  nature  violent, 
severe,   and    oppressive ;    those   whose 
disposition   is    illustrated   by  the  fero- 
cious and  blood-thirsty  propensities  of 
the  lion  and   the   leopard,  and  by  the 
poison  of  the  adder,  would  be  changed 
and  subdued,  and  would  be  disposed  to 
live  in  peace  and  harmony  with  others. 
This  is  the  general  idea  of  the  passage. 
We  are  not  to  cut  the  interpretation  to 
the  quick,  and  to  press  the  expressions 
t     Know  what   particular  class  of  men 


244 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.738. 


are  represented  by  the  lion,  the  bear, 
or  the  adder.  The  general  image  that 
is  before  the  prophet's  mind  is  that  of 
peace  and  safety,  such  as  that  would 
he  if  a  change  were  to  be  produced  in 
wild  animals,  making  them  tame  and 
peaceful  and  harmless. 

This  description  of  a  golden  age  is 
one  that  is  common  in  Oriental  writers, 
where  the  wild  beasts  are  represented 
as  growing  tame  ;  where  serpents 
are  harmless ;  and  where  all  is 
plenty,  peace,  and  happiness.  Thus 
Jones,  in  his  commentary  on  Asiatic 
poetry,  quotes  from  an  Arabic  poet, 
lbn  0/ie.iu,  p.  380 : 

Jushria.a  qua  mansuetusfit  lupus  fame  astrictus, 
Esuriens,  licet  liiimulura  candidum  videat. 

'Justice,  by  which  the  *ravening  wolf, 
driven  by  hunger,  becomes  tame,  al- 
though he  sees  a  white  kid.'  Thus, 
also,  Ferdusi,  a  Persian  poet : 

Rerum  Dominus,  Mahmad,  rex  potens, 
Ad  cujus  aquam  potum  veniunt  simul  agnus  et 
Itipus. 

'  Mahmud,  mighty  king,  lord  of  events, 
to  whose  fountain  the  lamb  and  the 
wolf  come  to  drink.'  Thus  Virgil, 
Eclogue  iv.  21 : 

Ipsa  tacts  doraum  referent  distenta  capellae 
libera;  nee  magnoe  metue'nt  arruenta  le - 

Home  theirfull  udders,  goats,  unurge'd  shall  hear, 
Nor  shall  the  herd  the  lordly  lion  fear. 

And  immediately  after, 

Occidel  et  serpens,  et  faJUajt  herba  veneni 
Occidet ; — 

The  snake,  and  poison's  treacherous  weed  shall 
die.  Urangham. 

Again,  Eclogue,  v.  60  : 

Nee  lupus  insidias  peeori.  nee  retia  cervis 

Ulla  dolum  mediumur:  amat  bonus  otia  Daphnis. 

So  also  Horace  Epod   xvi.  53,  54: 

Nee  vespertinns  nrcumpemit  ursus  ovile, 
Nee  intumescil  alta  viperja  humus. 

See  also  Claudian,  Lib.  ii.  v.  25  seq.  ; 
and  Theocritus,  Idyll,  xxiv.  84,  as 
quoted  by  Gesenius  and  Rosenmullcr. 
These  passages  are  beautiful,  and 
highly  poetic  ;  but  they  do  not  equal 
the  beauty  of  the  prophet.  There  is 
an  exquisite  sweetness  in  the  passage 
of  Isaiah — in  the  picture  which  1, 
drawn — particularly  in  '.he  introduction 
of   the   security    of    the    young    child, 


which  does  not  occur  in  the  quotations 
from  the  heathen  poets. 

That  this  passage  is  descriptive  of 
the  times  of  the  Messiah,  there  can  be 
no  doubt.     It  has  been  a  question,  to 
what  particular  part  of  his  reign  the 
prophet  has  reference.     Some  have  re- 
ferred it  to  the  time  when  he  camC,  and 
to  the  influence  of  his  gospel  in  miti- 
gating the  ferocity  of  his  enemies,  and 
ultimately    disposing    them    to    suffer 
Christians  to  live  with  them-  the  infu- 
riated enemies  of  the  cross  under  the 
emblem  of  the  wolf,  the  bear,  the  leo- 
pard, and  the.  adder,  becoming  willing 
that  the   Christian,  under  the  emblem 
of  the  lamb,  and   the  kid,  should  live 
with  them  without  molestation.     This 
is  the  interpretation  of  Vitringa.  Others 
have  referred  it  to  the  Millennium — as 
descriptive    of    a    state    of    happiness, 
peace,    and     universal    security    then. 
Others  have  referred  it  to  the  second 
coming  of  the   .Messiah,  as  descriptive 
of  a  time  when  it  is  supposed  that  he 
will  reign  personally  on  the  earth,  and 
when  there  shall   be  universal  security 
and  peace,  and  when  the  nature  of  ani- 
mals shall  be  so  far  changed  that  the 
ferocity  of  those   which  are   wild  and 
ravenous    shall   cease,   and   they  shall 
become    harmless    to   the    defenceless. 
Without  attempting  to  examine  these 
opinions  at   length,  we  may,  perhaps, 
express  the  sense  of  the  passage  by  the 
following  observations:    (1.)  The  eye 
of  the  prophet  is  fixed  upon  the  reign 
of  the   Messiah,  not  with  reference  to 
time,  but  with  reference  to  the  actual 
facts  of  that  reign.     He  saw  the  scene 
pass  before  his  mind  in  vision   (see  the 
Introduction,  §  7.  iii.   (4.)   (5.),  and  it 
is   not   the   nature  of  such  descriptions 
to   mark  the   time,  but  the   order,  the 
passing  aspect  of  the  scene.     Under 
the  reign  of  the  Messiah  he  saw  that 
this  would  occur: — looking  down 
tant  times, -as  on  a  beautiful  land.fcnjie, 
he  perceived  under  the  mild  rci<;n  of 
the  Prince   of  Peace   a   state  of  things 
which    would    be   well   represented   by 
the  wolf  dwelling  with   the  laml>,   the 
id  crouching  down  with   the  kid, 
and  a  little  child  safe   in    their  m 
(2.)   It  was,  in  fact,  partially  t. 


tf.C.738.] 


CHAPTER  XL 


2-lft 


in  the  earliest  times  of  the  gospel,  and 
hus  been  every  where.  Under  that 
gospel  the  mad  passions  of  men  have 
been  subdued  ;  their  wild  ferocious  na- 
ture has  been  changed  ;  their  love  of 
conquest  and  war  and  blood  taken 
away  ;  and  the  change  has  been  such 
as  would  be  beautifully  symbolized  by 
the  change  of  the  disposition  of  the 
wolf  and  the  leopard — suffering  the  in- 
nocent and  the  harmless  to  live  with 
them  in  peace.  (3.)  The  scene  will 
not  be  fully  realized  until  the  reign  of 
the  Messiah  shall  be  extended  to  all 
nations,  and  his  gospel  shall  every 
where  accomplish  its  full  effects.  The 
vision  of  Isaiah  here  has  not  yet  re- 
ceived a  full  completion  ;  nor  will  it 
until  the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord,  ver.  9.  The 
mind  is,  therefore,  still  directed  onward. 
In  future  times,  under  the  reign  of 
the  Messiah,  what  is  here  described 
shall  occur — a  state  of  security  and 
pea'ce  and  happiness.  Isaiah  saw  that 
splendid  vision  as  in  a  picture  pass  before 
the  mind  ;  the  wars,  and  persecutions, 
and  trials  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom 
were  for  a  time  at  least  thrown  into  the 
back  ground  or  not  represented,  and  in 
that  future  time  he  saw  what  is  here 
represented.  It  has  been  partially  ful- 
filled— in  all  the  changes  which  the 
Messiah's  reign  has  made  in  the  natu- 
ral ferocity  and  cruelty  of  men  ;  in  all 
the  peace  which  at  any  time  the  church 
has  been  permitted  to  enjoy  ;  in  all  the 
revolutions  promoting  human  safety, 
welfare,  and  happiness,  which  Chris- 
tianity has  produced.  It  is  to  receive 
the  complete  fulfilment — to  airure^afna — 
only  in  that  future  time  when  the  gos- 
pel shall  be  every  where  established  on 
the  earth.  The  essential  thing,  there- 
fore, in  the  prophecy,  is  the  representa- 
tion of  the  peace,  safety  and  harmony 
which  shall  take  place  under  the  Mes- 
siah. So  to  speak,  it  was  a  taking  out, 
and  causing  to  pass  before  the  mind  of 
the  prophet,  all  the  circumstances  of 
harmony,  order,  and  love  in  his  reign 
— as  in  a  beautiful  panoramic  view  of  a 
landscape  the  beauties  of  the  whole 
scene  may  be  made  to  pass  before  the 
mind ;    the  circumstances  that  might 


even'  then,  if  surveyed  closely,  give 
pain,  were  hid  from  the  view  or  lost  in 
the  loveliness  of  the  whole  scene.  (4.) 
That  it  does  not  refer  to  any  literal 
change  in  the  nature  of  animals  so 
that  the  ferocity  of  the  untamed  shall 
be  wholly  laid  aside  ;  the  disposition  to 
prey  on  one  another  wholly  cease,  and 
the  poisonous  nature  of  the  adder  be 
destroyed,  seems  to  me  to  be  evident. 
(1  )  Because  the  whole  description  has 
a  highly  figurative  and  poetical  cast. 
(2.)  Because  such  figurative  expres- 
sions are  common  in  all  poetry,  and 
especially  among  the  Orientals.  (3.) 
Because  it  does  not  appear  how  the 
gospel  has  any  tendency  to  change  the 
nature  of  the  lion,  the  bear,  or  the  ser- 
pent. It  acts  on  men,  not  on  brutes ; 
on  human  hearts,  not  on  the  organiza- 
tion of  wild  animals.  (4.)  Because 
such  a  state  of  things  could  not  occur 
without  a  perpetual  miracle,  changing 
the  physical  nature  of  the  whole  ani- 
mal creation.  The  lion,  the  wolf,  the 
panther,  are  made  to  live  on  flesh.  The 
whole  organization  of  their  teeth  and 
digestive  powers  is  adapted  to  this,  and 
this  alone.  To  fit  them  to  live  on  ve- 
getable food  would  require  a  change  in 
their  whole  structure,  and  confound 
ell  the  doctrines  of  natural  history. 
The  adder  is  poisonous,  and  nothing 
but  a  miracle  would  prevent  the  poison- 
ous secretion,  and  make  his  bite  inno- 
cuous. But  where  is  a  promise  of  any 
such  continued  miracle  as  shall  change 
the  whole  structure  of  the  animal  crea- 
tion, and  make  the  physical  world  dif- 
ferent from  what  it  is  ?  It  is  indeed 
probable  that  wild  animals  and  venom- 
ous serpents  will  wholly  retire  before 
the  progress  of  civilization  and  Chris- 
tianity, and  that  the  earth  may  be  in- 
habited every  where  with  safety — for 
such  is  the  tendency  of  the  advance 
of  civilization — but  this  is  a  very  dif- 
ferent thing  from  a  change  in  the  physi- 
cal nature  of  the  animal  creation.  The 
fair  interpretation  of  this  passage  is, 
therefore,  that  revolutions  will  be  pro- 
duced in  the  wild  and  evil  passions  of 
men — the  Only  thing  with  which  the 
gospel  has  to  do — as  great  as  if  a 
change  were  produced  in  the  animal 


246 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  739 


creation,  and  the  most  ferocious  and 
the  most  helpless  should  dwell  together. 
— The  wolf  (3Kt  sct'jh)  is  a  well- 
known  animal,  so  called  from  his  yel- 
low or  golden  colour.  The  Hebrew 
name  is  formed  by  changing  H  hi  in 
tin-  word  -f?J  zdh&bh,  gold,  lo  ^  aleph. 
Bochart.  The  wolf,  in  the  Scriptures, 
is  described  as  ravenous,  fierce,  cruel  ; 
and  is  the  emblem  of  that  whieh  is 
■wild,  ferocious,  and  savage  among  men. 
Gen.  xlix.  27  :  "  Benjamin  shall  ravin 
as  a  wolf."  Ezek.  xxii.  27:  "Her 
princes  in  the  midst  thereof  are  like 
wolves  ravening  the  pre}-."  Matth.  vii. 
15:  "  Beware  of  false  prophets,  which 
come  to  you  in  sheep's  clothing,  but 
inwardly  they  are  ravening  wolves." 
John  x.  12.  Matth.  x.  16.  Luke  x.  3. 
Acts  xx.  29.  The  wolf  is  described 
as  sanguinary  and  bloody  (Ezek.  xxii. 
27),  and  as  taking  its  prey  by  night, 
and  as  therefore  particularly  an  object 
of  dread.  Jer.  v.  6:  "A  wolf  of  the 
eveninus  shall  spoil  them."  Habak.  i 
8 :  "  Their  horses  are  more  fierce  than 
the  evening  wolves."  Zeph.  iii.  3: 
"  Her  judges  are  evening  wolves,  they 
gnaw  not  the  bones  till  to-morrow." 
In  the  Scriptures,  the  wolf  is  constantly 
represented  in  contrast  with  the  lamb  ; 
the  one  the  emblem  of  ferocity,  the 
other  of  gentleness  and  innocence. 
Matth.  x.  lb'.  Luke  x.  3.  The  heathen 
poets  also  regard  the  wolf  as  an  em- 
blem of  ferocity  and  cruelty  : 

Inilc  lupi  ceu 
Raplon-s,  atra  in  nebula,  quos  improba  ventri9 
Exe^it  ca?cos  rabies  -etc. 

Virg.  iEn.  ii   355  seq. 

As  hungry  wolves,  with  raging  appetite, 

Scour  through  the  fields,  nor  fear  the   stormy 

night— 
Their  whelps  at  home  expect  the  promised  food, 
And  long  to  temper  their  dry  chaps  in  blood- 
So  rushed  we  forth  at  oncu.  Dryden. 

Cervi,  luporum  praeda  rapacium 

Hor.  Car.  Lib.  iv  Ode  iv.  50. 

See  a  full  illustration  of  the  nature  and 
habits  of  the  wolf  in  Bochart,  Hieroz. 
Part  i.  B.  iii.  ch  x  pp.  821-830. 
V  Shall  dwell  ~5 .  Shall  sojourn, 
or  abide.  The  word  usually  denotes  a 
residence  for  a  time  only  away  from 
home,  not  a  permanent  dwelling.  The 
idea    here    is,  that    they   shall  remain 


peacefully  together.  The  same  imaga 
occurs  in  ch.  lxv.  25,  in  another  form 
"  The  wolf  and  the  lamb  shall  feed  to- 
gether." f  The  lamb.  Every  where 
the  emblem  of  mildness,  gentleness., 
and  innocence  ;  and  therefore  applied 
often  to  the  people  of  God,  as  mild, 
inoffensive  and  forbearing.  John  xxi. 
15.  Luke  x.  3.  Isa.  xl.  2.  It  is  very 
otten  applied  by  way  of  eminence  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  John  i.  29.  Acta 
viii.  32.  Isa.  ii.  7.  1  Pet.  i.  19.  Rev.  v. 
C,  8,  12,  13,  vi.  l(j,  vii.  9,  11),  14,  17, 
el  al.  IT  And  the  leopard.  "I£5  nuiiitr. 
The  leopard,  a  well  known  wild  beast, 
was  regarded  in  Oriental  countries  as 
second  in  dignity  only  to  the  lion. 
The  Arabic  writers  say,  "  he  is  second 
in  rank  to  the  lion,  and  as  there  is  a 
natural  hatred  between  them,  victory 
is  alternate  between  them."  Hence 
in  the  Scriptures,  the  lion  and  the  leo- 
pard are  often  joined  together  as  ani- 
mals of  the  same  character  and  rank. 
Cant.  iv.  8 : 

From  the  lions'  dens. 

From  the  mountains  of  the  leopards. 

See  Jer.  v.  6,  and  Hos.  xiii.  7  : 

Therefore  I  will  he  unto  them  as  a  lion. 

As  a  leopard  by  the  way  will  I  observe  them. 

The  leopard  is  distinguished  for  his 
spots  (Jer.  xiii.  23,  "  Can  the  Ethiopian 
change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his 
spots !")  ;  it  has  small  white  eye.?,  wide 
jaws,  sharp  teeth,  and  is  represented 
as  extremely  cruel  to  man.  It  was 
common  in,  Palestine,  and  was  an  ob- 
ject of  great  dread.  It  lurked  for  its 
prey  like  the  lion,  and  seized  upon  it 
suddenly  (Jer.  v.  6,  Hos.  xiii.  7),  and 
was  particularly  distinguished  for  its 
velocity  (Habak.  i.  8),  and  is  often  re- 
ferred to  in  the  classic  writers  as  an 
emblem  of  fleetness.  See  Bochart. 
The  image  here  used  by  Isaiah  that 
"  the  leopard  should  lie  down  with  the 
kid,"  as  an  emblem  of  peace  and 
safety,  occurs  almost  in  the  same  form 
in  the  Sybilline  oracles,  Lib  iii : 

xapSaXtci  t'  ipiyois  apa  (iitaK^aovTai, 

'  leopards  shall  feed  together  with  kids. 
See  Bochart  Hieroz.  Par.  i.  Lib.  iii. 
cap.  vii.  pp.  786-791.  V  With  the  kid. 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  XL 


241 


7  And  the  cow  and  the  bear 
shall  feed  ;  their  young  ones 
shall  lie  down  together :  and  the 
lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox. 


The  young  of  the  goat.  Gen.  xxxvii. 
21  Lev.  xxiii.  19.  Luke  xv  29.  Like 
the  lamb,  it  was  an  emblem  of  gentle- 
ness, riiildness,  and  inoffensiveness. 
IT  And  the  calf-  Another  emblem  of 
inoffensiveness  and  innocence.  IT  And 
the  young  lion.  The  Hebrew  word 
here  used,  "1>1£^  ,  denotes  one  that  is 
old  enough  to  go  abroad  for  prey.  It 
is  employed  as  Emblematic  of  danger- 
ous enemies  (Ps.  xxxiv.  2,  xXxv.  17, 
lviii.  7)  ;  and  also  as  emblematic  of 
young  heroes,  or  defenders  of  a  state. 
Ezek  xxxviii.  15.  Nah.  ii.  14.  IT  And 
the  fading.  The  calf  or  other  animal 
that  was"  well  fed,  and  that  would  be 
therefore  particularly  an  object  of  de- 
sire to  a  wild  beast.  The  beauty  of  the 
image  is  heightened  by  the  circum- 
stance that  now  the  ravenous  beast 
would  live  with  that  which  usually  ex- 
cites its  keenest  appetite,  without  at- 
tempting to  injure  it.  IF  And  a  little 
child  shall  lead  them.  This  is  a  pecu- 
liarly beautiful  image  introduced  into 
the  picture  of  peace  and  prosperity. 
Naturally,  the  lion  and  the  leopard  are 
objects  of  dread  to  a  young  child.  But 
here,  the  state  of  peace  and  safety  is 
represented  as  not  only  so  entire  that 
the  child  might  live  with  them  in  safety, 
but  their  natural  ferocity  is  so  far  sub- 
dued and  tamed  that  they  could  be  led 
by  him  at  his  will.  The  verisimilitude 
of  the  picture  is  increased  by  the  cir- 
cumstance that  these  wild  beasts  may 
be  so  far  tamed  as  to  become  subject  to 
the  will  of  a  man,  and  even  of  a  child. 
7.  And  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall 
feed.  That  is,  together.  Animals 
that  by  nature  do  not  dwell  together, 
where  by  nature  the  one  would  be  the 
prey  of  the  other,  shall  dwell  together 
—an  image  of  safety  and  peace.  %  And 
the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox.  A 
representation  of  the  change  that  will 
take  place  under  the  reign  of  the  Mes- 
siah in  the  natural  disposition  of  men, 


8  And  the  sucking  child  shall 
play  on  the  hole  of  the  asp,  and 
the  weaned  child  shall  put  his 
hand  on  the  5cockatrice's  den. 


and  in  the  aspect  of  society  ;  as  great 
as  if  the  lion  were  to  lose  his  natural 
appetite  for  blood,  and  to  live  on  the 
usual  food  of  the  ox.  This  cannot  be 
taken  literally  ;  for  such  an  interpreta- 
tion would  suppose  a  change  in  the 
physical  organization  of  the  lion — of 
his  appetites,  his  teeth,  his  digestive 
organs — a  change  which  it  would  be 
absurd  to  suppose  will  ever  exist  It 
would  in  fact  make  him  a  different 
being.  And  it  is  clear,  therefore,  that 
the  whole  passage  is  to  be  interpreted 
in  a  moral  sense,  as  denoting  great  and 
important  changes  in  society,  and  in  the 
hearts  of  men. 

8.  And  the  sucking  child.  An  em- 
blem here  of  harmlessness  and  inno- 
cence. The  change  in  the  world  under 
the  Messiah  shall  be  as  great  as  if  a 
sucking  infant  should  be  able  to  play 
unharmed  with  a  venomous  serpent. 
IT  Shall  play.  Shall  delight  himself 
(S'ttSStti)  as  children  usually  engage  in 
their  sports.  Comp.  Prov.  viii.  3D,  31. 
Ps  cxix.  24.  IT  On  the  hole  of  the 
asp.  Over, or  around  the  cavern,  hole, 
or  place  of  retreat  of  the  asp.  He 
shall  play  over  that  place  as  safely  as 
if  the  nature  of  the  asp  was  changed, 
and  it  had  become  innocuous.  The  He- 
brew word  here  rendered,  asp  ("i*!:? 
pethtn)  denotes  the  serpent  usually 
called  the  asp,  whose  poison  is  of  such 
rapid  operation  that  it  kills  almost  in- 
stantly. See  Job  xx.  14,  16.  Ps.  lviii.  4, 
xci.  13.  Deut  xxxii.  33.  The  word  oc- 
curs in  no  other  places  in  the  ( >ld  Testa- 
ment. This  serpent  is  small.  It  is  found 
particularly  in  Egypt,  though  also  in 
other  places.  See  Note  on  Job  xx.  14. 
It  is  here  used  as  the  emblem  of  the 
more  sudden,  malignant,  and  violent 
passions  ;  and  the  idea  is,  that  under 
the  Messiah  a  change  would  be  wrought 
in  men  of  malignant  and  deadly  pas- 
sions as  signal  as  if  the  asp  or  adder 
were   to  lose  his  venom  and  become* 


248 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.733 


9  They  shall  not  hurtfc  nor  de- 
stroy in  all  my  holy  mountain  : 
for  'the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the 

innocuous  to  a  child.  H  And  the 
weaned  child.  But  still,  a  young  and 
helpless  child.  The  image  is  varied,  but 
the  same  idea  is  retained.  V  Shall  put 
his  hand.  That  is,  he  shall  do  it 
safely,  or  uninjured.  IT  On  the  cocka- 
Irirr'  den.  Marg.  or,  adder's.  The 
word  here  rendered  cock*  trice  "OWBS 
'.ziphoni)  occurs  only  in  the  following 
places  :  lsa.  xiv.  '2{),  xi.  8,  lix.  5.  Prov. 
xxiii.  3'2.  Jer.  viii.  17.  In  all  these 
places,  it  is  rendered  cockatrice,  except 
in  Prov.  xxiii.  32  The  cockatrice  was 
a  fabulous  kind  of  serpent,  supposed  to 
be  hatched  from  the  egg  of  a  cock. 
The  serpent  here  designated  is  doubt- 
less a  species  of  the  adder,  more  venom- 
ous, perhaps,  than  the  pethen,  but  still 
belonging  to  the  same  species.  Bochart 
(Hieroz.  P.  ii.  L.  iii.  ch.  ix.)  supposes 
that  the  basilisk  is  intended — a  species 
ot  serpent  that  he  says  was  supposed 
to  poison  even  with  its  breath.  The 
general  idea  is  the  same  here  as  above. 
— It  is  in  vain  to  attempt  to  spiritual- 
ize these  expressions,  and  to  show  that 
they  refer  to  certain  individuals,  or  that 
the  animals  here  designated  refer  to 
particular  classes  of  the  enemies  of  the 
gospel.  It  is  a  mere  poetic  description, 
denoting  great  peace  and  security  ;  and 
all  the  changes  in  the  mad,  malignant, 
and  envenomed  passions  of  men,  that 
may  be  necessary  to  produce  and  perpe-  I 
tuate  that  peace.  Pope  has  versified 
this  description  in  the  following  beauti-  j 
ful  manner: 

The  lambs  with  wolves  shall  graze  the  verdant 

mead. 
And  boy.-*  in  flowery  bands  the  tigers  lead. 
The  steer  and  lion  at  one  crib  shall  meet, 
Ami  harmless  serpents  lick  the  pilgrim's  feet. 
The  smiling  infant  in  his  hand  shall  take 
The  en  Bteo  basilisk  and  speckled  snake  ; 
Pleased,  the  green  lustre  of  the  scales  survey, 
And  with  their  forked  tongue  shall  innocently 

play.  l&sseiah. 

9.  They  shall  not  hurt.  ■  That  is, 
those  who  are  designated  above  under 
the  emblems  of  the  lion,  the  leopard, 
the  bear,  and  the  adder.  V  Nor  destroy 
in  all  my  holy  mountain.    Mount  Zion  ; 


knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the 
waters  cover  the  sea. 

k  Job  3.  23.   ch.  35.  9.     Rev.  21.  7. 
/  Ps.  72.  19.    Hab.  3.  14. 

here  used,  as  elsewhere,  to  denote  the 
seat  of  his  reign  on  the  earth,  or  his 
church.  Notes  ch.  i.  8,  ii.  4.  The 
disposition  ot  men,  naturally  ferocious 
and  cruel,  shall  be  changed  so  entirely, 
that  the  causes  of  strife  and  contention 
shall  cease.  They  shall  be  disposed  to 
:ice,  and  lo  promote  each  other's 
W(  Ifare  everywhere.  T  For  the  earth. 
That  is,  in  the  times  of  the  Messiah. 
It  does  not  say  that  it  shall  be  imme- 
diate under  his  reign,  but  under  his 
reign  this  shall  occur  on  the  .earth 
H  The  knowledge  of  the  Lord.  1  his 
is  put  for  piety,  as  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
often  is.  The  earth  shall  be  full  of  a 
correct  understanding  of  the  existence, 
perfections,  plans,  and  claims  of  God  ; 
and  shall  be  disposed  to  yield  to  those 
claims — thus  producing  universal  peace. 
11  As  the  waters  cover  the  sea.  That 
is,  the  depths  or  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 
Comp.  Hab.  ii.  14.  The  vast  waters 
of  the  ocean  cover  all  its  depths,  find 
their  way  into  all  the  caverns,  flow  into 
all  the  recesses  on  the  shore — and  thus 
shall  the  knowledge  of  Jehovah  spread 
like  deep,  flowing  waters,  until  the 
earth  shall  be  pervaded  and  covered 
with  it.  It  is  evident  that  a  time  is 
here  spoken  of  which  has  not  yet  fully 
come,  and  the  mind  is  still  directed 
onward,  as  was  that  of  the  prophet,  to  a 
future  period  when  this  shall  be  accom- 
plished. The  prophecy  has  been  in- 
deed in  part  fulfilled.  Wherever  the 
gospel  has  spread,  its  effect  has  been 
just  that  which  is  predicted  here.  It 
has  calmed  and  subdued  the  angry  pas- 
sions of  men  ;  changed  their  feelings 
and  their  conduct ;  disposed  them  to 
peace  ;  and  tended  to  mitigate  national 
ferocity,  to  produce  kindness  to  cap- 
tives, and  to  those  who  had  been  op- 
pressed. It  has  mitigated  laws  that 
were  cruel  and  bloody  ;  and  has  abol- 
ished customs,  games,  sports,  and  pas- 
times that  were  ferocious  and  savage. 
It  has  often  changed  the  bitter  perse- 
cutor, as  it  did  Saul  of  Tarsus,  to  the 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


249 


10  And  in  that  day  there  shall 
be  a  "'root  of  Jes«e,  which  shall 
stand  for  an  ensign  of  the  people ; 

mildness  and  gentleness  of  a  lamb  ;  and 
it  has  spread  an  influence  Over  nations 
tending  to  produce  humanity  and  bene- 
volence. It  has  produced  mildness, 
gentleness  and  love  in  the  domestic 
circle  ;  changed  the  cruel  and  lordly 
husband  to  a  companion  and  friend  ; 
and  the  character  of  the  stern  and  in- 
exorable father  to  one  of  paternal  kind- 
ness and  peace.  Wherever  it  has  spread 
in  truth  and  not  in  form  merely,  it  has 
shed  a  mild,  calming,  and  subduing  in- 
fluence over  the  passions,  laws,  and 
customs  of  men.  But  its  effects  have 
been  but  partially  felt ;  and  we  are  led, 
therefore,  to  look  forward  to  future 
times,  when  the  prophecy  shall  be  en- 
tirely fulfilled*  and  the  power  of  the 
gospel  shall  be  felt  in  all  nations. 

1U.  And  in  that  day.  That  future 
time  »vhen  the  reign  of  the  Messiah 
shal'  be  established.  Note  ch.  iii.  2, 
iv.  1.  The  prophet  having  described  the 
birth,  and  the  personal  characteristics 
of  the  great  personage  to  whom  he  re- 
ferred, together  with  the  peaceful  effeets 
of  his  reign,  proceeds  to  state  the.  re- 
sult of  that  reign  in  some  other  respects. 
The  first  is  (ver,  10),  that  the  Gentiles 
would  be  brought  under  his  reign  ;  the 
second  (ver.  14),  that  it  would  be  at- 
tended with  the  restoration  of  the  scat- 
tered people  of  Judea  ;  and  the  third 
(vs.  15,  16),  that  it  would  be  followed 
by  the  destruction  of  the  enemies  of 
the  people  of  God.  IT  There  shall  be 
a  root  of  Jesse.  There  shall  be  a  sprout, 
shoot,  or  scion  of  the  ancient  and  de- 
cayed family  of  Jesse.  See  Note  v.  1. 
Chaldee,  "  There  shall  be  a  son  of  the 
sons  of  Jesse."  The  word  root  here 
('din©)  is  evidently  used  in  the  sense 
of  a  root  that  is  alive  when  the  tree  is 
dead  ;  a  root  that  sends  up  a  shoot  or 
sprout ;  and  is  thus  applied  to  him  who 
should  proceed  from  the  ancient  and 
decayed  family  of  Jesse  See  ch.liii.2. 
Thus  in  Rev.  v.  5,  the  Messiah  is  call- 
ed "  the  root  of  David,"  and  in  Rev. 
xxii.  16,  "  the  root  and  the  offspring 
11* 


to  it   shall   the   "Gentiles   seek : 

and  his  rest?  shall  be  6glorious. 

m  verse  1.  o  Rom.  15.  9—12. 

■p  Matt.  11.  28.     Heb.  4,  1,  &c.         6  glory. 

of  David."  IT  Which  shall  stand. 
There  is  reference  here,  doubtless,  to 
the  fact  that  military  ensigns  were 
sometimes  raised  on  mountains  or  tow- 
ers which  were  permanent,  and  which, 
therefore,  could  be  rallying  points  to 
an  army  or  a  people  The  idea  is,  that 
the  root  of  Jesse,  i.  e  the  Messiah, 
should  be  conspicuous,  nnd  that  the 
nations  should  flee  to  him,  and  rally 
around  him  as  a  people  do  around  a 
military  standard.  Thus  the  Saviour 
says  (John  xii.  32):  "And  I,  if  I  be 
lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all 
men  unto  me."  IT  For  an  ensign.  For 
a  standard,  or  a  sign  around  which 
they  shall  rally,  t  Of  the  people.  That 
is,  a6  the  parallelism  shows,  of  the 
Gentiles,  f  To  it  shall  the  Gentiles 
seek.  The  heathen  world  shall  look  to 
it  for  safety  and  deliverance.  In  the 
Scriptures,  the  world  is  spoken  of  as 
divided  into  Jews  and  Gentiles.  All 
who  are  not  Jews  come  under  this  ap- 
pellation. This  is  a  distinct  prophecy 
that  other  nations  than  the  Jews  should 
be  benefited  by  the  work  of  the  Mes- 
siah, and  constitute  a  part  of  his  king- 
dom. This  fact  is  often  referred  to  by 
Isaiah,  and  constitutes  a  very  material 
feature  in  his  prophecies  ;  ch.  xlii.  1,6, 
xlix.  22,  liv  3,  lx.3,5,  11,16,  lxi.  6,9, 
l.xii.  2,  lxvi.  12,  19.  The  word  seek 
here  is  used  in  the  sense  of  seeking  as 
a  deliverer,  or  a  Saviour:  they  shall 
apply  to  him  for  instruction,  guidance, 
and  salvation  ;  or  they  shall  apply  to 
him  as  a  nation  looks  to  its  deliverer 
to  protect  it.  Cornp.  ch.  viii.  19.  2  Kin. 
i.  3.  Isa.  lxv.  1.  IT  And  his  rest.  The 
re3t,  peace  and  quietness  which  he  shall 
give.  This  evidently  includes  all  the 
rest  or  peace  which  he  shall  impart  to 
those  who  seek  him.  The  word  nns,3T3 
menuhha  sometimes  denotes  a  resting- 
place,  or  a  habitation  (Numb.  x.  33. 
Micah  ii.  10.  Ps.  cxxxii.  8);  but  it 
also  denotes  a  state  of  rest,  quietness. 
Ruth  i  9.  Jer.  xlv.  3.  Ps.  xxiii.  2. 
Ps.  xcv.  11.    Deut.  xii.  9.    Isa.  xxviii 


250 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  733 


11  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
in  that  day,  that  the  Lord  shall 
set  his  hand  again  the.  second 
time  to  recover  the  remnant  of 
his  people,   which   shall  be   left, 


12.  Isa.  lxvi.  1.  Here  it  evidently 
means  the  latter.  It  may  refer,  (1)  To 
the  peace  which  he  gives  to  the  con- 
science of  the  awakened  and  troubled 
sinner  (Matt.  xi.  28-30) ;  or  (2)  to  the 
prosperity  and  peace  which  his  reign 
shall  produce.  1T  Shall  be  glorious. 
Heb.  Shall  be  glory.  That  is,  shall  be 
full  of  glory  and  honour.  It  shall  be 
such  as  shall  confer  signal  honour  on 
his  reign.  The  Chaldee  understands 
this  of  his  place  of  residence,  his  palace 
or  court.  "  And  the  place  of  his  abode 
shall  be  in  glory."  The  Vulgate  ren- 
ders it,  "  and  his  sepulchre  shall  be 
glorious." 

11.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass.  The 
prophet,  having  in  the  previous  verse 
stated  the  effect  of  the  reign  of  the 
Messiah  on  the  Gentile  world,  proceeds 
to  state  the  result  on  the  scattered 
Jews.  Whether  it  i3  to  be  a  literal 
re-collecting  of  the  scattered  tribes  to 
the  land  of  their  fathers,  has  been  a 
subject  of  debate,  and  is  still  so  by  ex- 
positors We  may  be  able  to  deter- 
mine what  is  the  correct  general  inter- 
pretation after  the  particular  phrases 
have  been  examined.  IF  In  that  day. 
That  future  time  referred  to  in  this 
whole  prophecy.  The  word  day  is 
often  used  to  denote  a  long  time — or 
the  time  during  which  any  thing  con- 
tinues, as  the  daij  denotes  all  the  hours 
until  it  is  terminated  by  night.  So  day 
denotes  the  time  of  a  man's  life — "  his 
day  ;"  or  time  in  genera!  ;  or  the  time 
when  one  shall  be  prominent,  or  be  the 
principal  object  at  that  time.  Thus  it 
is  applied  to  the  time  of  the  Messiah, 
as  being  the  period  of  the  world  in 
which  he  will  be  the  prominent  or  dis- 
tinguished object.  John  viii.  56 :  "  Abra- 
ham rejoiced  to  see  my  day."  Luke 
xvii.  24:  "  So  shall  the  Son  of  Man 
be  in  his  day."  The  expression  here 
means,  that  somewhere  in  that  future 


from  'Assyria,  and  from  Egypt, 
and  from  Pathros,  and  from  Cush, 
and  from  Elam,  and  from  Shinar, 
and  from  Hamath,  and  from  the 
islands  of  the  sea. 

'/  Zech.  10.  10,  11. 

time  when  the  Messiah  should  appear, 
or  when  the  world  should  be  put  under 
him  as  the  Mediator,  the  event  would 
take  place  which  is  here  predicted.  As 
the  word  "  day"  includes  all  the  time 
of  the  Messiah,  or  all  his  reign  from  his 
first  to  his  second  advent,  it  is  not  to 
be  supposed  that  the  event  would  take 
place  when  he  was  personally  on  earth. 
Isaiah  saw  it  in  vision,  as  one  of  the 
events  which  was  to  occur  after  the 
"root  of  Jesse"  should  stand  as  an 
ensign  to  the  nations.  IT  That  the 
Lobs  shall  set  hie  hand.  That  Jeho- 
vah shall  undertake  this,  and  accom- 
plish it.  To  set  the  hand  to  any  thing 
is  to  undertake  to  perform  it.  H  The 
second,  time  (rPJUJ).  This  word  pro- 
perly means,  as  it  is  here  translated, 
the  second  time,  implying  that  the  pro- 
phet here  speaks  of  a  deliverance  which 
would  resemble,  in  some  respects,  a 
former  deliverance  or  recovery.  By 
the  former  recovery  to  which  he  here 
refers,  he  cannot  mean  the  deliverance 
from  Egypt  under  Moses,  for  at  that 
time  there  was  no  recovery  from  scat- 
tered and  distant  nations.  Besides,  if 
that  was  the  reference  by  the  former 
deliverance,  then  that  here  mentioned 
as  the  "  second"  deliverance  would  be 
that  from  the  Babylonish  captivity. 
But  on  the  return  from  that  captivity 
there  was  not  a  collecting  of  the  Jews 
from  all  the  nations  here  specified 
When  the  Jews  were  led  back  to  Ju- 
dea  under  Nehemiah,  there  is  no  re- 
cord of  their  having  been  collected 
from  "  Egypt,"  or  from  "  Cush,"  or 
from  "  the  islands  of  the  sea"  It  is 
evident,  therefore,  I  think,  that  by  the 
former  deliverance  to  which  the  pro- 
phet here  alludes — the  deliverance 
which  was  to  precede  that  designated 
here  as  the  second — he  refers  to  the 
return  from  the  captivity  of  Babylon  ; 
and  by  the    "  second,"    to  some  still 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  XL 


251 


more  future  recovery  that  should  take 
place  under  the  administration  of  the 
Messiah.  This  is  further  confirmed 
from  the  fact  that  the  whole  scope  of 
the  prophecy  points  to  that  future  pe- 
riod. IT  To  recover.  Heb.  to  possess, 
or  to  obtain  possession  of  (r^P? 
liqnoth).  This  word  properly  means 
to  obtain  possession  of  by  purchasing 
or  buying  any  thing.  But  it  is  also 
applied  to  any  possession  obtained  of 
an  object  by  power,  labour,  skill,  or  by 
delivering  from  bondage  or  captivity, 
and  is  thus  synonymous  with  redeem 
or  deliver.  Thus  it  is  applied  to  the 
deliverance  of  the  people  from  Egypt. 
Deut.  xxxii.  6.  Ex.  xv.  16.  Ps.  bxiv.  2. 
It  means  here,  that  Jehovah  wo  fid  re- 
deem, rescue,  recover  his  people  ;  but 
it  does  not  specify  the  mode  in  which 
it  would  be  done.  Any  mode — either 
by  collecting  and  rescuing  them  from 
the  regions  into  which  they  were  scat- 
tered into  one  place,  or  by  a  spiritual 
turning  to  him,  wherever  they  might 
be,  would  meet  the  force  of  this  word. 
If  in  the  lands  where  they  were  scat- 
tered, and  where,  they  had  wandered 
away  from  the  true  God,  they  were 
converted,  and  should  become  again 
his  people,  the  event  would  correspond 
with  all  that  is  meant  by  the  word 
here.  They  would  then  be  purchased, 
possessed,  or  recovered  to  himself,  by 
being  delivered  from  their  spiritual  op- 
pression. It  is  not  necessary,  there- 
fore, to  resort  to  the  interpretation  that 
they  should  in  this  'second"  deliver- 
ance be  restored  literally  to  the  land 
of  Canaan.  Any  argument  for  that 
doctrine  from  this  passage  must  be 
drawn  from  the  word  here  used — "  re- 
cover"— and  that  that  idea  is  not  ne- 
cessarily involved  in  this  word  is  abun- 
dantly manifest  from  its  familiar  use 
m  the  Old  Testament.  All  that  that 
word  implies,  is  that  they  should  be 
possessed  by  God  as  his  people  ;  an 
idea  which  is  fully  met  by  the  suppo- 
sition that  the  scattered  Jews  every 
where  will  be  converted  to  the  Mes- 
siah, and  thus  become  his  true  people. 
For  this  use  of  the  word,  see  Gen.  xxv. 
10,  xlvii.  22,  xlix.  30,  1  13.  Josh, 
xxiv.  32.    2  Sam.  xii.  3.   Ps.  lxviii.  54. 


Lev.  xxvii.  24  Neh.  v  8.  In  no 
place  does  it  necessarily  imply  the  idea 
of  collecting  or  restoring  a  scattered 
people  to  their  own  land.  TT  The  rem- 
nant of  his  people.  That  is,  the  rem- 
nant of  the  Jews,  still  called  his  peo- 
ple. In  all  the  predictions  respecting 
the  calamities  that  should  ever  come 
upon  them,  the  idea  is  always  held  out 
that  the  nation  would  not  be  wholly 
extinguished  ;  but  that  however  great 
the  national  judgments,  a  remnant 
would  still  survive.  This  was  parti- 
cularly true  in  regard  to  the  fearful 
judgments  which  Moses  denounced  on 
the  nation  if  they  should  be  disobe- 
dient, and  which  have  been  so  strik- 
ingly fulfilled.  Deut.  xxviii.  As  the 
result  of  those  judgments,  Moses  does 
not  say  that  Jehovah  would  annihi- 
late the  nation,  or  extinguish  their 
name,  but  that  they  would  be  "  left 
few  in  number"  (Deut.  xxviii.  62)  ; 
that  Jehovah  would  scatter  them 
among  all  people,  from  the  one  end  of 
the  earth  even  to  the  other  (Deut. 
xxviii.  64)  ;  and  that  among  those  na- 
tions they  should  find  no  ease,  neither 
should  the  sole  of  their  foot  have  rest, 
ver.  65.  In  like  manner  it  was  pre- 
dicted that  they  should  be  scattered 
every  where.  "  I  will  scatter  them 
also  among  the  heathen — whom  nei- 
ther they  nor  their  fathers  have  known. 
I  will  deliver  them  to  be  removed  into 
all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  for  their 
hurt,  to  be  a  reproach,  a  proverb,  a 
taunt  and  a  curse,  in  all  places  whither 
I  will  drive  them,"  Jer.  xxiv.  9,  10. 
"  I  will  execute  judgments  in  thee, 
and  the  whole  remnant  of  thee  will 
I  scatter  into  all  the  winds,"  Ezek 
v.  10.  "  I  will  also  scatter  them  among 
the  nations,  among  the  heathen,  and 
disperse  them  in  the  countries,"  Ezek. 
xii.  15.  "  I  will  sift  the  house  of  Is- 
rael among  the  nations,  like  as  corn  is 
sirted  in  a  3ieve,  yet  shall  not  the  least 
grain  fall  upon  the  earth.  They  shall 
be  wanderers  among  the  nations," 
Amos  ix.  9.  "  I  will  make  a  full  end 
of  the  nations  whither  1  have  driven 
thee,  but  I  will  not  make  a  full  end  of 
thee,  but  correct  thee  in  measuie  ;  yet 
will  I  not  leave    thee  wholly   unpuu- 


252 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738 


ished,"  Jer.  xlvi.  28.  From  all  these, and 
from  numerous  other  passages  in  the 
Old  Testament,  it  is  evident  that  it  was 
designed  that  the  Jewish  nation  should 
never  be  wholly  destroyed;  that  though 
they  were  scattered  among  the  nations, 
they  should  still  be  a  distinct  people  ; 
that  while  other  nations  would  wholly 
cease  to  exist,  yet  that  a  remnant  of 
the  Jewish  people,  with  the  national 
peculiarities  and  customs,  would  still 
survive.  How  entirely  this  has  been 
fullilled,  the  remarkable  history  of  the 
Jewish  people  every  where  testifies. 
Their  present  condition  on  the  earth 
as  a  people  scattered  in  all  nations,  yet 
surviving  ;  without  a  king  and  a  tem- 
ple, yet  preserving  their  national  pre- 
judices and  peculiarities,  is  a  most 
striking  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy.  See 
Keith's  Evidence  of  the  Fulfilment  of 
Prophecy,  p.  64-82.  If  From  Assyria 
The  name  Assyria  is  commonly  ;ip- 
plicd  to  that  region  of  country  which 
lies  between  Media,  Mesopotamia,  Ar- 
menia, and  Babylon,  and  which  is  now 
called  Kurdistan.  The  boundaries  of 
the  kingdom  have  often  varied,  and  as 
a  kingdom  or  separate  nation,  it  has 
long  since  ceased  to  exist.  The  name 
Assyria  in  Scripture  is  given  (1)  to 
ancient  Assyria,  lying  east  of  the  Ti- 
gris, and  between  Armenia,  Susiana, 
and  Media — the  region  comprising 
mostly  the  modern  kingdoms  and  the 
pashalik  of  Mosul.  (2.)  Most  gener- 
ally the  name  Assyria  means  the  king- 
dom of  Assyria,  including  Babylonia 
and  Mesopotamia,  and  extending  to 
the  Euphrates.  -Isa.  vii.  20,  viii.  7. 
(3.)  After  the  overthrow  of  the  Assy- 
rian empire,  the  name  continued  to  be 
applied  to  those  countries  which  were 
formerly  held  under  its  dominion — in- 
cluding Babylonia  (2  Kings  xxiii.  29. 
Jer.  ii.  18),  Persia  (Ezra  vi  22),  and 
JSyria.  Rob.  Cal.  It  is  in  this  place 
applied  to  that  extensive  region,  and 
means  that  the  Jews  scattered  there — 
of  whom  there  have  always  been 
many — shall  be  brought  under  the  do- 
minion of  the  Messiah  If  the  Nesto- 
rian  Christians  in  the  mountains  of 
Kurdistan  are  the  descendants  of  the 
lost   ten   tribes  (see  Note  on  ver.  12  , 


then  the  reference  here  is  doubtless  to 
them.  There  are,  however,  other  Jews 
there,  as  there  always  has  been.  See 
Dr.  Grant's  work  on  the  "  Nestorians, 
or  the  lost  Ten  Tribes,"  New-York, 
]£41.  II  And  from  Egypt.  The  well- 
known  country  in  Africa  watered  by 
the  Nile.  In  all  ages,  there  have  been 
many  Jews  there.  Its  vicinity  to  Pa- 
lestine ;  its  remarkable  fertility,  and  the 
advantages  which  it  offered  to  them, 
attracted  many  Jews  there ;  and  at 
some  periods  they  have  composed  no 
inconsiderable  part  of  the  population. 
It  was  in  this  country  that  the  trans- 
lation of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  into 
the  Greek  language  called  the  Septua- 
gint  was  made  for  the  use  of  the  nu- 
merous Jews  residing  there.  At  pre- 
sent they  are  numerous  there,  thengh 
the  exact  number  is  unknown.  During 
the  reign  of  Bonaparte  an  estimate  was 
made  for  his  information  of  the  num- 
ber of  Jews  in  the  world,  and  in  that 
estimate  1,000,000  was  assigned  to  the 
Turkish  empire — probably  about  a  third 
part  of  all  on  the  earth.  A  large  por- 
tion of  this  number  is  in  Egypt.  11  .Lnd 
from  Palhros.  This  was  one  of  the 
three  ancient  divisions  of  Egypt  It 
was  the  same  as  Upper  Egypt,  or  the 
southern  part  of  Egypt,  the  Coptic 
portion  of  that  country.  The  inhabit- 
ants of  that  country  are  called  Fa- 
thrusini.  To  that  place-  many  of 
the  Jews  retired  in  the  calamities  of 
the  nation  notwithstanding  the  remon- 
strances of  Isaiah.  Jer.  xliv.  1,  15. 
For  this  act  God  severely  threatened 
them.  See  Jer.  xliv.  2G-29.  %  And 
from  Cush.  The  Chaldee  reads  this. 
"  and  from  Judea  "  The  Syriac, "  and 
from  Ethiopia."  This  country  denotes 
properly  the  regions  settled  by  the  de- 
s  ••iidants  of  Cush,  the  eldest  son  of 
Ham.  Gen.  x  8.  Commentators  have 
differed  very  much  about  the  region 
understood  in  the  Scriptures  by  the 
name  Cusli.  Bochart  supposes  that  by 
it  the  southern  parts  of  Arabia  are  al- 
ways meant.  Gesenius  supposes  that 
by  Cush  is  always  meant  a  region  in 
Africa.  Michaelis  supposes  that  by 
Cush  the  southern  part  of  Arabia  and 
the   African   Ethiopia  were    both    in- 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


253 


tended.  In  the  Scriptures,  however, 
it  is  evident  that  the  name  is  given  to 
different  regions.  (I.)  It  means  what 
may  be  called  the  Oriental  Cush,  in- 
cluding the  region  of  the  ancient  Susi- 
ana,  and  bounded  on  the  south  by  the 
Persian  Gulf,  and  on  the  west  and 
southwest  by  the  Tigris,  which  sepa- 
rates it  from  the  Arabian  Irak.  This 
province  has  the  name  Chusastan  or 
Chusistan,  and  was  probably  the  an- 
cient Cush  mentioned  in  Zeph.  iii.  10  : 
"  From  beyond  the  rivers  of  Ethiopia 
(Heb.  Cush),  my  suppliants,  even  the 
daughter  of  my  dispersed,  shall  bring 
mine  offering."  The  principal  rivers 
there  were  the  Ulai,  the  Kur,  the  Cho- 
bar,  and  the  Choaspes.  The  same 
place  is  referred  to  in  2  Kings  xvii.  24, 
where  the  king  of  Assyria  is  said  to 
have  "  brought  men  from  Babylon,  and 
from  Cuthah,  and  from  Ava,"  where 
the  word  Cuthah  evidently  refers  to 
Cush,  the  Armenian  mode  of  pronounc- 
ing Cush,  by  exchanging  the  letters 
Shin  for  Tav,  as  they  always  do  in 
pronouncing  Ashur,  calling  it  Athur, 
&c.  See  the  Chaldee  Paraphrase,  and 
the  Syriac  version  passim.  (II.)  Cush, 
as  employed  by  the  Hebrews,  usually 
denoted  the  southern  parts  of  Arabia, 
and  was  situated  chiefly  along  the 
coast  of  the  Red  Sea,  since  there  are 
several  passages  of  Scripture  where  the 
name  Cush  occurs  which  can  be  applied 
to  no  other  country,  and  least  of  all  to 
the  African  Cush  or  Ethiopia.  See 
Num.  xii.  1,  where  the  woman  whom 
Moses  married  is  called  an  "  Ethio- 
pian" (Heb.  Cnshite).  It  can  be  scarce- 
ly supposed  that  she  came  from  the 
distant  regions  of  Ethiopia  in  Africa, 
but  it  is  evident  that  she  came  from 
some  part  of  Arabia.  Also  Habakkuk 
iii.  7,  says: 

I  saw  the.tents  of  Cusfuin  in  affliction; 
And  the  curtains  of  the  land  of  Midian  did  trem- 
ble. 

from  which  it  is  evident  that  Cushan 
and  Midian  were  countries  adjacent  ; 
♦hat  is,  in  the  southern  part  of  Arabia. 
Comp.  2  Chron.  xxi  16,  xiv.  9.  (III.) 
The  word  Cush  is  applied  to  Ethiopia, 
or  the  country  south  of  Egypt,  now 
tailed  Abyssinia.     This  country  com- 


prehended not  only  Ethiopia  above 
Syene  and  the  Cataracts,  but  likewise 
Thebais  or  Upper  Egypt.  Comp.  Jer. 
xn:.  23.  Dan.  xi.  3.  Ezek.  xxx.  4,  5. 
Isa.  xliv.  14.     See  Notes  on  Isa.  xviii. 

1.  To  which  of  these  regions  the  pro- 
phet here  refers,  it  is  not  easy  to  deter- 
mine. As.  the  other  countries  here 
mentioned,  however,  are  chiefly  in  the 
East,  it  is  most  natural  to  suppose  that 
he  refers  to  the  Oriental  Cush  men- 
tioned under  the  first  division.  The 
general  idea  of  the  prophet  is  plain, 
that  the  scattered  Jews  should  be  gath- 
ered back  to  God.  IT  And  from  Elam. 
This  was  the  name  of  a  courftry  origin- 
ally possessed  by  the  Persians,  and  so 
called  from  the  son  of  Shem  of  the 
same  name.  Gen.  xiv.  1.  It  was' the 
southern  part  of  Persia,  situated  on  the 
Persian  Gulf,  and  included,  probably, 
the  whole  of  the  region  now  called 
Susiana  or  Khusistan.  The  city  Susa 
or  Shushan  was  in  it.  Dan.  viii.  2. 
IT  And  from  Shinar.  This  was  a  part 
of  Babylonia,  and  is  supposed  to  be  the 
plain  lying  between  the  Tigris  and  the 
Euphrates.     Gen.  x.  10,  xi.  2.  Dan  i. 

2.  Zech.  v.  11.  It  was  the  region 
elsewhere  called  Mesopotamia.  The 
LXX  render  it,  "  and  from  Babylon  ;" 
and  it  is  remarkable  that  Luke  (Acts 
ii.  9),  where  he  has  reference  probably 
to  the  place,  speaks  of  "  the  dwellers 
in  Mesopotamia"  as  among  those  who 
heard  "  the  wonderful  works  of  God  " 
in  their  own  language.  It  was  in  this 
plain  that  the  tower  of  Babel  was 
commenced.  Gen.  x.  IT  And  from 
Hamath.  See  Note  ch.  x.  9.  IT  And 
from  the  islands  of  the  sea.  This  ex- 
pression probably  denotes  the  islands 
situated  in  the  Mediterranean,  a  part 
of  which  were  known  to  the  Hebrews. 
But,  as  geography  was  imperfectly 
known,  the  phrase  came  to  denote  the 
regions  lying  west  of  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan ;  the  unknown  countries  which 
were  situated  in  that  sea,  or  west  of  it, 
and  thus  included  the  countries  lying 
around  the  Mediterranean.  The  word 
v  anslated  islands  here  (D^S)  means 
properly  habitable  dry  land  in  opposi- 
tion to  water.  Isa.  xlii.  13 .  "I  will 
make  the  rivers  dry  land;"  where  to 


'254 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  13b 


12  And  he  shall  srt  up  an  en- 
sign*  for  the  nations,  and  shall 
assemble  the  outcasts'  of  Israel, 


t  Ps    147.  2    ch.  27.  13.  56.  8. 


translate  it  islands  would  make  non- 
sense. Hence,  it  means  also  land 
adjacent  to  water,  either  washed  by  it, 
or  surrounded  by  it,  that  is,  a  maritime 
country,  coast  or  island.  Thus  it  means 
coast  when  applied  to  Ashdod  (Isa.  xx. 
6)  ;  to  Tyre  (Isa.  xxii.  2,  6)  ;  to  Pelo- 
ponnesus or  Greece  (called  Chittim, 
Ezek.  xxvii.  G).  It  means  an  island 
when  applied  to  Caphtor  or  Crete 
(Jer.  xlvii.  4.  Amos  ix.  7).  The  word 
was  commonly  used  by  the  Hebrews 
to  denote  distant  regions  beyond  the 
sea,  whether  coasts  or  islands,  and 
especially  the  maritime  countries  of 
the  West,  to  them  imperfectly  known 
through  the  voyages  of  the  Phenicians. 
See  Note  on  ch.  xli.  1.  Comp.  Isa. 
xxiv.  15,  xl.  15,  xlii.  4,  10,  12,  li.  5. 

12.  And  he  shall  set  up  an  ensign. 
See  ver.  10.  The  Messiah  shall  stand 
in  view  of  the  nations,  as  a  standard  is 
erected  by  a  military  leader.  An  en- 
sign or  standard  was  usually  lifted  up 
on  the  mountains  or  on  some  elevated 
place  (comp.  ch.  xviii.  3)  ;  and  the 
meaning  here  is,  that  the  Messiah 
would  be  the  conspicuous  object  around 
which  the  nations  would  rally.  IT  And 
shall  assemble.  This  word,  f]0^  asdph, 
properly  means,  to  gather,  collect,  to 
assemble  together,  as  fruits  are  col- 
lected for  preservation  (Ex  xxiii.  10)  ; 
to  collect  a  people  together  (Num.  xxi. 
16)  ;  to  gather  or  collect  gold.  2  Kings 
xxii.  iv.  It  may  also  mean  to  gather 
or  collect  any  thing  for  destruction 
(Jer.  viii.  13)  ;  and  hence  to  take  out 
of  the  way,  to  kill,  destroy.  1  Sam. 
xv.  6.  Ezek.  xxiv.  29.  Here,  it  is 
evidently  synonymous  with  the  word 
"recover"  in  ver.  11.  It  cannot  be 
proved  that  it  means  that  God  will 
literally  reassemble  all  the  scattered 
Jews;  for  the  collecting  them,  or  re- 
gathering  them  to  himself  as  his  peo- 
ple, though  they  may  be  still  scattered 
among  the  nations,  is  al!  that  the  words 
Necessarily   imply.      Thus   when    the 


and  gather  together  the  dispersed* 
of  Judah  from  the  four  corners8 
of  the  earth. 


v  John  1.  &>.  James  1.  1. 


2  wings. 


word  is  used,  as  it  is  repeatedly,  to 
ibiuite  the  death  of  the  patriarchs, 
where  it  is  said  they  were  "  gathered 
to  their  fathers,"  it  does  not  mean  that 
they  were  buried  in  the  same  grave,  or 
the  same  vicinity,  but  that  they  were 
united  to  them  in  death  ;  they  partook 
of  the  same  lot ;  they  all  alike  went 
down  to  the  dead.  Gen.  xxv.  8,  xxxv. 
29,  xlix.  29  Num.  xx.  24.  Deut.  xxxii. 
50.  IT  The  outcasts  f  Israel.  The 
name  '  Israel,'  applied  at  first  to  all  the 
descendants  of  Jacob,  came  at  length 
to  denote  the  '  kingdom  of  Israel,'  or  of 
the  '  ten  tribes,'  or  of'  Ephraim,'  as  the 
tribes  which  revolted  under  Jeroboam 
were  called.  In  this  sense  it  is  used  in 
the  Scriptures  after  the  time  of  Jerobo- 
am, and  thus  it  acquired  a  technical  sig- 
nification distinguishing  it  from  Judah. 
IT  The  disftersed  of  Judah.  '  Judah,' 
also,  though  often  used  in  a  general 
sense  to  denote  the  Jews  as  sucli  with- 
out reference  to  the  distinction  into 
tribes,  is  also  used  technically  to  denote 
the  kingdom  of  Judah  as  distinguished 
from  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  The  tribe 
of  Judah  was  much  larger  than  Benja- 
min, and  the  name  of  the  latter  was 
lost  in  the  former.  A  considerable 
part  of  the  ten  tribes  returned  again  to 
their  own  land  with  those  of  the  tribes 
of  Judah  and  Benjamin  ;  a  portion 
remained  still  in  the  countries  of  the 
East,  and  were  intermingled  with  the 
other  Jews  who  remained  there.  All 
distinctions  of  the  tribes  were  gradually 
abolished,  and  there  is  no  reason  to 
think  that  the  '  ten  tribes,'  here  referred 
to  by  the  name  '  Israel,'  have  now  any 
where  a  distinct  and  separate  existence. 
See  this  point  fully  proved  in  a  Review 
of  Dr.  Grant's  work  on  "  The  Nestori- 
ans,  or  the  Lost  Tribes,"  in  the  Biblical 
Repository  for  October,  1841,  and 
January,  1842,  by  Prof  Robinson.  The 
literal  meaning  here  then  would  be, 
that  he  would  gather  the  remains  of 
those  scattered  people,   whether  per 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


255 


13  The  *envy  also  of  Ephraim 

V  Jer.  3. 18.     Ezek.  37.  17,  22.     Hos.  1.  11. 

.aining  to  '  Israel'  or  '  Judah,'  from  the 
regions  where  they  were  dispersed.  It 
does  not  necessarily  mean  that  they 
would  be  regnthered  in  their  distinctive 
capacity  as  'Israel'  and  'Judah,'  or 
that  the  distinction  would  be  still  pre- 
served, but  that  the  people  of  God 
would  be  gathered  together,  and  that 
all  sources  of  alienation  and  discord 
would  cease.  The  meaning,  probably, 
is,  that  under  the  Messiah  all  the  re- 
mains of  that  scattered  people,  in  all 
parts  of  the  earth,  whether  originally 
appertaining  to  'Israel'  or  'Judah,' 
should  be  collected  into  one  spiritual 
kingdom,  constituting  one  happy  and 
harmonious  people.  To  the  fulfilment 
of  this,  it  is  not  necessary  to  be  sup- 
posed that  they  would  be  literally  gath- 
ered into  one  place,  or  that  they  would 
be  restored  to  their  own  land,  or  that 
they  would  be  preserved  as  a  distinct 
and  separate,  community.  The  leading 
idea  is,  that  the  Messiah  would  set  up 
a  glorious  kingdom  in  which  all  causes 
of  alienation  and  discord  would  cease. 
IT  From  the  four  corners  of  the  earth 
Chaldec,  "  from  the  four  winds  of  the 
earth."  The  LXX  render  it,  "  from 
the  four  wings,  TiTtqiyun ,  of  the  earth." 
It  means  that  they  should  be  collected 
to  God  from  each  of  the  four  parts  of 
the  earth — the  east,  the  west,  the  north, 
and  the  south.  The  Hebrew  word 
here  rendered  "  corners,"  means  prop- 
erly "  wings."  It  is  applied  however 
to  the  corner,  or  border  of  a  thing,  as 
a  skirt,  or  mantle  (1  Sam.  xxiv.  5,  11. 
Deut  xxiii.  1)  ;  and  hence  to  the  boun- 
daries, or  corners  of  the  earth,  because 
the  earth  seems  to  have  been  repre- 
sented as  a  quadrangular  plain.  Ezek. 
vii.  2. 

13.  The  envy  also.  The  word  envy 
here  is  used  in  the  sense  of  hatred,  or 
the  hatred  which  arose  from  the  ambi- 
tion of  Ephraim,  and  from  the  prosperi- 
ty of  Judah  Ephraim  here  is  the  name 
for  the  kingdom  of  Israel  or  the  ten 
tribes.  The  reasons  of  their  envy  and 
enmity  towards  Judah — all  arising  from 
their   ambition — were    the   following : 


snail  depart,  and  the  adversaries 


(1  )  This  tribe,  in  connection  with 
those  which  were  allied  to  it,  consti- 
tuted a  very  large  and  flourishing  part 
of  the  Jewish  nation.  They  were 
therefore  envious  of  any  other  tribe 
that  claimed  any  superiority,  and  par- 
ticularly jealous  of  Judah.  (2.)  They 
occupied  a  central  and  commanding  po- 
sition in  Judea,  and  naturally  claimed 
the  pre-eminence  over  the  tribes  on  the 
north  (3.)'  They  had  been  formerly 
highly  favoured  by  the  abode  of  the  ark 
and  the  tabernacle  among  them,  and 
on  that  account  claimed  to  be  the  na- 
tural head  of  the  nation.  Josh  xviii.  1, 
8,  10.  Judges  xviii.  31,  xxi.  19.  1  Sam. 
i.  3,  24.  (4.)  When  Saul  was  king, 
though  he  was  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin 
(1  Sam.  ix.  2),  they  submitted  peacea- 
bly to  his  reign  because  the  Benjamin- 
ites  were  in  alliance  with  them,  and 
adjacent  to  them.  But  when  Saul  died, 
and  the  kingdom  passed  into  the  hands 
of  David,  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  their 
natural  rival,  thus  exalting  that  power- 
ful tribe,  they  became  dissatisfied  and 
restless.  David  kept  the  nation  united  ; 
but  on  his  death,  they  threw  off  the 
yoke  of  his  successor,  and  became  a 
separate  kingdom.  From  this  time 
their  animosities  and  strifes  became  an 
important  and  painful  part  of  the  his- 
tory of  the  Jewish  nation,  until  the 
kingdom  of  Ephraim  was  removed. 
The  language  here  is  evidently  figura- 
tive, and  means,  that  in  the  time  here 
referred  to  under  the  Messiah,  the 
causes  of  animosity  before  existing 
would  cease  ;  that  contentions  between 
those  who  are  by  nature  brethren,  and 
who  ought  to  evince  the  spirit  of  breth- 
ren, would  come  to  an  end  ;  and  that 
those  animosities  and  strifes  would  be 
succeeded  by  a  state  of  amity  and 
peace.  When  the  scattered  Jews  shall 
be  regathered  to  God  under  the  Mes- 
siah, all  the  contentions  among  them 
shall  cease,  and  they  shall  be  united 
under  one  king  and  prince.  All  the 
causes  of  contention  which  had  sc  long 
existed,  and  which  had  produced  such 
disastrous  results,  would  come  :o  aa 


256 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. IS* 


of  Judah  shall  be  cut  off;  Eph- 
raim  shall  not  envy  Judah,  and 
Juduh  shall  not  vex  Ephraim. 


end.     The  strifes  and  contentions  of 
these  two  kingdoms,  once  belonging  to 
♦lie  same  nation,  and  descended  from 
.In-    name    ancestors— the   painful    and 
protracted  family  broil — was  the  object 
that   most    prominently   attracted    the 
attention  then  of  the  prophets  of  God. 
The  most  happy  idea  of  future  blessed- 
ness which  was  presented  to  the  mind 
of  the   prophet   was  that  period  when 
all  this  should  cease,  and  when,  under 
the    Messiah,   ail   should   he   harmony 
and  love.     IT  And  the  adversaries  of 
Juda/t  shall  be  cut  off.     That  is,  Judah 
shall  be  safe  ;  the  people  of  God   shall 
be  delivered  from  their  enemies — refer- 
ring  to   the   future   period    under   the 
Messiah,  when  the  church  should   be 
universally  prosperous.     II  Judah  shall 
not  vex  Ephraim.     Shall  not  oppress, 
disturb,    or    oppose.     There    shall    be 
peace    between    them.  —  The    church 
prospers   only   when    contentions   and 
striles  cease  ;  when  Christians  lay  aside 
their  animosities,  and  love  as  brethren, 
and    are   united  in   the   great  work  of 
spreading  the  gospel  around  the  world. 
That  time  will  yet  come.      When  that 
time  comes,  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of 
God  will   be   established.      Until  that 
time,  it  will  be  in  vain  that  the  effort  is 
made  to  bring  the  world  to  the  know- 
ledge  of  the  truth  ;    or  if  not  wholly 
in  vain,  the  efforts  of  Christians  who 
seek  the  conversion  of  the  world  will 
be  retarded,  embarrassed,  and  greatly 
enfeebled.     How    devoutly,    therefore, 
should   every  friend  of  the  Redeemer 
pray,  that  all  causes  of  strife  may  cease, 
and  that  his  people  may  be  united  as 
the  heart  of  one  man  in  the  effort  to 
bring  the  whole  world  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth. 

14.  But  they  shall  fly.  The  design 
of  this  verse  is,  to  show  the  rapid  and 
certain  spiritual  conquests  which  would 
result  from  the  conversion  of  the  scat- 
tered Jewish  people.  The  Jews  under- 
•tood  this  literally,  as  referring  to  the 


14  But  they  shall  fly  upon  the 
.shoulders  of  the  Philistines  to- 
ward the  west;   they  shall  spoil* 

3  the  children. 

conquests  over  their  enemies.     But  if 
the  exposition  which  has  been  given 
of  this  chapter  thus  far  is  correct;  the 
passage  is  to  be  interpreted  as  a  figura- 
tive description  of  the  triumph  of  the 
people  of  God  under  the  Messiah.    The 
time   to  which  it  refers  is  that  which 
shall    succeed    the    conversion    of   the 
scattered    Jews.      The    effect    of    the 
gospel  is  represented  under  an  image 
which  to  Jews  would  be  most  striking 
— that  of  conquest  over  the  neighbour- 
ing nations  with  whom  they  had   been 
continually  at  war.      Philistia,  Edorn, 
Moab,  and  Amnion,  had  been  always 
the  enemies  of  Juded  ;  and  to  the  Jews 
no   figurative   representation  could  be 
more  striking  than  that  after  the  union 
of  Judah   and    Ephraim   they  should 
proceed  in  rapid  and  certain  conquest 
to  subdue  their  ancient  and  formidable 
enemies.     The  meaning  of  the  phrase 
"they  shall   fly"  is,  they  shall  hasten 
with  a  rapid  motion — like  a  bird.   They 
shall  do  it  quickly,  without  delay — as 
an  eagle  hastens  to  its  prey.     It  indi- 
cates their  suddenly  engaging  in  this, 
and  the  celerity  and  certainty  of  their 
movements.     As  the  united  powers  of 
Judah   and   Ephraim  would    naturally 
make  a  sudden  descent  on  Philistia,  so 
the   Jews   united    under   the    Messiah 
would  go  to  the  rapid  and  certain  con- 
version of  those  who  had  been  the  ene- 
mies of  the  cross.     IT   Upon  the  shoul- 
ders.   £]^33  .    There  has  been  a  great 
variety    in    the   interpretation   of  this 
passage,   and    it    is    evident   that   our 
translation    does    not   express   a   very 
clear  idea.     The  LXX  render  it,  "  And 
they  shall  fly  in  the  ships  of  foreigners, 
and  they  shall  plunder  the  sea."     The 
Chaldee,  "  And  they  shall    be  joined 
with  one  shoulder  [that  is,  they  shall 
be   united  shoulder  to  shoulder],  that 
they  may  smite  the  Philistines  who  are 
in  the  west."     The  Syriac,  "  But  they 
shall   plow   the    Philistines;"    that    is. 
thy  shall   subdue   them,  and  cultivaU 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


257 


them  of  the  east  together  :  'they 
shall  lay  their  hand  upon  Edom 

4  Edom  and  Moab  shall  be  the  laying  on  of 
Z'neir  hand. 

their  land.  The  word  rendered  "  shoul- 
der,'' means  properly  the  shoulder,  as 
of  a  man  or  beast  (ch.  xlvi.  7,  xlix.22. 
Num.  vii.  9.  Job  xxxi.  22.  Ezek.  xxiv. 
4)  ;  the  undersetters  or  shoulders  to 
support  the  lavers  (1  Kings  vii.  30)  ; 
a  corner  or  side  of  a  building  (Ex. 
xxxviii.  14)  ;  and  is  applied  to  the  side 
ot  any  thing — as  the  side  of  a  building, 
the  border  of  a  country,  a  city,  or  sea. 
1  Kings  vi.  8,  vii.  39.  Num.  xxxiv.  11. 
Josh.  xv.  6,  10,  11,  &c.  &c.  Here  it 
seems  to  mean — not  that  the  Jews 
would  be  borne  upon  the  shoulder  of 
the  Philistines — but  that  they  would 
make  a  sudden  and  rapid  descent  upon 
iheir  borders  ;  they  would  invade  their 
territory,  and  carry  their  conquest  "  to- 
ward the  west."  The  construction  is, 
therefore,  '  they  shall  make  a  rapid 
descent  on  the  borders  of  the  Philis- 
tines,' or  in  other  words,  the  spiritual 
conquest  over  the  enemies  of  the  church 
of  God  shall  be  certain  and  rapid. 
V  The  Philistines.  Philistia  was  situ- 
ated on  the  southwestern  side  of  the 
land  of  Canaan.  The  Philistines  were 
therefore  adjacent  to  the  Jews,  and 
were  often  involved  in  war  with  them. 
They  were  among  the  most  constant 
and  formidable  enemies  which  the 
Jews  had.  If  Toward  the  west.  This 
does  not  mean  that  they  should  be 
borne  on  the  shoulders  of  the  Philis- 
tines to  the  west ;  but  that  they  should 
make  a  sudden  and  rapid  descent  on 
the  Philistines  who  were  west  of  them. 
It  stands  opposed  to  the  nations  imme- 
diately mentioned  as  lying  east  of  the 
land  of  Judea.  If  Tiiey  shall  spoil. 
They  shall  plunder  ;  or  they  shall  take 
them  and  their  towns  and  property  as 
the  spoil  of  war.  That  is,  they  shall 
vanquish  them,  and  make  them  subject 
to  them.  According  to  the  interpreta- 
tion which  has  been  pursued  in  this 
chapter,  it  means,  thr.t  the  enemies  of 
God  shall  be  subdued  and  brought  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth  in  a  rapid 
and  decisive  manner.     The  language 


and  Moab  ;  and  wthe  children  of 
Ammon  5shall  obey  them. 


5  their  obedience. 


is  that  which  is  drawn  from  the  idea  of 
conquest ;  the  idea  is  that  of  a  rapid 
and  far-spreading  conversion  among 
the  nations,  to  the  gospel.  IT  Them  of 
the  east.  Heb.  '  the  sons  of  the  east,' 
that  is,  the  nations  east  of  Judea. 
1f  T/tey  shall  lay  their  hand.  Heb. 
'  Edom  and  Moab  shall  be  the  laying 
on  of  their  hand.'  That  is,  they  shall 
lay  their  hand  on  thpse  nations  for 
conquest  and  spoil ;  they  shall  subdue 
them.  If  Edom.  Idumea  ;  the  coun- 
try settled  by  the  descendants  of  Esau 
— a  country  that  was  south  of  Judea, 
and  extended  from  the  Dead  Sea  to 
the  Elanitic  gulf  of  the  Red  Sea.  They 
were  an  independent  people  until  the 
time  of  David,  and  were  reduced  to 
subjection  by  him,  but  they  afterwards 
revolted  and  became  again  independ-  ■ 
ent.  They  were  often  engaged  in  wars 
with  the  Jews,  and  their  conquest  was 
an  object  that  was  deemed  by  the  Jews 
to  be  very  desirable.  See  Notes  on 
ch.  34.  If  And  Moab.  The  country 
of  the  Moabites  was  east  of  the  river 
Jordan  on  both  sides  of  the  river 
Arnon,  and  adjoining  the  Dead  Sea. 
Their  capital  was  on  the  river  Arnon. 
They  also  were  often  involved  in  wars 
with  the  Jews.  Comp.  Deut.  xxiii.  3. 
See  Notes  on  chs.  xv.  xvi.  If  And  the 
children  of  Ammon.  The  Ammonites, 
the  descendants  of  Amnion,  a  son  of 
Lot.  Their  country  lay  southeast  of 
Judea.  Deut.  ii.  19-21.  Their  terri- 
tory extended  from  the  river  Arnon 
north  to  the  river  Jabbok,  and  from 
the  Jordan  far  into  Arabia.  It  was 
directly  north  of  Moab.  They  were 
often  engaged,  in  alliance  with  the 
Moabites,  in  waging  war  against  the 
Jews.  If  Shall  obey  them.  Heb. '  Shall 
be  their  obedience.'  All  these  descrip- 
tions are  similar.  They  are  not  to  be 
interpreted  literally,  but  are  designed 
to  denote  the  rapid  triumphs  of  the 
truth  of  God  after  the  conversion  of 
the  Jews ;  and  the  sense  is,  that  the 
conquests  of  the  gospel  will  be  as  sud 


258 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  738 


15  And  the  Lord  shall  utterly 
destroy  the  tongue  of  the  Egyp- 

den,  as  great,  and  as  striking  over  its 
enemies,  as  would  have  hern  the  com- 
plete subjugation  of  Philistia,  Moab, 
Amnion,  and  Edom,  to  the  victorious 
army  of  the  Jews. 

15.  And  the  Lokd.  The  prophet 
goes  on  with  the  description  of  the  ef- 
fecl  which  shall  follow  the  return  of  the 
scattered  Jews  to  God  The  language 
is  figurative,  and  is  here  drawn  from 
that  which  was  the  great  storehouse 
of  all  the  imagery  of  the  Jews — the 
deliverance  of  their  fathers  from  the 
bondage  of  Egypt.  The  general  sense 
is,  that  all  the  embarrassments  which 
would  tend  to  impede  them  would  be 
removed  ;  and  that  God  would  make 
their  return  as  easy  and  as  safe,  as 
would  have  been  the  journey  of  their 
fathers  to  the  land  of  Canaan  if  the 
"  Egyptian  Sea "  had  been  removed 
entirely,  and  if  the  "  river "  with  its 
"  seven  streams,"  by  nature  so  formida- 
ble a  barrier,  had  been  dried  up,  and  a 
path  hath  been  made  to  occupy  its  for- 
mer place.  Figuratively,  the  passage 
means,  that  all  the  obstructions  to  the 
peace  and  safety  of  the  people  of  God 
would  be  removed,  and  that  their  way 
would  be  easy  and  safe.  IT  The  tongue. 
The  Hebrews  applied  the  word  tongue 
to  any  thing  that  resembled  a  tongue— 
to  a  bar  of  gold  (Josh.  vii.  21,  24) ;  to 
a  flame  of  fire  (Note  Isa.  v.  24.  Comp 
Acts  ii.  3)  ;  to  a  bay  of  the  sea,  or  a 
gulf — from  its  shape.  Josh.  xv.  5,  xviii. 
19.  So  we  speak  of^a  tongue  of  land 
When  it  is  said  that  the  Lord  would 
"  utterly  destroy  "  it,  it  is  equivalent  tc 
saying  that  it  would  be  entirely  dried 
up  ;  that  is,  so  as  to  present  no  obstruc- 
tion. 1f  Of  the  Egyptian  Sea.  Some 
interpreters,  among  whom  is  Vitringa, 
have  supposed  that  by  the  tongue  of 
the  Egyptian  Sea  here  mentioned,  is 
meant  the  river  Nile  which  flows  into 
the  Mediterranean, here  called, as  they 
suppose,  the  Egyptian  Sea.  Vitringa 
observes  that  the  Nile  before  it  flows 
into  the  Mediterranean  is  divided  into 
two  streams  orvrivers,  which  form  the 
Delta  or  the  trrangular  territory  lying 


tian  sea ;  and  with  his  mighty 
wind   shall    he  shake    his   hand 

between  these  two  rivers  and  bounded 
on  the  North  by  the  Mediterranean 
The  eastern  branch  of  the  Nile  being 
the  largest,  he  supposes  is  called  the 
tongue  or  bay  of  the  Egyptian  Sea. 
But  to  this  interpretation  there  an-  ob- 
vious objections.  (1.)  It  is  not  known 
that  the  Mediterranean  is  elsewhere 
called  the  Egyptian  Sea.  (2.)  Tins 
whole  description  pertains  to  the  de- 
parture of  the  children  of  Israel  from 
^gyP1-  The  imagery  is  alt  drawn 
from  that.  But  in  their  departure,  the 
Nile  constituted  no  obstruction.  Their 
place  of  residence^r-in  Goshen — was 
east  of  the  Nile.  All  the  obstruction 
that  they  met  with  from  any  sea  or 
river  was  from  the  Red  Sea.  (3.)  The 
Red  Sea  is  divided  at  its  northern  ex^ 
tremity  into  two  bays  or  forks,  which 
may  be  called  the  tongues  of  the  sea — 
and  across  one  of  which  the  Israelites 
passed  in  going  from  Egypt.  Of  these 
branches,  the  western  one  was  called 
the  Heroopolite  branch,  and  the  eastern 
the  Elanitic  branch.  It  was  across  the 
western  branch  that  they  passed.  When 
it  is  said  that  Jehovah  would  "  destroy  " 
this,  it  means  that  he  would  dry  it  up 
so  that  it  would  be  no  obstruction  ;  in 
other  words,  he  would  take  the  most 
formidable  obstructions  to  the  progress 
of  his  people  out  of  the  way.  IT  And 
with  his  mighty  wind.  With  a  strong 
and  powerful  wind.  Michaelis  sup- 
poses that  by  this  is  meant  a  tempest. 
But  there  is  more  probably  a  reference 
to  a  strong  and  steady  hot  wind,  such 
as  blows  over  burning  deserts,  and  such 
as  would  have  a  tendency  to  dry  up 
even  mighty  waters.  The  illustration 
is  probably  derived  from  the  fact  that  a 
strong  east  wind  was  employed  to 
make  a  way  through  the  Red  Sea. 
Ex.  xiv.  21.  If  the  allusion  here  be 
rather  to  a  mighty  wind  or  a  tempest, 
than  to  one  that  is  hot  and  that  tends 
to  evaporate  the  waters  even  of'the 
rivers,  then  it  means  that  the  wind 
would  be  so  mighty  as  to  part  the 
waters,  and  make  a  path  through  the 
river  as  was  done  in  the  Red  Sea  and 


J3.C.738.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


259 


over  the  river,  and  shall  smite  it 

6  in  shoes. 


at  the  Jordan.  The  idea  is,  that  God 
would  remove  the  obstructions  to  the 
rapid  and  complete  deliverance  and 
conversion  of  men.  1T  Shall  lie  shake 
his  hand.  This  is  to  indicate  that  the 
mighty  wind  will  be  sent  from  God, 
and  that  it  is  designed  to  effect  this 
passage  through  the  rivers.  The 
shaking  of  the  hand  in  the  Scripture  is 
usually  an  indication  of  anger,  or  of 
Urong  and  settled  purpose.  See  ch.' 
x.  32,  xiii.  2.  Zech.  ii.  9.  IT  Over  the 
fiver  Many  have  understood  this  as 
referring  to  the  Nile  ;  but  two  consi- 
derations show  that  the  Euphrates  is 
rather  intended.  (I.)  The  term  toe 
rivr  ("vJI'l  hdunahdr)  is  usually  ap- 
plied to  the  Euphrates,  called  THE 
kiver  by  way  of  eminence  ;  and  when 
the  term  is  used  without  any  qualifica- 
tion, that  river  is  commonly  intended. 
See  Note  ch.  vii.  20,  viii.  7.  Comp. 
Gen.  xxxi.  21,  xxxvi.  37.  1  Kings 
iv  21.  Ezra  iv  10, 16,  v.  3.  (2.)  The 
effect  of  this  smiting  of  the  river  is 
said  to  be  (ver.  16)  that  there  would 
be  a  highway  for  the  people  from  As- 
syria— which  could  be  caused  only  by 
removing  the  obstruction  which  is  pro- 
duced by  the  Euphrates  lying  between 
Judea  and  some  parts  of  Assyria.  IT  And 
shall  smite  it.  That  is,  to  dry  it  up, 
or  to  make  it  passable.  IT  In  the  seven 
streams.  1  he  word  streams  here 
(O^pnj)  denotes  streams  of  much  less 
dimensions  than  a  river.  It  is  applied 
to  a  valley  with  a  brook  running 
through  it  (Gen.  xxvi.  19)  ;  and  then 
to  any  small  brook  or  stream,  or  rivu- 
let. Gen.  xxxii.  24.  Ps.  lxxiv.  15. 
Here  it  denotes  brooks  or  streams  that 
would  be  fordable.  When  it  is  said 
that  the  river  should  be  smitten  "  in 
the  seven  streams,"  the  Hebrew  does 
not  mean  that  it  was  already  divided 
into  seven  streams,  and  that  God  v  ould 
smite  them,  but  it  means,  thai  God 
would  smite  it  into  seven  strea  ns  or 
rivulets  ;  that  is,  into  many  suf  rivu- 
lets (for  the  number  seven  is  <  jn  used 
to   denote  a  large  indefi         number. 


in  the  seven  streams,  and  make 
men  go  over  6dry-shod. 

Note  ch.  iv.  1)  ;  and  the  expression 
denotes  that  though  the  river  presented 
an  obstruction  in  its  natural  size  which 
they  could  not  overcome,  yet  God 
would  make  new  channels  for  it,  and 
scatter  it  into  innumerable  rivulets  or 
small  streams,  so  that  they  could  pass 
over  it  dry-shod.  A  remarkable  illus- 
tration of  this  occurs  in  Herodotus  i. 
189  :  "  Cyrus,  in  his  march  to  Baby- 
lon, arrived  at  the  river  Gyndes,  which, 
rising  in,  the  mountains  of  Matiene, 
and  passing  through  the  country  of  the 
Darneans,  loses  itself  in  the  Tigris ; 
and  this,  after  flowing  by  Opis,  is  finally 
discharged  into  the  Red  Sea.  While 
Cyrus  was  endeavouring  to  pass  this 
river,  which  could  not  be  performed 
without  boats,  one  of  the  white  conse- 
crated horses  boldly  entering  the  stream, 
in  his  attempts  to  cross  it  was  borne 
away  by  the  rapidity  of  the  current, 
and  totally  lost.  Cyrus,  exasperated 
by  the  accident,  made  a  vow  that  he 
would  render  this  stream  so  very  insig- 
nificant, that  women  should  hereafter 
be  able  to  cross  it  without  so  much  as 
wetting  their  feet.  He  accordingly 
suspended  his  designs  on  Babylon,  and 
divided  his  forces  into  two  parts  ;  he 
then  marked  out  with  a  line  on  each 
side  of  the  river  one  hundred  and 
eighty  trenches ;  these  were  dug  ac- 
cording to  his  orders,  and  so  great  a 
number  of  men  were  employed  that  he 
accomplished  his  purpose  ;  but  he  thus 
wasted  the  whole  of  that  summer."  See 
also  Seneca,  de  Ira.  Lib.  iii.  §  21.  V  Go 
over  dry-shod.  Heb.  in  shoes,  or  san- 
dals. The  waters  in  the  innumerable 
rivulets  to  which  the  great  river  should 
be  reduced,  would  be  so  shallow  that 
they  could  even  pass  them  in  their  san- 
dals without  wetting  their  feet — a 
strong  figurative  expression,  denoting 
that  the  obstruction  would  be  com- 
pletely removed.  "  The  prophet  under 
these  metaphors  intends  nothing  else 
than  that  there  would  be  no  impedi- 
ment to  God  when  he  wished  to 
deliver  bis  people  from  captivity.* 
Calvin. 


260 


ISAIAH. 


[.B.C.  738. 


16  And  there  shall  be  an  high- 
way for  the  remnant  of  his  peo- 
ple,  which    shall    be    left,   from 


16.  And  there  shall  be  an  highway. 
All  obstructions'  shall  be  removed,  and 
they  shall  be  permitted  to  return  with- 
out hinderance.  Comp.  ISote  on  ch. 
xxxv.  8.  H  For  the  remnant  of  his 
people  from  Assyria.  Note  ver.  11. 
^  Like  as  it  was  to  Israel,  &c.  That 
is,  God  will  remove  all  obstructions  as 
he  did  at  the  Red  Sea  ;  he  will  subdue 
all  their  enemies  j  he  will  provide  for 
their  wants  ;  and  he  will  interpose  by 
the  manifest  marks  of  his  presence  and. 
protection,  as  their  God  and  their 
friend. — The  general  view  of  the  chap- 
ter is,  therefore,  that  it  r»fers  to  the 
triumph  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  ; 
that  it  is  not  yet  fully  accomplished  ; 
and  that  the  time  is  coming  when  the 
scattered  Jews  shall  be*  regathered  to 
God — not  returned  to  their  own  land, 
but  brought  again  under  his  dominion 
under  the  administration  of  the  Messiah  ; 
and  that  this  event  shall  be  attended 
with  a  sudden  removal  of  the  obstruc- 
tions to  the  gospel,  and  to  its  rapid 
spread  every  where  among  the  nations. 
Comparing  this  with  the  present  state 
of  the  Jews,  we  may  remark,  in  regard 
to  this  prospect,  (1.)  That  they  are 
now,  and  will  continue  to  be,  scattered 
in  all  nations.  They  have  been  driven 
to  all  parts  of  the  earth — wanderers 
without  a  home — yet  continuing  their 
customs,  r  tes,  and  peculiar  opinions  ; 
and  contii  ding  to  live,  notwithstanding 
all  the  efforts  of  the  nations  to  crush 
and  destroy  them.  (2.)  They  speak 
nearly  all  the  languages  of  the  world. 
They  are  acquainted  with  all  the  cus- 
toms, prejudices,  and  opinions  of  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  They  would, 
therefore,  be  under  no  necessity  of  en- 
gaging in  the  laborious  work  of  leam- 


Assyria ;  like  as  it  was*  to  Is- 
rael in  the  day  that  he  came  up 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt. 

z  Ex.  14.  29. 

ing  language — which  now  occupies  so 
much  of  the  time,  and  consumes  So 
much  of  the  strength  of  the  modern 
missionary.  (3  )  The  law  of  God  is 
thus  in  all  nations.  It  is  in  every 
synagogue  ;  and  it  has  been  well  said, 
that  the  law  there  is  like  extinguished 
candles,  and  that  all  that  is  needful  to 
illuminate  the  world,  is  to  light  these 
candles.  Let  the  Jew  every  where  be 
brought  to  see  the  true  meaning  of  his 
law  ;  let  the  light  of  evangelical  truth 
shine  into  his  synagogue,  and  the  world 
would  be  at  once  illuminated.  The 
truth  would  go  with  the  rapidity  of  the 
sunbeams  from  place  to  place  until  the 
whole  earth  would  be  enlightened  with 
the  knowledge  of  the  Redeemer.  (4.) 
The  Jews,  when  converted,  make  the 
best  missionaries.  There  is  a  fresh- 
ness in  their  views  of  the  Messiah 
when  they  are  converted,  which  Gen- 
tile converts  seldom  feel.  The  apos- 
tles were  all  Jews ;  and  the  zeal  of 
Paul  shows  what  converted  Jews  will 
do  when  they  become  engaged  in 
making  known  the  true  Messiah.  If  it 
has  been  a  characteristic  of  their  nation 
that  they  would  "  compass  sea  and  land 
to  make  one  proselyte,"  what  will  their 
more  than  three  millions  accompli--1! 
when  they  become  converted  to  the 
true  faith  of  the  Redeemer  ?  We  have 
every  reason,  therefore,  to  expect  ;hat 
God  intends  to  make  great  use  yet  of 
the  Jews  whom  he  has  preserved  scati 
tered  every  where — though  they  be  but 
"  a  remnant " — in  converting  the  world 
to  his  Son.  And  we  should  most  fer- 
vently pray,  that  they  may  be  imbued 
with  love  to  their  long-rejected  Mes- 
siah, and  that  they  may  every  where 
become  tho  missionaries  of  the  cross. 


B.C.  73S.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


261 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    CHAPTER. 


This  chapter  is  a  part  of  the  vision  which  was  commenced  in  ch.  x.  ver.  5.  The  prophet  t.ad  fore- 
told the  deliverance  of  the  nation  from  the  threatened  invasion  of  Sennacherib  (ch.  x  ) ;  he  had  then 
looked  forward  to  the  times  of  the  Messiah,  and  described  the  certainty,  the  character,  and  the  con- 
sequences of  his  reign,  ch.  xi.  The  xith  chapter  closes  with  a  reference  to  the  deliverance  of  the 
nation  from  the  oppression  of  the  Egyptians.  That  deliverance  was  celebrated  with  a  beautiful  ode, 
which  was  sung  by  Miriam  and  "  all  the  women,"  who  "  went  out  after  her  with  timbrels  and  with 
dances."  Ex.  xv.  l — 21.  In  imitation  of  that  deliverance,  Isaiah  says,  in  this  chapter,  that  the  deli- 
verance of  which  he  speaks  shall  be  celebrated  also  with  a  song  of  praise  ;  and  this  chapter,  there- 
fore, is  properly  an  expression  of  the  feelings  of  the  redeemed  people  of  God,  in  view  of  his  great 
mercy  in  iuterposing  to  save  them.  It  should  be  read  in  view  of  the  great  and  glorious  deliverance 
which  God  has  wrought  for  us  in  the  redemption  of  his  Son  ;  and  with  feelings  of  lofty  gratitude  that 
he  has  brought  us  from  worse  than  Egyptian  bondage— the  bondage  of  sin.  The  song  is  far  better 
applied  to  the  times  of  the  Messiah  than  it  could  be  to  any  thing  which  occurred  under  the  Jewish 
dispensation.  The  Jews  themselves  appear  to  have  applied  it  to  his  time.  On  the  last  day  of  the 
feast  of  tabernacles,  they  brought  water  in  a  golden  pitcher  from  the  fountain  of  Siloam,  and  poured 
it  mingled  with  wine  on  the  sacrifice  that  was  on  the  altar  with  great  rejoicing.  See  Notes  John  vti. 
14.  37.  This  custom  was  not  required  by  Moses,  and  probably  arose  from  the  command  in  ver.  3  of 
this  chapter.  Our  Saviour  applied  it  to  himself,  to  the  benefits  of  his  gospel,  and  to  the  influences 
of  the  Spirit  (John  ch.  vii.) ;  and  the  ancient  Jews  so  applied  it  also.  "  Why  is  it  called  the  house 
of  drawing?  Because  from  thence  they  draw  the  Holy  Spirit :  as  it  is  written,  '  and  ye  shall  draw 
water  with  joy  from  the  fountains  of  salvation.'  "    Jerusalem  Talmud  as  quoted  by  Lowth. 


1  And  in  that  day  thou  shalt 
say,  O  Lord,  I  6will  praise  thee : 
though  cthou  wast  angry  with 
me,  thine  anger  is  turned  away, 

b  Ps.  34. 1,  &c.      C  Ps.  30,5.  ch.  54.  7,  8.  Hos.  6.  1. 


1.  And  in  that  day.  The  day  re- 
ferred to  in  the  previous  chapter,  the 
time  of  the  Messiah,  when  the  effects 
of  his  reign  shall  be  seen  every  where. 
The  duty  of  praise,  however,  is  couched 
in  such  language  as  to  make  it  applica- 
ble to  the  event  predicted  in  the  former 
part  of  the  prophecy  (ch.  x.) — the  de- 
livering of  the  nation  from  the  invasion 
of  Sennacherib,  as  well  as  the  more 
glorious  event  on  which  the  prophet 
fixed  his  eye  (ch.  xi.) — the  coming  and 
r?ie;ii  of  the  Messiah.  The  language 
of  this  song  of  praise  would  be  appro- 
priate to  both  these  events.  IT  Thou 
shalt  say.  The  address  to  an  indivi- 
dual here  in  the  term  "  thou  "  is  equi- 
valent to  every  one,  meaning  that  all 
who  were  thus  interested  in  the  divine 
interposition  should  say  it.  IT  O  Lord. 
O  Jehovah — the  great  author  of  this 
interposition.  IT  /  will  praise  thee 
though  thou  wast  angry  with  me.  If 
this  language  is  applied  to  the  Jews, 
and  supposed  to  be  used  by  them  in  re- 
gard to  the  invasion  of  Sennacherib,  it 
sieans,  that  God  suffered  their    md  to 


and  thou  comfortedst  me. 

2  Behold,  God  is  my  salva- 
tion ;  I  will  trust,  and  not  be 
afraid :    for   cthe   Lord  JEHO- 


be  invaded  and  to  be  subjected  to 
calamities  in  consequence  of  their  sins. 
ch.  x.  6  seq.  If  it  is  supposed  to  be 
applied  to  the  time  of  the  Messiah, 
then  it  is  language  which  every  re- 
deemed sinner  may  use,  that  God  was 
angry  with  him,  but  that  his  anger  is 
turned  away.  As  applicable  to  the 
redeemed,  it  is  an  acknowledgment 
which  they  all  feel,  that  they  have  no 
claim  to  his  mercy,  and  that  it  lays  the 
foundation  for  unceasing  praise  that 
his  anger  is  turned  away  by  the  plan 
of  salvation. 

2.  Behold,  God  is  my  salvation.  Or, 
God  is  the  author,  or  source  of  my 
salvation.  It  has  not  been  brought 
about  by  any  human  hands,  but  is  to  be 
traced  directly  to  Him.  The  value 
of.  a  gift  is  always  enhanced  by  the 
dignity  and  excellency  of  the  giver, 
and  it  confers  an  inestimable  value  on 
the  blessings  of  salvation,  that  they  are 
conferred  by  a  being  no  less  than  the 
Infinite  God.  It  is  not  by  human  oi 
angelic  power ;  but  it  is  to  be  traced 
directly  and  entirely  to  Jehovah      *T  1 


262 


ISAIAH. 


[£.C\73& 


VAH  is  my  strength  and  my 
song  ;  he  also  is  become  my  sal- 
vation. 


will  trust,  and  not  be  afraid.  Since 
God  is  its  author ;  since  he  is  able  to 
defend  me,  and  to  perfect  that  which 
he  has  begun,  I  will  confide  in  him  and 
not  be  afraid  of  the  power  or  machina- 
tions of  ary  enemy.  In  his  hands  I 
am  safe.  God  is  the  foundation  of  our 
confidence  ;  and  trusting  in  him,  his 
people  shall  never  be  moved.  IT  For  the 
Lord  JEHOVAH.  This  is  one  of  the 
four  places  in  which  our  translators 
have  retained  the  original  word  Jeho- 
vah, though  the  Hebrew  word  occurs 
often  in  the  Scriptures.  The  other 
places  where  the  word  Jehovah  is  re- 
tained in  our  version  are  Ex.  vi.  3.  Ps. 
lxviii.  18.  Isa.  xxvi.  4.  The  original 
in  this  place  is  "1;n'J  ^  Jah,  Jehovah. 
The  word  Jah  (P^)  is  an  abbreviation 
of  the  word  Jehovah.  The  abbrevi- 
ated form  is  often  used  for  the  sake 
of  conciseness,  particularly  in  the 
Psalms,  as  in  the  expression  Hallelujah 
(n^'^bpn),  i.  e.  praise  Jehovah.  Ps. 
civ  35,  cv.  15,  cvi.  i.  8,  cxi.  1,  cxiii.  1, 
lxxxix.  9,  xciv.  7,  12,  et  al.  In  this 
place,  and  Isa.  xxvi.  4,  the  repetition 
of  the  name  seems  to  be  used  to  de- 
note emphasis  ;  or  perhaps  to  indicate 
that  Jehovah  is  the  same  always — an 
unchangeable  God.  In  two  codices 
of  Kennicott,  however,  the  name  Jah 
(i^)  is  omitted,  and  it  has  been  con- 
jectured by  some  that  the  repetitnn  is 
an  error  of  transcribers.  But  the  best 
MSS.  retain  it.  The  LXX,  the  Chal- 
dee,  and  the  Syriac,  however,  omit  it. 
T  Is  my  strength  and  my  song.  The 
ea<no  expression  occurs  in  the  hymn 
that  Moses  composed  after  the  passage 
of  the  Red  Sea,  in  imitation  of  which 
this  song  is  evidently  composed.  Ex. 
xv.  2: 

JEHOVAH  is  my  strength  and  my  song, 
And  ne  is  become  my  salvation. 

The  word  strength  means,  that  he  is 
ihe  source  of  strength,  and  implies  that 
all  who  are  redeemed  are   willing  to 


3  Therefore  with  joy-^  shall 
ye  draw  waters'  out  of  the  wells 
of  salvation. 


/  Cant.  2.  3. 


g-  John  4.  in.  14. 


acknowledge  that  all  their  strength  is 
in  God.  The  word  song  implies  that 
he  is  the  proper  object  of  praise  ;  it  is 
to  celebrate  his  praise  that  the  "  song" 
is  composed.  IT  He  also  is  become  my 
salvation.  This  is  also  found  in  the 
song  of  Moses.  Ex  xv.  2.  It  means 
that  God  had  become,  or  was  the  author 
of  salvation.  It  is  by  his  hand  that 
the  deliverance  has  been  effected,  and 
to  him  should  be  the  praise. 

3.  Therefore.  In  view  of  all  his 
mercies.  The  Hebrew  is,  however, 
simply,  '  and  ye  shall  draw.'  It  has 
already  been  intimated  that  the  Jews 
applied  this  passage  to  the  Holy  Spirit  ; 
and  that  probably  on  this  they  based 
their  custom  of  drawing  water  from 
the  fountain  of  Siloam  at  the  feast  of 
the  dedication.  "Note  John  vii.  37. 
The  fountain  of  Siloam  was  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  city,  and  the  water 
was  borne  from  that  fountain  in  a 
golden  cup,  and  was  poured,  with  every 
expression  of  rejoicing,  on  the  sacrifice 
on  the  altar.  It  is  not  probable,  how- 
ever, that  this  custom  was  in  use  in 
the  time  of  Isaiah.  The  language,  is 
evidently  figurative  ;  but  the  meaning 
is  obvious.  A  fountain,  or  a  well,  in 
the  sacred  writings,  is  an  emblem  of 
that  which  produces  joy  and  refresh- 
ment ;  which  sustains  and  cheers.  The 
figure  is  often  employed  to  denote  that 
which  supports  and  refreshes  the  soul  ; 
which  sustains  man  when  sinking  from 
exhaustion — as  the  bubbling  fountain 
or  well  refreshes  the  weary  and  fainting 
pilgrim.  Comp.  John  iv.  14.  It  is 
thus  applied  to  God  as  an  overflowing 
fountain,  fitted  to  supply  the  wants  of 
all  his  creatures  (Jer.  ii.  Yd,  xvii.  13. 
Ps.  xxxvi.  -9.  Prov.  xiv.  27)  ;  and  to 
his  plan  of  salvation — the  sources  of 
comfort  which  he  has  opened  in  the 
scheme  of  redeeming  mercy  to  satisfy 
the  wants  of  the  souls  of  men.  Zech. 
xiii.  1  Isa.  xli.  18:  Rev.  vii  17  The 
word  riven  is  used   in  the  same  si-nse 


B.C.  738.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


263 


4  And  in  that  day  shall  ye 
say,7*  Praise  the  Lord,7  call  up- 
on his  name,  declare  his  doings 
among  the  people,  make  mention 
that  his  name  is  exalted. 

5  Sing0   unto  the  Lord  ;    for 

h  Ps.  145.  4—6.       7  or,  ■proclaim, 
a  Ex.  15,  1,  21.    Ps.  98.  1. 

as  fountains  in  the  above  places.  Isa. 
xlii.  15,  xliii.  19,  20.  Generally,  in  the 
Scriptures,  streams,  fountains,  rivers, 
are  used  as  emblematic  of  the  abun- 
dant fulness  and  richness  of  the  mercies 
which  God  has  provided  to  supply  the 
spiritual  necessities  of  men.  The  idea 
here  is,  therefore,  that  they  should  par- 
take abundantly  of  the  mercies  of  sal- 
vation— that  it  was  free,  overflowing, 
and  refreshing — like  waters  to  weary 
pilgrims  in  the  desert ;  and  that  their 
partaking  of  it  would  be  with  joy.  It 
would  fill  the  soul  with  happiness — as 
the  discovery  of  an  abundant  fountain, 
or  a  well  in  the  desert,  fills  the  thirsty 
pilgrim  with  rejoicing. 

4.  And  in  that  day ;  ver.  1.  1T  Call 
upon  his  name  Margin,  "  proclaim." 
It  denotes  to  call  upon  him  in  the  way 
of  celebrating  his  praise.  The  whole 
hymn  is  one  of  praise,  and  not  of 
prayer.  IT  Declare  among  the  people. 
Among  all  people,  that  they  may  be 
brought  to  see  his  glory,  and  join  in 
the  celebration  of  his  praise.  11  His 
doings.  Particularly  in  regard  to  the 
great  events  which  are  the  subject  of 
the  previous  predictions — his  interposi- 
tion in  saving  men  by  the  Messiah 
from  eternal  death.  11  Make  mention. 
Heb.  "  cause  it  to  be  remembered." 
See  Note  on  ch.  lxii.  6  IT  That 
his  name  is  exalted.  That  it  is  worthy 
of  adoration  and  praise.  It  is  worthy 
to  be  exalted,  or  lifted  up  in  view  of  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  2  Sam.  xxii  47. 
Ps.  xxi.  13,  xlvi.  10. 

5  Sing  unto  the  Lord.  This  is  the 
same  expression  which  occurs  in  the 
song  of  Moses.  Ex.  xv.  21.  Isaiah 
evidently  had  that  in  his  eye.  11  He 
hath  done  excellent  things.  Things 
that  are  exalted  (^1X5)  ;  that  are  wor- 
thy to  be  celebrated,  and  had  in  reroem- 


he  hath   done  excellent  things : 
this  is  known  in  all  the  earth. 

6  Cry6  out  and  shout,  thou 
inhabitant  of  Zion  :  for  <*great 
is  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  in  the 
midst  of  thee. 


b  Zeph.  3.  14. 


2  inhabitress. 


brance  ;  things  that  are  majestic,  grand, 
and  wonderful.  IT  This  is  known  in 
all  the  earth.  Or  more  properly  "  let 
this  be  known  in  all  the  earth."  It  is 
worthy  of  being  celebrated  everywhere. 
It  should  be  sounded  abroad  through 
all  lands.  This  expresses  the  sincere 
desire  of  all  who  are  redeemed,  and 
who  are  made  sensible  of  the  goodness 
and  mercy  of  God  the  Saviour.  The 
instinctive  and  the  unceasing  wish  is, 
that  the  wonders  of  the  plan  of  redecr™- 
ing  mercy  should  be  every  where  knowr 
among  the  nations,  and  that  all  flesh 
should  see  the  salvation  of  our  God. 

6.  Cry  out.  "^O.^  .  This  word  is 
usually  applied  to  the  neighing  of  a 
horse.  Jer.  v.  8,  viii.  16.  It  is  also 
used  to  express  joy,  pleasure,  exulta- 
tion, by  a  clear  and  loud  sound  of  the 
voice.  Isa.  xiv.  14,  xii.  6,  x.  30,  liv. 
1.  Jer.  xxxi.  7,  1.  11.  It  is  here 
synonymous  with  the  numerous  pas- 
sages in  the  Psalms,  and  elsewhere, 
where  the  people  of  God  are  called  o& 
to  exult,  to  shout,  to  make  a  noise  as 
expressive  of  their  joy.  Ps.  xlvii.  1. 
Isa..  xlii.  11.,  xliv.  23.  Jer  xxxi.  7. 
Zeph.  iii.  14.  Zech.  ix.  9.  Ps.  cxlviii. 
cxlix.  IT  And  shout.  ^^  .  This 
word  properly  means  to  cry  aloud 
(Prov.  i.  20,  viii.  3)  ;  to  cry  for  help, 
(Lam.  ii.  19)  ;  to  raise  a  shout  of  joy, 
to  rejoice,  or  exult  (Lev.  ix.  24.  Job 
xxxviii.  7)  ;  to  praise,  or  celebrate  with 
joy,  Ps.  Ii.  15,  lix.  17,  xxxui  l,lxxxix. 
13.  Here  it  denotes  the  joy  in  view 
of  God's  mercies,  which  leads  to  songs 
of  exalted  praise.  IT  Thou  inhabitant 
of  Zion.  Thou  that  dwellest  in  Zion  ; 
that  is,  thou  who  art  numbered  with 
the  people  of  God.  Note  ch.  i.  8. 
The  margin  here  is,  in  accordance 
with  the  Hebrew,  "  Inhabitress  of 
Zion ;"  and  the  word  here  used  is  ap- 


264  ISAIAH.  [B.C.  713. 

plicable  to  the  people,  rather  than  to  an  I  the  time  soon  come  when  the  beautiful 

individual,  t  For  great  is  the  Holy  One  vision  of  the  poet  shall  be  realized  in 

oj   Israel.      That   is,  God  has   shown  the    triumphant    song    of    redemption 

himself  great  and  worthy  of  praise,  by  echoing  around  the  world: 

the    wonderful    deliverance    which 

has     WTOnght     for     his     people  Thus  "  ?£?   ,?""  employs  all  nations:  ami  all  cry 

.  i        ,  r  y^vyi*.  inuo  \\  ort by  the  Lamb,  lor  he  was  slam  tor  us  I' 

closes  this  beautiful  hymn.      It  is  wor-         The  dwellen  in  tbe  vales  and  on  I 

thv  of  the    thpnip  •    wnrthv    In    ho    anno-  Shout  to  each  other,  and  the  mountain  lo;  s 

v.        ii        ^v  l,,eme  ' ;   worItiy   t0    b?   sung  From  distant  mom." 

by  all.      O,  may  all  the   redeemed  join  Till,  nation  after  nation  taught  the  strain, 
in  this  song  of  deliverance  ;  and  may        Earlh  tMs  ,hc  rapturo"s  '^'r^'Book'vi. 


CHAPTER  XFII. 

ANALYSIS  OF  CHAPTERS  XIII.  XTV.   1--27. 

The  thirteenth  ehnpterof  Isniah  commence!  a  new  prophecy,  and  according  to  the  division  of  Vi. 
tringa,  a  new  book  or  part  of  hi"  prophecies.  The  first  book  according  to  him,  extending  from  eh.  i. 
to  the  close  of  ch.  xii.  is  occupied  with  a  series  of  prophecies  respecting  the  .lews.  The  te  :ond  portion, 
fr.ini  ill.  \in.  t.i  ph,  vxxv.  inclusive,  consists  of  n  number  of  separate  predictions  respecting  other 
nations,  with  which  the  Jews  were  in  various  way-  more  or  less  connectea.     See  the  Introduction. 

The  xiiith  and  xivth  chapters,  with  the  exception  of  the  Inst  five  verses  of  ch.  xiv.  contain  one 
entire  prophecy  foretelling  the  destruction  of  Babylon',  Ti  e  main  design  is  to  predict  the  destruction 
of  that  city  :  but  n  is  also  connected  with  a  design  to  furnish  consolation  to  the  Jews.  They  were  to 
be  carried  captive  there  ;  nnd  the  purpose  of  the  projphel  was  to  assure  them  that  the  city  to  which 
they  should  yet  he  home  as  exiles  would  he  completely  destroyed. 

It  is  n  I  posy  to  ascertain  with  certainty  the  precise  time  when  this  prophecy  was  delivered,  nor  is 
it  very  material.  It  is  certain  that  it  was  delivered  either  durmgthe  reigns  of  Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahaz, 
or  Hezekjoh  (ch.  i.  1),  the  reisn  of  the  lest  of  whom  closed  (10  years  before  the  Christian  era ;  and 
since  the  Jews  were  carried  captive  to  Bnbylon  586  years  before  that  iphecy  must  have  been*, 

delivered  124  years  before  that  event  ;  and  as  Babylon  was  taken  by  Cyrus  536  year>  before  < 'hrist,  it 
must  have  been  delivered  at  least  174  years  before  its  accomplishment,  Theodoret  supposed  thai  this 
prophecy  was  published  during  the  latter  part  of  the  reign  of  llezekiah.  Cocceius  and  LightfoOt 
supposed  that  it  was  delivered  about  the  same  period  ns  the  former,  and  this  abo  is  the  opinion  of 
Vitrinca.  All  that  is  of  importance,  is,  that  if  it  was  a  true  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  as  there  is  the 
demonstration,  it  must  have  been  delivered  at  least  one  hundred  and  seventy  years  before  the  event 
which  it  foretells  was  accomplished.  The  material  points  to  settle  in  regard  tothepn 
(1  \\  bet  her  they  were  delivered  before  the  event ;  (2)  whether  the  things  predicted  could  have  been 
foreseen  by  human  sagacity  ;  (3)  whether  the  prediction  is  so" clear,  ami  particular,  as  to  correspond 
With  the  event,  or  not  to  be  mere  vague  conjecture  ;  and  (4)  whether  there  is  such  an  occurjei 

events  as  I nstitute  in  fact  a  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy.     If  these  things  meet,  there  is  the  fullest 

evidence  that  the  prediction  was  from  God. 

At  tiie  time  when  this  prophecy  was  delivered,  the  Jews  were  in  the  secure  possession  of  their  own 
d country.      They  were   harassed   indeed  by  surrounding  nations,  hut  thev  were  still  free. 
They  hod  no  controversy  with  Babylon;  nor  had  they  reason  to  apprehend  danger  From  thai 
people.     Their   being  borne  to  that  land,  was  itself,  in  the  time  of  Isaiah,  a  distant  event,  and  one 
that  then  was  not  likely  to  occur.     It  is  remarkable  that  Isaiah  does  not  distinctly  foretell  that  event 
here,  but  throws  himself  to  a  period  of  time  bei/ond  that,  when  they  would  be  in  captivity,  and  pre- 
diets  their  deliverance.    His  prophecy  supposes  that  event  to  have  occurred.     It  is  a  vision  i> 
before  his  mind  after  that  event  had  taken  place;  when  they  would  hetH    Babylon;  and  wbe 
would  be  Bighing  for  deliverance,  ch.  xiv.  1,  2.    The  prophet,  therefore,  may  be  conceived  in  thi 
ion  as  taking  hi-  stand  bei/ond  an  event  which  had   not  yet  occurred — the  captivity  of  the  Jews  ami 
their  removal  to  Babylon — and  predicting  another  event  still  more  future  which  would  result  in  their 
deliverance— the  complete  overthrow  of  the  city,  and  the  consequent  deliverance  of  the  Jewi-i- 
pie.     \V  e  are  to  conceive  him  standing,  as  it  were,  amidst  the  captive  Jews,  and  directing  his  eye 
onward  to  the  complete  recovery  of  the  nntion  by  the  destruction  of  Babylon  itself,  ch.  xiv.  1,  . . 
the  Introduction,  §7,  III.  (4.) 

This  prophecy  of  the  destruction  of  Babylon  was  delivered,  we  have  seen,  at  least  174  years  before 
the  event  occurred.     At  the  time  when  it  was  delivered,  nothing  was  more  improbable  than  the  ruin 
ol  that  city  as  described  by  Isaiah,  ch.  xiii.  19—22.    It  was  one  of  the  largest,  most  flourishing,  ami 
perhaps  the  most  strongly  fortified  city  of  the  world.    The  prediction  that  it  should  he  like  "  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah  ;     thai  it  should  "  never  be  inhabited  ;"  that  the  wild   beast  of  tbe  desert  shqi 
ml  thai  dragons  should  be  in  their  pleasant  palaces,  was  wholly  improbal 
Sod.    There  were  no  natural  cause   l 
"•  PJ  "'  whu  K  a  itrangerand  a  ton  ii 

ition  of  "this  celebrated  city.— Bab  from 

Babki..  and  p                                                                ie   tower  or  Babel)  was   the  capital  i  I 
1                                                                     nrod  ;  but  it  was  a  Ion.-  pi 
quent  size  and  splendour.     It  was  enlarged  by  Belus.  and  so  greatly  beaut am  improved  :  . 


B.C.11'3.]  CHAPTER  Xill.  265 

rnmis  that  she  might  be  called  not  improperly  the  foundress  of  it.  It  wnt  subsequently  greatly  in. 
creased  and  embed  shed  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  It  stood  in  the  n  id-t  of  a  lurge  plain,  and  on  a  very 
deep  and  teitile  sod.  It  was  on  both  sides  of  the  river  Euphrates,  and  of  onut.se  was  divided  by  that 
rivet  into  two  purls.  The  two  pints  were  connected  by  a  bridge  near  the  centre  of  the  city  ;  and  there 
is  also  said  to  have  been  a  tiunui  or  .subterranean  passage  made  from  the  palace  on  ibe  east  of  iha 
river  to  the  palace  on  the  west  made  under  the  river.  The  old  city  wii-  on  the  east,  and  the  new  city, 
built  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  was  on  the  west.  Both  these  divisions  were  enclosed  by  one  wall,  and  the 
whole  formed  a  complete  square,  which  Herodotus,  who  visited  it,  aid  who  is  the  most  ancient  author 
who  has  written  on  it,  says,  was  4S0  furlongs  in  compass,  or  120  furlongs  on  each  side  :  that  is,  it  was 
15  miles  on  each  side,  or  sixty  miles  in  compass.  Public  belief  has  been  greatly  staggered  by  the  ac. 
counts  which  are  thus  given  of  the  size  of  Babylon.  But  the  account  of  the  extent  of  the  walls  given 
by  ancient  authors  is  nearly  uniform.  Thus  Herodotus  says  it  was  4£0  stadia,  or  furlongs  in  circum- 
ference. Pliny  and  Sohnus  make  it  the  same.  Strabo  says  it  was  385  stadia  in  circumference;  Dm. 
dorus  2t>0  ;  Ciiturchus,  who  accompanied  Alexander,  says  it  was  385,  and  Curtius  says  it  was  :tb'S. 
According  to  the  lowest  of  these  estimates,  itcould  not  have  been  less  than  12  miles  square,  or  48  miles 
in  circumference  ;  and  was  at  least  eight  times  as  large  in  extent  as  London  and  its  appendages  ;  and 
somewhat  larger  than  the  entire  District  of  Columbia.  Calmet,  and  Kdin.  Ency.  It  is  not  to  be 
inferred,  however,  that  all  this  vast  space  was  compactly  built.  It  was  enclosed  with  a  wall ;  but  a 
considerable  portion  of  it  might  have  been  occupied  with  the  public  squares,  with  palaces,  and  with 
banging  gardens,  or  oossibly  might  have  been  unoccupied. 

The  walls  of  Babylon  are  said  by  Herodotus  to  have  been  87  feet  thick,  and  350  high.  They  were 
built  of  brick  or  clay  dried  in  the  sun,  and  not  burned  ;  and  were  cemented  by  a  kind  of  glutinous 
earth,  or  bitumen,  with  which  the  adjacent  region  abounded.  The  whole  city  was  surrounded  by  an 
immense  ditch  from  which  this  clay  had  been  taken  to  make  the  walls  of  the  city,  and  which  being 
always  filled  with  water,  cotitiibuted  materially  to  its  defence.  There  were  an  hundred  gates  to  the 
city,  twenty- live  on  each  side.  These  gates  were  of  solid  brass.  Between  every  two  of  them  there. 
were  three  towers,  raised  ten  feet  above  the  walls.  From  the  gates  there  were  streets,  each  151  feet  in 
width,  which  ran  through  the  city,  so  that  there  were  50  streets  in  all,  cutting  each  other  at  right  an- 
gles, and  forming  b7o  squares  in  the  city.  A  bridge  b'O  feet  in  w  idth  crossed  the  Euphrates  in  the  centre 
of  the  city,  and  at  the  extremities  of  the  bridge  were  two  palaces,  tbo  old  palace  on  the  east,  and  the 
new  palace  on  the  west.  The  temple  of  Belus,  which  occupier!  almost  a  square,  was  near  the  old 
pain,  c  on  the  east.  Babylon  was  celebrated  for  its  hanging  gardens,  built  on  arches,  near  four  hun- 
dred feet  square,  and  which  were  elevated  one  above  another  by  terraces  until  they  reached  the  height 
of  the  walls  of  the  city.  On  the  highest  terrace  was  an  aqueduct  for  watering  the  gardens,  supplied 
with  water  by  a  pump,  or  probably  by  the  Persian  wheel,  by  which  the  water  of  the  Euphrates  was 
raised  to  this  extraordinary  height.  In  order  to  prevent  the  danger  of  being  overflown  by  the  rise  in 
the  Euphrates,  two  canals  were  cut  from  Ihe  river  at  a  considerable  distance  above  the  town,  by  which 
the  superabundant  waters  were  carried  into  the  Tigris.  It  is  to  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  in  orderto 
ajjist  view  of  this  prophecy,  that  Babylon  did  not  attain  its  highest  splendour  and  magnificence  until 
aftir  the  time  of  Isaiah.  It  was  under  Nebuchadnezzar,  who  ascended  the  throne  of  Babylon  about 
one  hundred  years  after  Isaiah  died,  that  it  rose  to  its  highest  degree  of  splendour  and  power.  When 
Isaiah  lived,  though  it  was  a  city  of  great  wealth  and  power,  and  distinguished  for  great  commercial 
advantages,  yet  it  was  then  dependent  on  Assyria,  It  did  not  become  the  capital  of  the  vast  kingdom 
of  C'baldea  until  tSO  years  before  Christ,  according  to  the  chronology  of  Hales,  when  Assaradon  be- 
came master  of  Babylon,  and  reunited  the  empires  of  Assyria  and  Chaldea. 

Babylon  was  the  natural  seat  of  empire  in  the  East,  and  was  early  distinguished  for  its  commercial 
advantages.  A  simple  glance  at  the  map  of  Asia  will  convince  any  one  that  somewhere  in  the  vicinity 
of  Babylon  is  the  natural  seat  of  power  in  the  East,  and  that  few  places  on  the  globe  are  more  eligi- 
bly situated  for  a  vast  trade,  as  it  was  conducted  before  the  discovery  of  the  Cape  id"  Good  Hope. 
The  commerce  from  the  rich  regions  of  Asia  naturally  passed  through  Babylon  on  its  way  to  Europe, 
and  to  Western  Asia.  It  wa-  the  centre  of  a  vast  fertile  region,  the  productions  of  which  were  conveyed 
to  Babylon,  mid  from  which  they  would  naturally  be  borne  down  on  the  Euphrates  to  the  ocean.  See 
Noteonch.  xliii.  14.  The  first  empire  of  which  the  earliest  historians  furnish  any  trace,  was  in  the 
land  of  Shinar,  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans.  Gen.  x.  8 — 10,  and  xi.  1—9.  Syria,  Arabia,  Tvre  with  all 
her  wealth,  and  distant  Egypt,  were  subject  and  tributary  to  it.  The  natural  advantages  of  that  region 
for  a  vast  capital,  are  shown  by  the  fact,  that  amidst  all  changes  and  revolutions,  empire  has  been 
disposed  to  lix  her  permanent  seat  somewhere  on  the  banks  of  the  Tigris  or  the  Euphrates.  Thus 
Nineveh,  the  capital  of  Assyria  was  long  a  mighty  and  magnificent  commercial  city  as  well  as  the 
proud  capital  of  a  vast  empire.  Thus  when  Babylon  fell,  Seieucia  rose  on  the  banks  of  the  Tigris— 
as  if  prosperity  and  power  were  unwilling  to  leave  the  fertile  plains  watered  by  those  rivers.  Thus 
near  Seieucia,  aros\Ctesiphott,  the  winter- residence  of  the  Parthian  monarchs.  And  thus  under  the 
sway  of  the  Arabian?,  long  after  Nineveh,  and  Babylon,  and  Seieucia  had  fallen,  Bugdad  and  Ormus 
rivalled  Babylon  and  Seieucia,  and  "  became,  like  them,  the  resort  of  the  merchant  and  the  home  of 
the  learned."  "  At  this  time  Bagdad  and  Bussura  are  faded  tokens  of  the  splendour  of  those  which 
have  faded  and  fallen."  The  fact  that  there  was  in  that  vicinity  such  a  succession  of  celebrated  cities 
demonstrates  tha'.  there  were  there  some  Important  commercial  advantages.  Among  those  advanta- 
ges respecting  Babylon  was  the  fact  that  it  was  in  the  centre  of  a  vast  fertile  region  ;  that  it  naturally 
received  the  productions  of  Armenia  on  the  north  ;  and  that  its  midway  position  rendered  it  the  natu- 
ral thoroughfare  for  the  caravan  trade  between  Eastern  and  Western  Asia.  Accordingly  Babylon 
was  early  distinguished  for  its  commerce  and  manufactures.  Babylonian  garments  of  uncommon 
value  had  made  their  way  to  Palestine  as  early  as  the  times  of  Joshua.  Josh.  vii.  21.  Tapestries 
embroidered  with  figures  of  griffons  and  other  monsters  of  Eastern  imagination  were  articles  of  ex- 
port. Carpets  were  wrought  there  of  the  finest  material  and  workmanship,  and  formed  an  article  of 
extensive  exportation.  They  were  in  high  repute  in  the  time  of  Cyrus,  wdiose  tomb  nt  Pasargada  was 
adorned  with  them.  Arrian,  Exped.  Alex.  vi.  29!  Babylonian  robes  were  also  highly  esteemed  for 
the  fineness  of  their  texture  and  the  brilliancy  of  their  purple,  and  were  used  by  toe  royal  family  oi 
Persia.  The  commerce  of  that  city  and  of  Babylonia  consisted  in  the  traffic  in  emeralds  and  other 
precious  stones;  silver  a':d  gold;  carpets,  tapestries,  and  other  manufactured  cloths;  cotton  and 
pearls  ;  cinnamon  and  ot'ier  spjei  ry  obtained  from  the  East ;  and  in  general  of  whatever  articles  were 
produced  in  the  cistern  parts  of  Asia,  whicii  were  natural!)  brought  to  Babylon  op  the  way  to  Wes- 
tern Asia  and  to  Europe.  1  c)r  a  learned  and  interesting  article  on  the  commerce  of  Babylon,  see  Bib. 
Jcal  Repository,  vol.  vii.  pp.  :itj4— 390.  Thus  by  the  fertility  of  the  soil  ;  by  its  size  and  strength  ;  by 
its  strong  and  lofty  walls  ;  by  its  commercial  advantages:  and  by  every  thing  that  ton  id  contribute  to 
the  defence  of  an  ancient  city,  Babylon  seemed  to  be  safe  ;  and  if  there  was  any  ancient  city  that  ap. 
peared  to  bid  deflates  to  the  attacks  of  enemies,  or  to  the  ravages  of  time,  it  was  Babylon.  Yet 
Isaiah  said  that  it  should  be  destroyed  ;  and  in  ihe  course  of  our  exposition  we  ahull  ba  greatly  struck. 

12 


2(5  G 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.11Z 


not  only  with  the  certain  fulfilment  of  the  prediction,  but  with  the  wonderful  accuracy  and  minufe- 
[less  of  the  entire  prophetic  statement, 

The  vision  opens  (ch.  xni.  *',  \i),  with  the  command  of  God  to  assemble  his  forces  to  go  forth,  and 

ac plish  Ins  work  in  retard  to  the  city.    By  a  l<eauiiful  puetic  imaee,  the  prophet  represents  him. 

•elf  us  immediately,  6n  the  issuing  of  this  command,  listening  to  thetiimuii  iud  noise'eaused  by  those 
who  were  assembling  for  war ;  by  the  gathering  together  of  nations t  by  their  assembling  from  a  far. 
country  to  destroy  the  whole  land  ;  vs.4,  5.  He  then  proceeds  to  depict  Uie consternation  that  would 
follow  ;  the  alarm  ofthe  people  ;  and  their  distress,  when  the  day  o(  tin-  Lord  she  ild  come,  vs. 6— 10. 
Then,  changing  the  mode  of  mM.'-s  In, m  himself  in  (i.d,  he  sets  forth  in  n  variety  of  most  distressing 
and  appalling  images,  the  destruction  that  would  come  upon  the  inhabitants  ol  IJabyb  n— the  limn 
llinjtol  their  pride  (ver.  11);  theuhuost  eajire  destruction  ofthe  men. (ver.  12) ;  the  flight  of  the  in. 
habitant*  (vs.  18,  1  •;;  :  the  murder  of  those  who  should  tlee  ;  and  the  d'Mructio  i  of  their  w ives  and 
children,  \  .  15,  Hi.  lie  the  i  specifies  (,\er  li)  the  instruments  by  which  this  should  be  done,  and 
closes  the  chapter  ^vs.  19— 3V)  with  a  minute  and  ntosl  particular  account  of  the  complete  and  final 
overthrow  of  the  city  :  of  its  entiie  and  everlrreting  desolation.  The  subsequent  chapter,  which  i-  a 
continuation  of  this  prophecy,  is  occupied  with  an  account  of  the  deliverance  of  the  Jews  from  their 
•  i:,  tivity,  and  with  u  further  description  pf  the  humbling  ol"  that  proud  city  and  of  its  monarch,  ^ee 
an  Analysis  of  it  at  the  commencement  of  the  chapter. 

The  xiiith  chapter  "  is  one  of  th«  most  beautiful  examples  that  can  be  given  of  elegance  ol  com- 
position,  variety  of  imagery,  and  sublimity  of  sentiment  and  diction  in  'he  prophetic  style."  Ijovotk. 
It  may  be  lu'ded,  that  it  i>  one  of  the  clearest  predictions  of  a  future  event  that  can  any  where  be 
found;  and  that  the  exact  and  minute  fulfilment  of  it  furnishes  the  highest  possible  evidence  that 
Isaiah  "  spake  us  lie  was  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 

1  The    burden   of  Babylon, f    which  Isaiah  the  son  of  Amoz 

/  ch.  21.  and  47.    Jer.  50.  and  51.  did  S('c- 


1,  The  burden  of  Babylon.  Or,  the 
burden  respecting,  or  concerning  Ba- 
bylon. This  prophecy  is  introduced 
in  a  different  manner  from  those  which 
have  preceded.  The  terms  which  Isaiah 
employed  in  the  commencement  of  his 
previous  prophecies,  were  vision  (see 
Note  ch.  i.  1),  or  word,  ch  ii.  1.  There 
has  been  considerable  diversity  of  opi- 
nion in  regard  to  the  meaning  of  the 
word  "  burden,"  which  is  here  em- 
ployed. The  Vulgate  renders  it  bur- 
den in  the  sense  of  load,  "onus;"  the 
LXX,  vision,  aputri;  ;  the  Chaldee, 
'  The  burden  ofthe  cup  of  malediction 
which  draws  near  to  Babylon."  The 
Hebrew  word  ^"<^?  mdssd  from  K'i'3 
nasd,  to  lift,  to  raise  up,  to  bear,  to 
bear  away,  to  suffer,  to  endure,  means 
properly  that  which  is  borne ;  that 
which  is  heavy  ;  that  which  becomes 
a  burden  ;  and  it  is  also  applied  fo  a 
gift  or  present,  as  that  which  is  borne 
to  a  man.  2  Chron.  xvii.  11.  It  is  also 
applied  to  a  proverb  or  maxim — pro- 
bably from  the  weight  and  importance 
of  the  sentiment  condensed  in  it.  Prov. 
xxx.  1,  xxxi.  1.  It  is  applied  to  an 
oracle  from  God.  2  Kings  iv.  25.  It 
is  often  translated  burden.  Isa.  xv. 
ixvii  1,  xix.  1,  xxi.  11,  13,  xxii.  1, 
xxiii.  1,  xxx.  6.  Jer.  xxiii.  33,  34,  38. 
Neii.  i.  1.  Zech.  i.  1,  xii  1.  Mali.  1. 
By  comparing  these  places,  it  will  be 
found  that  the  term  is  applied  to  those 
oracles  or  prophetic  declarations  which 


contain  sentiments  peculiarly  weighty 
and  solemn  ;  which  are  employed  chiefly 
in  denouncing  wrath  and  calamity  ;  and 
which,  therefore,  are  represented  as 
weighing  down,  or  oppressing  the  mind 
and  heart  of  the  prophet.  A  similar 
usage  prevails  in  all  languages.  We 
are  all  familiar  with  expressions  like 
this  We  speak  of  news  or  tidings  of 
so  melancholy  a  nature  as  to  weigh 
down,  to  sink,  or  depress  our  spirits  ; 
so  heavy  that  we  can  scarcely  bear  tip 
under  it  or  endure  it.  And  so  in  this 
case,  the  view  which  the  prophet  had 
ofthe  awful  judgments  of  God,  and  of 
the  calamities  which  were  coming  up- 
on guilty  cities  and  nations,  was  so 
oppressive  that  it  weighed  down  the 
mind  and  heart  as  a  heavy  burden. 
Others,  however,  suppose  that  it 
means  merely  a  message  or  prophecy 
which  is  taken  up,  or  borne,  respecting 
a  place,  and  that  the  word  indicates 
nothing  in  regard  to  the  nature  of  the 
message.  So  RosenmUller,  Gesenius, 
and  Cocceius  understand  it.  But  it 
seems  to  me  the  former  interpretation 
is  to  be  preferred.  Grotius  renders  it, 
'  A  mournful  prediction  respecting  Ba- 
bylon.' H  Did  see.  Saw  in  a  vision  ; 
or  in  a  scenical  representation.  The 
various  events  were  made  to  pass  be- 
fore his  mind  in  a  vision,  and  he  was 
permitted  to  see  the  armies  mustered  ; 
the  consternation  of  the  people  ;  and 
the  future  condition  of  the  proud  city 


B.C.I  13.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


267 


2  Lift  ye  up  a  banner  upon 
the  high  mountain,  exalt  the  voice 

unto  them,  shake  the  hand,  that 

. _  I 

This  verse  is  properly  the   title  to  the 
prophecy. 

2.  Lift  ye  up  a  banner.  A  military 
ensign  or  standard.  The  vision  opens 
here ;  and  the  first  thing  which  the 
prophet  hears,  is  the  solemn  command  : 
of  God  addressed  to  the  nations  as  j 
subject  to  him,  to  rear  the  standard  of  j 
war,  and  to  gather  around  it  the  mighty  j 
armies  which  were  to  be  employed  in 
the  destruction  of  the  city.  This  com- 
mand, '  Lift  ye  up  a  banner,'  is  ad- 
dressed to  the  leaders  of  those  armies 
to  assemble  them,  and  to  prepare  them 
for  war.  1T  Upon  the  high  mount  tin. 
It  was  customary  for  military  leaders 
to  plant  a  standard  on  a  tower,  a  for- 
tress, a  city,  a  high  mountain,  or  am 
elevated  spot,  in  order  that  it  might  be 
seen  afar,  and  be  the  rallying  point  for  I 
the  people  to  collect  together.  See  ' 
Note  ch.  xi.  10.  Here,  the  prophet 
does  not  refer  to  any  particular  moun- 
tain, but  means  simply,  that  a  standard 
should  be  raised,  around  which  the 
hosts  should  be  assembled  to  march  to 
Babylon.  The  Chaldee  renders  it, 
Over  the  city  dwelling  in  security, 
lift  up  the  banner."  IF  Exalt  the  voire. 
Raise  up  the  voice,  commanding  the 
people  to  assemble,  and  to  prepare  for 
the  march  against  Babylon.  Perhaps, 
however,  the  word  voice  here  ('Ip  qol ) 
refers  to  the  clangour  or  sound  of  a 
trumpet  used  for  mustering  armies. 
The  word  is  often  used  to  denote  any 
noise,  and  is  frequently  applied  to 
thunder,  to  the  trumpet,  &c.  IT  Unto 
t lie m.  That  is,  to  the  Medes  and  Per- 
sians, who  were  to  be  employed  in  the 
destruction  of  Babylon.  II  Shake  the 
hand.  In  the  way  of  beckoning — as 
when  one  is  at  so  great  a  distance  that 
the  voice  cannot  be  heard,  the  hand  is 
waved  for  a  sign.  This  was  a  com- 
mand to  beckon  to  the  nations  to  as- 
semble for  the  destruction  of  Babylon. 
V  That  they  may  go  into  the  gates  of 
the  nobles.  The  word  here  rendered 
"nobles"    C0"1^"'"?? )    means    properly 


they  may  go  into  the  gates  of  the 
nobles. 

3  I  have  commanded  my  sane- 

voluntary,  free,  liberal;  then  those 
who  are  noble,  or  liberally-minded, 
from  the  connection  between  nobleness 
and  liberality  ;  then  those  who  are  no- 
ble or  elevated  in  rank  or  office.  In 
this  sense  it  is  used  here  Comp.  Job 
xxxiv.  18,  xii.  21.  1  Sam.  ii.  8.  Ps. 
cvii.  40,  where  it  is  rendered  "  princes  ;" 
and  Prov.  viii.  16.  Num.  xxi.  18,  jihere 
it  is  rendered  "  nobles."  Lowth  ren- 
ders it  here  "  princes."  Noyes  renders 
it  "  tyrants  ;"  a  sense  which  the  word 
has"  in  Job  xxi.  28.  See  Note  on  that 
pla.-e.  There  is  no  doubt  that  it  refers 
to  Babylon  ;  and  the  prophet  designs 
probably  to  speak  of  Babylon  as  a  mag- 
nificent city — a  city  of  princes,  or  no- 
bles. The  Chaldee  renders  it,  "  that 
they  may  enter  its  gates  which  open  to 
them  of  their  own  accord  ;"  retaining 
the  orignal  signification  of  voluntari- 
ness in  the  Hebrew  word,  and  express- 
ing the  idea  that  the  conquest  would 
be  easy.  Our  common  translation  has 
expressed  the  correct  sense. 

3.  T  have  commanded.  This  is  the 
language  of  God  in  reference  to  those 
who  were  about  to  destroy  Babylon. 
He  claimed  the  control  and  direction 
of  all  their  movements ;  and  though  the 
command  was  not  understood  by  them 
as  coming  from  him,  yet  it  was  by  his 
direction,  and  in  accordance  with  his 
plan.  Comp.  Notes  on  ch.  x.  7,  xlv. 
5,  6.  The  command  was  not  given  by 
the  prophets,  or  by  an  audible  voice  ; 
but  it  was  his  secret  purpose  and  direc- 
tion that  led  them  to  this  enterprise. 
IT  My  sanctified  ones.  The  Medes  and 
Persians ;  not  called  '  sanctified'  be- 
cause they  were  holy,  but  because  they 
were  set  apart  by  the  divine  intention 
and  purpose  to  accomplish  this.  The 
word  sanctify  (8^P,)  often  means  to 
set  apart,  either  to  God  ;  to  an  office  ; 
to  any  sacred  use  ;  or  to  any  purpose 
of  religion,  or  of  accomplishing  any  of 
the  divine  plans.  Thus  it  means  to  dedi- 
cate one  to  the  office  of  priest  (Ex.  xxviii. 
41) ;  toset  apart  or  dedicate  an  altar  (Ex 


268 


ISAIAH. 


[.B.C.  713 


tified  ones,  I  have  also  called  my  people  ;   a   tumultuous   noise  ol 

'mighty    ones    for    mine     anger,  the  kingdoms  of  nations  gathered 

even    them    that    rejoice    in    my  together  :  the  Lord  of  hosts  mus. 

highness.  tereth  the  host  of  the  battle. 

4  The  noise  of  a  multitude  in  '       5  They  come  from  a  far  coun. 

the  mountains,  4like  as  of  a  great  try,  from  the  end  of  heaven,  even 

i  Joe!  J,  ii.  4  the  Witness. 


xxxix  36)  ;  to  dedicate  a  people  (Ex. 
xix.  10-14)  ;  to  appoint,  or  institute 
a  fast  (Joel  i.  14,  ii.  15)  ;  to  sanctify 

a  war  (JoeJ  iii.  9),  that  is,  to  prepare 
one's  self  for  it,  or  make  it  ready  Here 
it  means,  that  the  Medes  and  Persians 
were  set  apart,  in  the  purpose  of  God, 
to  accomplish  his  designs  in  regard  to 
Babylon.  Comp  Note  ch.  x  5,  6. 
^  My  mighty  ones.  Those  who  are 
strong;  and  who  are  so  entirely  under 
my  direction  that  they  may  be  called 
mine.  IT  For  mine  anger.  To  accom- 
plish the  purposes  of  my  anger  against 
Babylon.  IT  Kven  them  that  rejoice  in 
my  highness.  It  cannot  be  supposed 
that  the  Medes  and  Persians  really  ex- 
ulted, or  rejoiced  in  God  or  in  his 
plans  ;  for  it  is  evident  that,  like  Sen- 
nacherib (ch.  x  )  they  were  seeking  to 
accomplish  their  own  purposes,  and 
were  not  solicitous  about  the  plans  of 
God.  Comp.  Note  on  ch.  xlvii.  6. 
The  word  rendered  "  my  highness" 
C"1^5*?)  means  properly  my  majesty 
or  glory.  When  applied  to  men,  as  it 
often  is,  it  means  pride  or  arrogance. 
It  means  here  the  high  and  exalted 
plan  of  God  in  regard  to  Babylon.  It 
was  a  mighty  undertaking  ;  and  one 
in  which  the  power,  the  justice,  and  the 
dominion  of  God  over  nations  would 
be  evinced.  In  accomplishing  this,  the 
Medes  and  Persians  would  rejoice  or 
exult,  not  as  the  fulfilling  of  the  plan 
of  God  ;  but  they  would  exult  as  if  it 
were  their  own  plan,  though  it  would 
be  really  the  glorious  plan  of  God. 
Wicked  men  often  exult  in  their  suc- 
cess ;  they  glory  in  the  execution  of 
their  purposes  ;  but  they  are  really  ac- 
complishing the  plans  of  God  and  exe- 
cuting his  great  designs. 

4.    The   noise  of  a   multitude  in  the 
mountains.     The  prophet   here  reprer 


sents  himself  as  hearing  the  confused 
tumult  of  the  nations  assembling  to  the 
standard  reared  on  the  mountains  (vet. 
2).  This  is  a  highly  beautiful  figure — 
b  graphic  and  vivid  representation  of 
the  scene  before  him.  Nations  are  seen 
to  hasten  to  the  elevated  banner,  *nd 
to  engage  in  active  preparations  for 
the  mighty  war.  The  sound  is  that 
of  a  tumult,  an  excited  mull  it  tide  has- 
tening to  the  encampment,  and  pre- 
paring for  the  conquest  of  Babylon. 
IT  Like  as  of  a  great  people.  Heb 
'  The  likeness  of  a  great  people  ;'  that 
is,  such  a  confused  and  tumultuous 
sound  as  attends  a  great  multitude 
when  they  collect  together  H  A  tu- 
multuous npise.  Heb.  '  The  voice  of 
the  tumultuous  noise  of  the  kingdoms 
of  nations  gathered  together.'  If  The 
Lord  of  hosts.  Jehovah,  the  God  of 
hosts,  or  armies.  Notech.i.  9.  If  Mus- 
tereth.  Collects  ;  puts  in  military  array. 
Over  all  this  multitude  of  nations,  has- 
tening with  confused  sounds  and  tu- 
mult like  the  noise  of  the  sea,  putting 
themselves  in  military  array,  God,  un- 
seen, presides,  and  prepares  them  for 
his  own  great  designs.  It  is  not  easy 
to  conceive  a  more  sublime  image  than 
these  mighty  hosts  of  war  unconscious 
of  the  hand  that  directs  them,  and  of 
the  God  that  presides  over  them,  movina 
as  he  wills,  and  accomplishing  his  plans. 
5.  They  come.  That  is,  "  Jehovah 
and  the  weapons  of  his  indignation" — 
the  collected  armies  come.  The  pro- 
phet sees  these  assembled  armies  with 
Jehovah  as  their  leader  at  their  head. 
If  From  a  Jar  country  The  country 
of  the  Medes  and  Persians.  These 
nations,  indeed,  bordered  on  Babylonia, 
but  still  they  stretched  far  to  the  north 
and  east,  and  piobably  occupied  nearly 
ujl  the  regions   to  the  east   of  Babylon 


B.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  Xlll. 


28S 


the  Loed  and  the  weapons  of  his 
indignation,  to  destroy  the  whole 
land. 

6  Howl  ye :  for  the  day"  of 
the  Lord  is  at  hand ;  it  shall 
come  as  a  destruction  from  the 
Almighty. 

n  Zeph.  l.  7.    Rev.  6.  17. 


which  were  then  known.  IT  From  the 
end  of  heaven.  The  LXX  render  this, 
'  from  the  extreme  foundation  of  the 
heaven,'  dn'  uko>v  Bc/icXinv  ruti  oipavofi. 
The  expression  in  the  Hebrew,  '  from 
the  end,  or  extreme  part  of  heaven,' 
means  the  distant  horizon  by  which 
the  earth  appears  to  be  bounded,  where 
the  sky  and  the  land  seem  to  meet. 
In  Psalm  xix.  6,  the  phrase  "  from  the 
end  of  the  heaven"  denotes  the  east, 
where  the  sun  appears  to  rise  ;  and 
"  unto  the  ends  of  it"  denotes  the 
west. 

His  going  forth  is  from  the  end  of  the  heaven  : 
A.111I  his  circuit  unto  the  ends  of  it. 

It  is  here  synonymous  with  the  phrase 
•the  end  of  the  earth'  in  Isa.  v.  26. 
7  Even  the  Lord.  The  word  "  even," 
introduced  here  by  the  translators, 
weakens  the  force  of  this  verse.  The 
prophet  means  to  say  that  Jehovah  is 
coming  at  the  head  of  those  armies 
which  are  the  weapons  of  his  indigna- 
tion. IT  The  weapons  of  his  indigna- 
tion. The  assembled  armies  of  the 
Medes  and  Persians,  called  "  the  wea- 
pons of  his  indignation,"  because  by 
them  he  will  accomplish  the  purposes 
of  his  anger  against  the  city  of  Baby- 
lon. See  Note  ch.  x.  5.  IT  Ti  destroy 
the  whole  land.  The  whole  territory 
of  Babylonia,  or  Chaldea.  Not  only 
the  city,  but  the  nation  and  kingdom. 

6  Howl  ye.  Ye  inhabitants  of  Baby- 
lon, in  view  of  the  approaching  destruc- 
tion. If  The  day  of  the  Lord.  The 
tit  le  when  Jehovah  will  inflict  ven- 
geance on  yoti  draws  near.  See  Note 
ch.  ii.  12.  Comp.  ver.  9.  ft  As  a 
destruction  from  the  Almighty.  Not 
as  a  desolation  from  man,  but  as  de- 
struction sent  from  him  who  has  all 
power  in  heaven  and  on  earth.     De- 


7  Therefore  shall  all  hands 
7be  faint,  and  every  man's  heart 
shall  melt : 

8  And  they  shall  be  afraid  : 
pangs  and  sorrows  shall  take  hold 
of  them  ;  they  shall  be  in  pain 
as  a  woman  that  travaileth  ;  they 

7  ox,  fall  down. 

struction  meditated  by  man  might  he 
resisted  ;  but  destruction  that  should 
come  from  the  Almighty  must  be  final 
and  irresistible.  The  word  Almighty 
C",'5'2?  Shdddai),  one  of  the  names  given 
to  God  in  the  Scriptures,  denotes  prop- 
erly one  who  is  mighty,  or  who  has  all 
power  ;  and  is  correctly  rendered  Al- 
mighty, or  Omnipotent.  Gen.  xvii  1, 
xxviii.  3,  xlviii  3.  Ex  vi.  3.  Ruth  i. 
20.  Job  v.  17,  vi.  4,  14,  viii.  3,  5,  xi.  7, 
xiii.  4,  xv.  25  In  the  Hebrew  here 
there  is  a  paronomasia  or  pun — a  figure 
of  speech  quite  common  in  the  Scrip- 
tures— which  cannot  be  retained  in  the 
translation.  '  It  shall  come  as  a  de- 
struction (TE?  keshodh)  from  the  Al- 
mighty ("1Ti"'!?  misshuddai). 

7.  Therefore  shall  all  hands  be  faint. 
This  is  designed  to  denote  the  conster- 
nation and  alarm  of  the  people.  They 
would  be  so  terrified  and  alarmed  that 
they  would  have  no  courage,  no  hope, 
and  no  power  to  make  resistance. 
They  would  abandon  their  plans  of 
defence,  and  give  themselves  up  to  de- 
spair. Comp.  Jer.  1.  43  :  "  The  king  of 
Babylon  hath  heard  the  report  of  them, 
and  his  hands  waxed  feeble  ;  anguish 
took  hold  of  him,  and  pangs  as  of  a 
woman  in  travail."  Ezek.  vii.  17. 
Zeph.  iii.  16.  IT  And  every  man's  heart 
shall  melt.  Or  shall  faint,  so  that  he 
shall  have  no  courage  or  strength. 
Comp.  Deut.  xx.  8.  The  fact  was, 
that  the  destruction  of  Babylon  took 
place  in  the  night.  It  came  suddenly 
upon  the  city  while  Belshazzar  was  at 
his  impious  feast ;  and  the  alarm  was 
so  unexpected  and  produced  such  con- 
sternation, that  no  defence  was  at- 
tempted. See  Dan.  v.  30.  Comp. 
Notes  on  ch.  xlv.  1 . 

8.  They  shall  be  in  pain  as  a  woman 


270 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


shall  8be  amazed  sone  at  another; 
their  faces  shall  be  as  'flames. 

9  Behold,  the  day'  of  the  Lord 
cometh,  cruel  both    with  Wrath 

8  wonder.        9  every  man  at  his  neighbour. 

that  travailrth.  This  comparison  is 
often  used  ill  the  Scriptures  to  denote 
the  deepest  possible  pain  and  sorrow, 
as  well  as  the  suddenness  with  which 
any  calamity  comes  upon  a  people. 
Isa.  xlii.  14,xxi  3.  Hob.  xiii.  13.  John 
xvi.  21.  Gal.  iv.  19.  1  Thess.  v.  3.  Ps. 
rlviii.  ti  Jer.  vi  24,  xiii  21,  xxii  33, 
xiix.  24,  1.  43  Mic.  iv.  9, 10.  t  They 
shall  be  amazed  one  at  another.  They 
shall  stare  with  a  stupid  gaze  on  one 
another,  indicating  a  state  of  great  dis- 
tress, anxiety,  and  alarm.  They  shall 
look  to  each  other  tor  aid,  and  shall 
meet  in  the  countenances  of  others  the 
same  expressions  of  wonder  and  con- 
sternation. If  Their  faces  shall  be  as 
flames.  Their  faces  shall  glow  or  burn 
like  fire.  When  grief  and  anguish 
come  upon  us,  the  face  becomes  in- 
flamed. The  face  in  fear  is  usually 
pale.  But  the  idea  here  is  not  so  much 
that  of  fear  as  of  anguish;  and,  per- 
haps, there  is  mingled  also  here  the 
idea  of  indignation  against  their  in- 
vaders. 

9.   The   day   of  the   Lord   cometh. 

Ver.  6.  IT  Cruel.  (T?J^0  This 
does  not  mean  that  God  is  cruel,  but 
that  the  "  day  of  Jehovah"  that  was 
coming  should  be  unsparing  and  de- 
structive to  them.  It  would  be  the 
exhibition  of  justice, bat  not  of  cruelty; 
and  the  word  stands  opposed  here  to 
mercy,  and  means  that  God  would  not 
spare  them.  The  effect  would  be  that 
the  inhabitants  of  Babylon  would  be 
destroyed,  t  Fierce  anger.  Heb.  ("i~iri 
TS<  )  A  glow,  or  burning  of  anger. 
The  phrase  denotes  the  most  intense 
indignation.  Comp.  Num.  xxv  4,  xxxii. 
14.  1  Sam.  xxviii.  18.  V  To  lay  the 
land  desolate.     Ghaldea  ;  ver.  5. 

10.  For  the  sims  of  heaven.  This 
verse  cannot  be  understood  literally, 
but  is  a  metaphorical  representation  of 
»he  calamities  that  were  coming  upon 


and  fierce  anger,  to  lay  the  lane 
desolate ;  and  he  shall    destroy 
the  sinners  thereof  out  of  it. 
10  For  the  stars  of  heaven, 

1  faces  of the  flames.  r  Mai.  4.  1. 

Babylon.  The  meaning  of  the  figine 
evidently  is,  that  those  calamities  womd 
be  such  as  would  be  appropriately  de- 
noted by  the  sudden  extinguishment  of 
the  stars,  the  sun,  and  the  moon.  As 
nothing  would  tend  more  to  anarchy, 
distress,  and  ruin,  than  thus  to  have  all 
the  lights  of  heaven  suddenly  and  t.r 
ever  quenched,  this  w.ae  an  apt  and 
forcible  representation  of  the  awful 
calamities  that  were  coming  upon  the 
people.  Darkness  and  night  in  the 
Scriptures  are  often  the  emblem  of  ca- 
lamity and  distress.  See  Note  Matt, 
xxiv.  29.  The  revolutions  and  destruc- 
tions of  kingdoms  and  nations  are  often 
represented  in  the  Scriptures  under  this 
image.  So  respecting  the  destruction 
of  Idumea,  Isa.  xxxiv.  4: 

And  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  shall  be  dissolved, 
And  the  heavens  shall  be  rolled  together  as  a 

scroll ; 
And  all  their  host  shall  fall  down, 
As  the  leaf  falleth  fiom  oti'  the  vine, 
And  as  a  falling  fig  from  the  fig-tree. 

So  in  Ezek.  xxxii.  7,  8,  in  a  prophecy 
respecting  the  destruction  of  Pharaoh, 
king  of  Egypt : 

And  when  I  shall  put  thee  out, 

I  will  cover  the  heavens,  and  make  the  atari 

thereof  dark, 
I  will  cover  the  sun  with  a  cloud, 
And  t lie  moon  shall  not  give  her  liijljt. 
And  the  bright  lights  of  heaven  will  1  make  dark 

over  thee, 
And  set  darkness  upon  thy  land. 

Comp.  Joel  ii.  10,  iii.  15,16.  Thus  in 
Amos  viii.  9 : 

I  will  cause  the  sun  to  so  down  at  noon, 
And  I  will  darken  the  earth  in  a  clear  day. 

See  also  Rev.  vi.  12,  13,  14: 

And  T  beheld  when  he  had  opened  the  sixth  »eaJ 

and  lo, 
The  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  ot  hair, 

And  the  moon  became  as  bl I  ; 

And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth, 
Even  as  a  fig  tree  caateth  her  untimely  fi«s 
When  she  is  shaken  of  a  mighty  wind  : 
And  th-  heaven  departed  as  a  scroll  when  it  + 

rolled  together. 

Many  have  supposed  that  these  ex- 
pressions respecting  the  sun,  moon,  auu 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


271 


and  the  constellations  thereof, 
shall  not  give  their  light:  the 
sun  shall  be  darkened  in  his  going 
forth,  and  the  moon  shall  not 
cause  her  light  to  shine. 

11  And  I  will  punish  the  world 
for  their  evil,  and  the  wicked  for 
their  iniquity ;  and  I  will  cause 


6tars,  refer  to  kings,  and  princes,  and 
magistrates,  as  the  lights  of  the  state  ; 
and  that  the  sense  is,  that  their  power 
and  glory  should  cease.  But  it  is  rather 
a  figurative  representation,  denoting 
calamity  in  general,  and  describing  a 
stait  of  extreme  distress,  such  as  would 
be  if  all  the  lights  of  heaven  should 
suddenly  become  extinct.  IT  And  the 
constellations  thereof.  (Di"P'b",&3!|  ■) 
The  word  '"^S  khesil  means  properly 
a  fool.  Prov.  i  32,  x.  1,  18,  xiii  19, 
20,  et  al.  It  also  denotes  hope,  confi- 
dence, expectation  (Job  xxxi  24.  Prov. 
iii.  26.  Job  viii.  14)  ;  also  the  reins,  the 
flanks,  or  loins,  Lev.  iii.  4,  10, 15.  Ps. 
xxxviii.  7.  It  is  also,  as  here,  applied 
to  a  constellation  in  the  heavens,  but 
the  connection  of  this  meaning  of  the 
word  with  the  other  significations  is 
uncertain.  In  Job  ix.  9,  and  xxxviii. 
31,  it  is  translated  Orion.  In  Amos  v. 
8,  it  is  translated  the  "  seven  stars,"  the 
Pleiades.  In  Arabic,  that  constellation 
is  called  the  giant.  According  to  an 
Eastern  tradition,  it  was  Niiurod,  the 
founder  of  Babylon,  afterwards  trans- 
lated to  the  skies ;  and  it  has  been 
supposed  that  the  name  the  impious  or 
foolish  one  was  thus  given  to  the  dei- 
fied Nimrod,  and  thus  to  the  constella- 
tion. The  Rabbins  interpret  it  Simis. 
The  word  constellations  denotes  clus- 
ters of  stars,  or  stars  that  appear  to  be 
near  to  each  other  in  the  heavens,  and 
which,  on  the  celestial  globe,  are  re- 
duced to  certain  figures  for  the  conve- 
nience of  classification  and  memory — 
as  the  bear,  the  bull,  the  virgin,  the 
balance.  This  arrangement  was  early 
made,  and  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt 
that  it  existed  in  the  time  of  Isaiah. 
Comp.  Notes  on  Job  ix.  9. 

11    And  I  will  punish  the  world 


the  arrogancy  of  the  proud  tc 
cease,  and  will  lay  low  the 
haughtiness  of  the  terrible. 

12  I  will  make  a  man  more 
precious  than  fine  gold ;  even  a 
man  than  the  golden  wedge  of 
Ophir. 


By  the  "  world "  here  is  evidently 
meant  the  Babylonian  empire,  in  the 
same  way  as  "  all  the  world"  in  Luke 
ii.  1,  means  Judea;  and  in  Acts  xi.  28, 
means  the  Roman  empire.  Babylonia, 
or  Chaldea,  was  the  most  mighty  em- 
pire then  on  earth,  and  might  be  said 
to  comprehend  the  whole  world.  T  And 
I  will  cause  the  arrogancy.  This  was 
the  prevailing  sin  of  Babylon,  and  it 
was  on  account  of  this  pride  mainly 
that  it  was  overthrown.  Sec  Notes 
on  ch.  xiv.  xivii.  1-7.  Comp.  Dan.  iv. 
22,  30. 

12.  /  will  make  a  man,  &c.  I  will 
so  cut  off  and  destroy  the  men  of  Baby- 
lon, that  a  single  man  to  defend  the 
city  will  be  more  rare  and  valuable 
than  fine  gold.  The  expression  indi- 
cates that  there  would  be  a  great 
slaughter  of  the  men  of  Babylon. 
IT  Than  fine  gold.  Pure,  unalloyed 
gold.  The  word  here  used  (TB  paz)  is 
often  distinguished  from  common  gold. 
Ps.  xix.  11,  cxix.  127.  Prov.  viii.  19. 
IT  Than  the  golden  wedge  of  Ophir. 
The  word  (ct!l?  kethem)  rendered 
wedge  means  properly  gold ;  yellow 
gold  ;  what  is  hidden,  precious,  or 
hoarded  ;  and  is  used  only  in  poetry. 
It  indicates  nothing  about  the  shape  of 
the  gold  as  the  word  wedge  would 
seem  to  suppose.  Ophir  was  a  coun- 
try to  which  the  vessels  of  Solomon 
traded,  and  which  was  particularly 
distinguished  for  producing  gold  ;  but 
respecting  its  particular  situation,  there 
has  been  much  discussion.  The  "  ships 
of  Tarshish"  sailed  from  Ezion  Geber, 
on  the  Red  Sea,  and  went  to  Ophir. 
1  Kings  xxii.  48,  ix.  26,  x.  22.  Three 
years  were  required  for  the  voyage  ; 
and  they  returned  freighted  with  gold, 
peacocks,  apes,  spices,  ivory,  and  ebo- 


272 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


13  Therefore  x\  will  shake  the 
heavens,  and  the  earths  shall  re- 
move out  of  her   place,   in   the 

x  Hag.  2.  6.        y  2  Pet.  3.  10  11. 

ny.  1  Kings  ix.  28,  x.  11,  12.  Comp. 
2  Chron  viii.  18.  The  gold  of  that 
country  was  more  celebrated  than  that 
of  any  other  country  for  its  purity, 
Josephus  supposes  that  it  was  in  the 
East  Indies;  Bruce  that  it  was  in 
South  Africa  ;  Rosenmuller  and  others 
suppose  that  it  was  in  Southern  Ara- 
bia. It  is  probable  that  the  situation 
of  Ophir  must  ever  remain  a  matter  of 
conjecture.  The  Chaldee  Paraphrase 
gives  a  different  sense  to  this  passage. 
"  I  will  love  those  who  fear  me,  more 
than  gold  in  which  men  glory  ;  and 
those  who  observe  the  law  more  than 
the  tried  gold  of  Ophir."  On  the  situa- 
tion of  Ophir  the  following  works  may 
be  consulted :-  The  Pictorial  Bible, 
vol.  ii.  pp.  364-3G9  ;  Martini  Lipenii. 
Disser.  de  Ophir ;  Joan.  Christophori 
Wirlinianshausen  Diss,  de  navigatione 
Ophritiea  ;  H.  Relandi  Disserta.  de 
Ophir,  in  Ugolin's  Thesau.  Sac.  Ant. 
vol    viii.  ;  and  Forster  on  Arabia. 

13.  Their/ore  J  will  shake  the  heav- 
ens A  strong,  but  common  figure  of 
speech  in  the  Scriptures,  to  denote  great 
commotions,  judgments,  and  revolu- 
tions. The  figure  is  taken  from  the 
image  of  a  furious  storm  and  tempest, 
when  the  sky,  the  clouds,  the  heavens 
appear  to  be  in  commotion.  Comp. 
1  Sam.  xxii.  8. 

Then  the  earth  shook  and  trembled, 

The  foundation  of  heaven  moved  and  shook 

Because  He  was  wroth. 

See  also  Isa.  xxiv.  19, 20.  Hag.  ii.  6,  7. 
U  And  the  earth  shall  remove  out  of  her 
place.  A  common  figure  in  the  Scrip- 
tures to  denote,  the  great  effects  of  the 
wrath  of  God  ;  as  if  even  the  earth 
should  be  appalled  at  his  presence,  and 
should  tremble  and  flee  away  from  the 
dread  of  his  anger.  It  is  a  very  sub- 
lime representation,  and  as  carried  out 
often  by  the  sacred  writers,  it  is  une- 
qualled in  grandeur,  probably,  in  any 
language.  Thus  the  hills,  the  moun- 
tains, the  trees,  the  streams,  the  very 


wrath  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  and 
in  the  day  of  his  fierce  anger. 
14  And  it  .shall  be  as  the  chased 


heavens  are  represented  as  shaken,  and 
thrown  into  consternation  at  the  prei- 
ence  of  God.    See  Hah.  iii.  6,  10: 

He  stood  and  measured  the  earth  ; 

Hi  b  'held  and  drove  asunder  the  nations  ; 

And  the  everlasting  mountains  were  scattered, 

The  perpetual  hills  did  bow  ; 

His  ways  are  everlasting. 

The  mountains  saw  thee  and  they  trembled  ; 
The  overflowing  ol  the  water  passed  by  ; 
The  deep  littered  his  voice, 
i\nd  did  lilt  up  his  hands  on  high. 

See  Rev.  xx.  11 :  "  And  I  saw  a  great 

white  throne,  and  him  that  sat  on  it, 
from  whose  face  the  earth  and  the  hea- 
ven fled  away."  The  figure  in  Isaiah 
is  a  strong  one  to  denote  the  terror  of 
the  anger  of  God  against  Babylon. 

14.  And  it  shall  be.  Babylon  Bhall 
be.  If  As  the  chased  roe.  Once  so 
proud,  lofty,  arrogant,  and  self-confi- 
dent, it  shall  be  as  the  trembling  ga- 
zelle, or  the  timid  deer  pursued  by  the 
hunter,  and  panting  for  safety.  The 
word  "^S  tzebhi  denotes  a  deer  of  the 
most  delicate  frame  ;  the  species  that 
is  most  fleet  and  graceful  in  its  move- 
ments ;  properly  the  gazelle.  See  Bo- 
chart's  Hieroz.  P  i.  B.  iii.  ch.  xxv. 
"  To  hunt  the  antelope  is  a  favourite 
amusement  in  the  East,  but  which, 
from  its  extraordinary  swiftness,  is  at- 
tended with  great  difficulty.  On  the. 
first  alarm,  it  flies  like  an  arrow  from 
the  bow,  and  leaves  the  best-mounted 
hunter,  and  the  fleetest  dog,  far  behind. 
The  sportsman  is  obliged  to  call  in  the 
aid  of  the  falcon,  trained  to  the  work, 
to  seize  on  the  animal,  and  impede  its 
motions,  to  give  the  dogs  time  to  over- 
take it.  Dr.  Russel  thus  describes  the 
chase  of  the  antelope  :  '  They  permit 
horsemen,  without  dogs,  if  they  advance 
gently,  to  approach  near,  and  do  not 
seem  much  to  regard  a  caiavan  that 
passes  within  n  little  distance;  but  the 
moment  they  take  the  alarm,  they  bound 
away,  casting  from  time  to  time  a  look 
behind :  and  if  they  find  themselvej 
pursued,  they    lay    their   horns    ba<:k« 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


273 


roe,  and  as  a  sheep  that  no  man 
takxth  up  :  they  shall  every  man 
turn  to  his  own  people,  and  flee 
every  one  into  his  own  land. 

15   Every  one   that    is  found 
shall    be    thrust    through  ;     and 


wards,  almost  close  on  the  shoulders, 
and  flee  with  incredible  swiftness. 
When  dogs  appear,  they  instantly  take 
the  alarm  ;  for  which  reason  the  sports- 
men endeavour  to  steal  upon  the  ante- 
lope unawares,  to  get  as  near  as  possi- 
ble before  slipping  the  dogs  ;  and  then, 
pushing  on  at  full  speed,  they  throw  off 
the  falcon,  which  being  taught  to  strike 
or  fix  upon  the  cheek  of  the  game, 
retards  its  course  by  repeated  attacks, 
till  the  greyhounds  have  time  to  get 
up.'"  Binder's  Orient.  Cus.  IT  As  a 
sheep.  Or  like  a  scattered  flock  of 
sheep  in  the  wilderness  that  has  no 
shepherd,  and  no  one  to  collect  them 
together ;  an  image  also  of  that  which 
is  timid  and  defenceless.  T  That  no 
man  taketh  up.  That  is  astray,  and 
not  under  the  protection  of  any  shep- 
herd. The  meaning  is,  that  that  people 
once  so  proud  and  self-confident  would 
become  alarmed,  and  scattered,  and  be 
afraid  of  every  thing.  IT  They  shall 
every  man  turn  unto  his  own  people. 
Babylon  was  the  capital  of  the  heathen 
world.  It  was  a  vast  and  magnificent 
city  ;  the  centre  of  many  nations.  It 
would  be  the  place,  therefore,  where 
numerous  foreigners  would  take  up  a 
temporary  residence,  as  London  and 
other  large  cities  are  now.  Jeremiah 
(ch.  1  37)  describes  Babylon  as  con- 
taining a  mingled  population — "  and 
upon  all  the  mingled  people  that  are 
in  the  midst  of  her" — i  e  the  colluvies 
gentium,  as  Tacitus  describes  Rome  in 
his  time.  Jeremiah  also  (ch.  1.  2ft) 
describes  this  mingled  multitude  as 
fleeing  and  escaping  out  of  the  land  of 
Babylon  when  these  calamities  should 
come  upon  them.  The  idea  in  Isaiah 
is.  that  this  great  and  mixed  multitude 
would  endeavour  to  escape  the  impend- 
ing calamities,  and  flee  to  dieir  own 
nations. 

12* 


every  one  thai  is  joined  unto  them 
shall  fall  by  the  sword. 

10  Their  children  also  shall 
be  "dashed  to  pieces  before  their 
eyes  ;  their  houses  shall  be  spoil- 
ed,  and  their  wives  ravished. 

a  Ps.  137.  ?,  9. 

15.  Every  one  that  is  found.  In 
Babylon,  or  that  is  overtaken  in  fleeing 
from  it.  This  is  a  description  of  the 
capture  of  the  city,  and  of  the  slaughter 
that  would  ensue,  when  the  invaders 
would  spare  neither  age  nor  sex. 
11  Every  one  that  is  joined  unto  them. 
Their  allies,  and  friends.  There  shall 
be  a  vast,  indiscriminate  slaughter  of 
all  that  are  found  in  the  city,  and  of 
those  that  attempt  to  flee  from  it. 
Lowth  renders  this,  "  and  all  that  are 
collected  in  a  body  ;"  but  the  true  sense 
is  given  in  our  translation.  The  Chai- 
dee  renders  it,  ■'  and  every  one  who 
enters  into  fortified  cities  shall  be  slain 
with  the  sword." 

1G.  Their  children,  also,  shall  be 
dashed  to  pieces.  This  is  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  horrors  of  the  capture  of 
Babylon- ;  and  there  can  be  none  more 
frightful  and  appalling  than  that  which 
is  here  presented  That  this  is  done 
in  barbarous  nations  in  the  time  of  war 
there  can  be  no  doubt  Nothing  was 
more  common  among  American  sav- 
ages than  to  dash  out  the  brains  of  in- 
fants against  a  rock  or  a  tree,  and  it 
was  often  done  before  the  eyes  of  the 
afflicted  and  heart-broken  parents. 
That  these  horrors  were  not  unknown 
in  Oriental  nations  of  antiquity,  is  evi- 
dent. Thus  the  Psalmist  implies  that 
it  would  be  done  in  Babylon,  in  exact 
accordance  with  this  prediction  of 
Isaiah.     Ps.  exxxvii.  8,  9: 

O  daughter  of  Babylon,  who  3rt  to  l»e  destroyed ; 
Happy  shall  he  be  who  reuardeth  thee  as  thou 

hast  served  us; 
Happy  shall  he  be  who  taketh  and  dasheth  thy 

little  ones  a^ain.-t  the  stones. 

Thus  also  it  is  said  of  Hazael,  that 
when  he  came  to  be  king  of  Syria,  he 
would  be  guilty  of  this  barbarity  in 
regard  to  the  Jews.  2  Kings  viii.  13 
Comp.  Nahnra  hi.  10.     It  was  an  evi- 


274 


ISAIAH. 


[.B.C.  713 


17  Behold,  I  will  stir  up  the    not   regard   silver;    and   as  for 
'Medes  against  them,  which  shall    gold,  they  shall  not  delight  in  it. 


d  Dan.  5.  C8,  SL 


ilence  of  the  barbarous  feelings  of  the 
tunes  ;  and  a  proof  that  they  were  far, 
very  far,  from  the  humanity  which  is 
now  deemed  indispensable  even  in  war. 
H  Their  houses  shall  be  spoiled.  Plun- 
dered It  is  implied  here, says  Kinxhi, 
that  this  was  to  be  done  also  "  before 
their  eyes,"  and  thus  the  horrors  of  the 
capture  would  be  greatly  increased. 

17.  Behold,  I  will  stir  up.  I  will 
cause  them  to  engage  in  this  enter- 
prise. This  is  an  instance  of  the  con- 
trol which  God  claims  over  the  nations, 
and  of  his  power  to  excite  and  direct 
them  as  he  pleases.  If  The  Medes. 
This  is  one  of  the  places  in  which  the 
prophet  specified  by  name  the  instru- 
ment of  the  wrath  of  God.  Cyrus 
himself  is  subsequently  mentioned  (Isa. 
xliv.  28,  xlv.  1)  as  the  agent  by  which 
God  would  accomplish  his  purposes. 
It  is  remarkable  also  that  "  the  Medes" 
nre  here  mentioned  many  years  before 
they  became  a  separate  and  independ- 
ent nation.  It  was  ela  where  predicted 
that  the  Medes  would  be  employed  in 
this  siege  of  Babylon.  Thus  in  Isa. 
xxi.  2 :  "  Go  up,  O  Elajn  (that  is 
Persia),  besiege,  O  Media."  Jer.  li. 
11:  "Jehovah  hath  raised  up  the 
spirit  of  the  kings  of  the  Medes,  for  his 
device  is  against  Babylon  to  destroy 
it " — Media  was  a  country  east  of 
Assyria,  which  is  supposed  to  have 
been  peopled  by  the  descendants  of 
Madai,  son  of  Japheth.  Gen.  x.  2. 
Ancient  Media  extended  on  the  west 
and  south  of  the  Caspian  Sea,  from 
Armenia  on  the  north  to  Faristan  or 
Persia  proper  on  the  south  It  was 
one  of  the  most  fertile  regions  of  Asia. 
It  was  an  ancient  kingdom.  Ninus, 
the  founder  of  the  Assyrian  monarchy, 
is  said  to  have  encountered  one  of  its 
kiiiss,  whom  he  subdued,  and  whose 
province  he  made  a  part  of  the  Assy- 
rian empire.  For  520  years  the  Medes 
were  subject  to  the  Assyrians ;  but  in 
the  time  of  Tiglath  Pileser  and  Shal- 
inaneser,  they  revolted,  and  by  the  de- 
itruction  of  the  army  of  Sennacherib 


before  Jerusalem — an  event  which  was 
itself  subsequent  to  the  delivery  of 
this  prophecy  respecting  Babylon — they 
were  enabled  to  achieve  their  independ- 
ence. At  the  time  when  this  prophec) 
was  uttered,  therefore,  Media  was  a 
dependent  province  of  the  kindom  of 
Assyria.  Six  years  they  passed  in  a 
sort  of  anarchy,  until,  about  700  years 
before  Christ,  they  found  in  Dejoces  aa 
upright  statesman  who  was  proclaimed 
king  by  universal  consent.  His  son 
and  successor,  Phraortes,  subdued  the 
Persians  and  all  upper  Asia,  and  united 
them  to  his  kingdom.  He  also  at- 
tacked Assyria,  and  laid  siege  to  Nine- 
veh, the  capital,  but  was  defeated. 
Nineveh  was  finally  taken  by  his  suc- 
cessor, Cyaxares,  with  the  aid  of  his 
ally,  the  king  of  Babylon  ;  and  Assy? 
ria  became  a  province  of  Media.  This 
widely  extended  empire  was  delivered 
by  him  to  his  son  Astyages,  the  father 
of  Cyrus.  Astyages  regned  about  35 
years,  and  then  delivered  the  vast  king- 
dom to  Cyrus,  about  556  years  B  C  , 
under  whom  the  prediction  of  Isaiah 
respecting  Babylon  was  fulfilled  In 
this  way  arose  the  Medo-Persian  king- 
dom, and  henceforward  the  lawsoj  the 
Medes  and  Persians  are  always  men- 
tioned together.  Est  i.  9,  x.  2  Dan. 
vi.  8,  12.  From  this  time,  all  their 
customs,  rites,  and  laws,  became  amal- 
gamated. Herod.  Lib  i.  95-130.  In 
looking  at  this  prophecy,  therefore, 
we  are  to  bear  in  mind  (1)  the  fact 
that  when  it  was  uttered,  Media  was  a 
dependent  province  of  the  kingdom 
of  Assyria  ;  (2)  that  a  long  time  was 
yet  to  elapse  before  it  would  become 
an  independent  kingdom  ;  (3)  that  it 
was  yet  to  secure  its  independence  by 
the  aid  of  that  very  Babylon  which  it 
would  finally  destroy  ;  (4)  that  no 
human  foresight  could  predict  these  re- 
volutions, and  that  every  circumstance 
conspired  to  render  this  event  improba- 
ble. The  great  Strength  and  resources 
of  Babylon  ;  the  fact  that  Media  was 
a   dependent  province,  and    that  suci* 


B.C. US.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


275 


18  Their  bows  also  shall  dash 
the  young  men  to  pieces  ;  and 
they  shall  have  no  pity  on  the 
fruit  of  the  womb  ;  their  eye 
shall  not  spare  children. 


great  revolutions  must  occur  befort 
this  prophecy  could  be  fulfilled,  render 
this  one  of  the  most  striking  and  re- 
markable predictions  in  the  sacred 
volume.  If  Which  shall  not  regard 
silver,  &,c.  It  is  remarkable,  says 
Lowth,  that  Xenophon  makes  Cyrus 
open  a  speech  to  his  army,  and  in  parti- 
cular to  the  Medes,  who  made  the 
principal  part  of  it,  with  praising  them 
for  their  disregard  of  riches  "  Ye 
Medes  and  others  who  now  hear  me,  I 
well  know,  that  you  have  not  accom- 
panied me  in  this  expedition  with  a 
view  of  acquiring  wealth."  Cyrop. 
Lib.  v.  That  this  was  the  character 
of  the  Medes  is  further  evident  from 
several  circumstances.  "He  reckoned, 
says  Xenophon,  that  his  riches  belonged 
not  any  more  to  hiriiself  than  to  his 
friends  So  little  did  he  regard  silver, 
or  delight  in  gold,  that  Croesus  told  him 
that  by  his  liberality  he  would  make 
himself  poor,  instead  of  storing  up  vast 
treasures  for  himself.  The  Medes  pos- 
sessed, in  this  respect,  the  spirit  of  their 
chief,  of  which  an  instance  recorded  by 
Xenophon  is  too  striking  and  appropri- 
ate to  be  passed  over.  When  Gobryas, 
an  Assyrian  governor,  whose  son  the 
king  of  Babylon  had  slain,  hospitably 
entertained  him  and  his  army,  Cyrus 
appealed  to  the  chiefs  of  the  Medes 
and  Hyrcanians,  and  to  the  noblest  and 
most  honourable  of  the  Persians,  whe- 
ther giving  first  what  was  due  to  the 
gods,  and  leaving  to  the  rest  of  the 
army  their  portion,  they  would  not 
overmatch  his  generosity  by  ceding  to 
him  their  whole  share  of  the  first  and 
plentiful  booty  which  they  had  won 
from  the  land  of  Babylon  Loudly  ap- 
plauding the  proposal,  they  immediately 
and  unanimously  consented  ;  and  one 
of  them  said,  '  Gobryas  may  have 
thought  us  poor,  because  we  came  not 
loaded  with  coins,  and  drink  not  out 


19  And  Babylon,  the  glory  of 
kingdoms,  the  beauty  of  the  Chal- 
dees'  excellency,  shall  be  'as 
when  God  "overthrew  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah. 

1  the  overthrowing  of.        a  Gen.  19.  24. 


of  golden  cups  ;  but  by  this  he  will 
know,  that  men  can  be  generous  even 
without  gold.'  "  See  Keith  on  the  Pro- 
phecies, P.  198,  Ed.  N.  Y.  1833.  This 
is-  a  remarkable  prediction,  because 
this  is  a  very  unusual  circumstance  in 
the  character  of  conquerors.  Their 
purpose  has  been  chiefly  to  obtain  plun- 
der, and  especially  gold  and  silver  have 
been  objects  to  them  of  great  value. 
Few,  indeed,  have  been  the  invading 
armies  which  were  not  influenced  by 
the  hope  of  spoil  ;  and  the  want  of  that 
characteristic  among  the  Medes  is  a 
circumstance  which  no  human  sagacity 
could  have  foreseen. 

18.  Their  bows  also.  Bows  and  ar- 
rows were  the  usual  weapons  of  the 
ancients  in  war  ;  and  the  Persians 
were  particularly  skilled  in  their  use. 
According  to  Xenophon,  Cyrus  came 
to  Babylon  with  a  great  number  of 
archers  and  slingers.  Cyrop.  Lib.  ii. 
§  1.  IT  Shall  dash  the  young  men-,  &c. 
That  is,  they  shall  dash  the  young  men 
to  pieces,  or  kill  them  by  their  bows 
and  arrows.  Vulgate.  "  And  with 
their  arrows  shall  they  slay  the  young." 
The  meaning  of  the  word  here  render- 
ed "  dash  to  pieces,"  is  to  smite  sud- 
denly to  the  ground. 

19.  And  Babylon,  the  glory  of  king- 
doms. That  is,  the  capital,  or  chief 
ornament  of  many  nations.  Appella- 
tions of  this  kind,  applied  to  Babylon, 
abound  in  the  Scriptures.  In  Dan  iv. 
3d,  it  is  called  "  great  Babylon  ;"  in 
Isa.  xiv.  4,  it  is  called  "  the  golden 
city  ;"  in  Isa.  xlvii.  5,  "  the  lady  of 
kingdoms  ;"  in  Jer.  Ii.  13,  it  is  spoken 
of  as  "  abundant  in  treasures  ;"  and  in 
Jer.  Ii.  41,  as  "  the  praise  of  the  whole 
earth."  All  these  expressions  are  de- 
signed to  indicate  its  immense  wealth 
and  magnificence.  It  was  the  capital 
of  a  mighty  empire,  and  was  the  chief 
city   of    the   heathen    world.      IT   The 


276 


ISAIAH. 


[if. C.  713. 


beauty  oj  the  Chaldees'  excellency. 
Heb.  "  The  glory  of  ihe  pride  of  the 
Chaldees ;"  or  the  ornament  of  the 
proud  Chaldees.  It  was  their  boast 
and  glory  ;  it  was  that  on  which  they 
chiefly  prided  themselves.  How  well 
it  deserved  these  appellations  we  have 
already  seen.  1i  Shall  be  as  when  God 
overthrew  Sodom  tmd  Gomorrah-  Gen. 
xix  24.  That  is,  shall  be  completely 
and  entirely  overthrown  ;  shall  cease 
to  be  inhabited,  and  shall  be  perfectly 
desolate.  It  does  not  mean  that  it 
shall  be  overthrown  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  Sodom  was,  but  that  it  should 
be  as  completely  and  entirely  ruined. 
The  successive  steps  in  the  overthrow 
of  Babylon,  by  which  this  prophecy  was 
so  signally  fulfilled,  were  the  following : 
(1.)  The  taking,  of  the  city  by  Cyrus. 
This  was  accomplished  by  his  clearing 
out  the  Pallacdpas,  a  canal  that  was 
made  for  the  purpose  of  emptying  the 
superfluous  waters  of  the  Euphrates 
into  the  lakes  and  marshes  formed  by 
it  in  the  southwest  borders  of  the  pro- 
vince towards  Arabia.  Into  this  canal 
he  directed  the  waters  of  the  Euphrates, 
and  was  thus  enabled  to  enter  the  city 
in  the  channel  of  the  river  under  the 
walls.  See  Notes  on  ch.  xlv.  1,  2.  He 
took  the  city  by  surprise,  and  when  the 
inhabitants,  confident  of  security,  had 
given  themselves  up  to  the  riot  of  a 
grand  public  festival  ;  and  the  king  and 
the  nobles  were  revelling  at  a  public 
entertainment.  From  this  cause,  also, 
it  happened  that  the  waters,  which 
were  thus  diverted  from  their  usual 
channel,  converted  the  whole  country 
into  a  vast,  unhealthy  morass,  that 
contributed  greatly  to  the  decline  of 
Babylon.  (2.)  The  second  capture  of 
Babylon  by  Darius  Hystaspes.  Cyrus 
was  not  the  destroyer  of  the  city,  but 
he  rather  sought  to  preserve  its  magni- 
ficence, and  to  perpetuate  its  pre-emi- 
nence among  the  nations.  He  left  it  to 
his  successor  in  all  its  strength  and 
magnificence.  But  after  his  death  it 
rebelled  against  Darius,  and  bade  de- 
fiance to  the  power  of  the  whole  Per- 
eian  empire.  Fully  resolved  not  to 
yield,  they  adopted  the  resolution  of 
putting    everv  womai.    in   the   city   .o 


death,  with  the  exception  of  their  mo- 
thers and  one  female,  the  best  beloved 
in  every  family,  to  bake  their  bread. 
All  the  rest,  says  Herodotus,  were  as- 
sembled together  and  strangled.  Herod. 
B.  iii.  150.  The  city  was  taken  at 
that  time  by  Darius,  by  the  aid  of  Zopy- 
rus,  son  of  Megabyzus,  who,  in  order 
to  do  it,  mutilated  himself  beyond  the 
power  of  recovery.  He  cut  off  his 
nose  and  ears,  and  having  scourged 
himself  severely,  presented  himself  be- 
fore Darius.  He  proposed  to  Darius 
to  enter  the  city,  apparently  as  a  de- 
serter who  had  been  cruelly  treated  l>y 
Darius,  and  to  deliver  the  city  ;nto  his 
hands.  He  was  one  of  the  chief  no- 
bles of  Persia  ;  was  admitted  in  this 
manner  within  the  walls  ;  represented 
himself  as  having  been  punished  be- 
cause he  advised  Darius  to  raise  the 
siege  ;  was  admitted  to  the  confidence 
of  the  Babylonians  ;  and  was  finally 
intrusted  with  an  important  military 
command.  After  several  successful 
conflicts  with  the  Persians,  and  when 
it  was  supposed  his  fidelity  had  been 
fully  tried,  he  was  raised  to  the  chief 
command  of  the  army  ;  and  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  responsible  office  of 
<-a ^')(iiiXa| — or  guardian  of  the  walls 
Having  obtained  this  object,  he  opened 
the  gates  of  Babylon  to  the  Persian 
army,  as  he  had  designed,  and  the  city 
was  taken  without  difficulty.  Herod. 
B.  iii.  153-160".  As  soon  as  Darius 
had  taken  the  city,  he  "  levelled  the 
walls,  and  took  away  the  gates,  neither 
of  which  things  had  Cyrus  done  before. 
Three  thousand  of  the  most  distin- 
guished of  the  nobility  he  ordered  to  be 
crucified  ;  the  rest  he  suffered  to  re- 
main." Herod  B.  iii.  159.  (3.)  After 
its  conquest  by  Darius,  it  was  always 
regarded  by  the  Persian  monarch?  with 
a  jealous  eye  Xerxes  destroyed  'he 
temples  of  the  city,  and  among  the  nst 
the  celebrated  temple  or  tower  of  Belus. 
Strabo,xvi.  1,5.  "  Darius,"  says  He- 
rodotus, "had  designs  upon  the  golden 
statue  in  the  temple  of  Belus,  but  did 
not  dare  to  take  it ;  but  Xerxes,  his 
son,  took  it,  and  slew  the  priest  who 
resisted  its  removal."  (4.)  The  city 
was  captured  a  third  time,  by  Alexan- 


B.C.1U.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


277 


20  It  6shall  never  be  inhabited, 
neither  shall  it  be  dwelt  in  from 

b  Jer.  50.  3,  39.  51.  29,  62.     Rev.  18  2,  $-c. 

der  the  Great.     IVIazaeus,  the   Persian 
general,  surrendered  the  city  into  his 
hands,  and  he  entered  it  with  his  army 
— velut    in    ariem   irent — "  as  if  they 
were  marching  to  battle."     Quin.  Cur. 
Lib.  v.  c.  3.     It  was  afterwards  taken 
by  Antigonus,  by  Demetrius,  by  Antio- 
chus  the  Great,  and  by  the  Parthians  ; 
and   each  successive  conquest   contri- 
buted   to    its    reduction        (5.)    Cyrus 
transferred  the  capital  from  Babylon  to 
Susa  or  Shusan  (Neh.  i.  1.   Ezra  ii.  8, 
iv.  16,  ix.    11,  15j,  which  became  the 
capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Persia,  and 
of  course  contributed  much  to  diminish 
tlie  importance  of  Babylon  itself.      (6.) 
Seleucus  Nicator  founded  Seleucia  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Babylon,  on  the 
Tigris,  chiefly  with  a  design  to  draw 
iff  the  inhabitants  of  Babylon  to  a  rival 
city,  and  to  prevent  its  importance.     A 
great  part  of  its  population  migrated  to 
the  new  city  of  Seleucia.     Plin.    Nat. 
Hist.  vi.  30.     Babylon  thus  gradually 
declined  until  it  lost  all  its  importance, 
and  the  very  place  where  it  stood  was 
for  a   long  time  unknown.     About  the 
beginning  of  the  first  century,  a  small 
part  of  it  only  was  inhabited,  and  the 
greater  portion  was  cultivated.     Diod. 
Sic.  ii.  27.     In  the  second  century  no- 
thing but  the  walls  remained.     Pausa- 
nius,    Arcad.   c.    33.     It  became  gra- 
dually a  great  desert  ;  and  in  the  fourth 
century,    its    walls,   repaired    for    that 
purpose,  formed  an  enclosure  for  wild  I 
beasts,  and  Babylon  was  converted  into  - 
a  hunting  place  for  the  pastime  of  the 
Persian  monarchs. — After  this,  there  is 
an  interval  of  many  ages  in  the  history  \ 
of  its   mutilated   remains,  and  of    its 
mouldering  decay.     Keith  on  the  Pro-  '■ 
phecies,  p.    :21b'. — Jerome,  Comm.  on  , 
Isa.c.  xiv.  Benjamin  of  Tudela  vaguely  j 
alludes  to  the  palace  of  Nebuchadnez- 
zar, which  he  says  could  not  be  entered, 
on  account  of  its  being  the  abode  of 
dragons   and    wild    beasts.     Sir   John 
Maundevill«*,  who  travelled  over  Asia, 
A.   D.   1322,  says,   that  "  Babylone  is 
in  the  grete  desertes  of  Arabye,  upon 


generation  to  generation  :  neithei 
shall     the    Arabian    pitch    tent 


the    waye    as    men    gon    towa;  de   the 

kyngdome  of  Caldee.     But    it   is    full 

j  longe  sithe  onyman  durste  neyhe  to  the 

.  toure  ;    for  it  is  alle   deserte  and    full 

of  dragons  and  grete    serpentes,  and 

fulle    dyverse    veneymouse    bestes    all 

I  abouten." 

20.   It  shall  never  he  inhabited.   This 
has    been    completely    fulfilled.     It    is 
now,  and    has   been    for  centuries,    a 
I  scene  of  wide  desolation,  and  is  a  heap 
of  ruins,  and  there  is  every  indication 
that  it  will  continue  so  to  be.     From 
Rauwolff's  testimony  it  appears  that  in 
|  the  sixteenth  century  "  there  was  not 
I  a  house  to  be  seen  ;"  and  now  the  "  eye 
!  wanders  over  a  barren  desert  in  which 
:  the  ruins  are  nearly  the  only  indication 
that  it  had  ever  been  inhabited.     It  is 
impossible   to    behold   this    scene    and 
not  be  reminded   how  exactly  the  pre- 
dictions of  Isaiah  and   Jeremiah   have 
been   fulfilled,  even  in   the  appearance 
Babylon  was  doomed  to   present,  that 
she  should  never  be  inhabited.''      Kep- 
pel's  Narrative,  p.  234.     "  Babylon   is 
spurned  alike  by  the  heel  of  the  Otto- 
man, the  Israelites,   and   the   sons  of 
Ishmael."     Mignan's  Travels,  p.  108. 
"  It  is  a  tenanttess  and  desolate  metro- 
polis."    Ibid.    p.   235.     See   Keith  on 
Prophecy,  p.  221.     IT  Neither  shall   it 
be  dwelt  in,  &c.     This  is  but  another 
form  of  the  expression,  denoting  that  it 
shall  be  utterly  desolate.     The  follow- 
ing testimonies  of  travellers  will  show 
how   this    is    accomplished.       "  Ruins 
composed,   like   those   of  Babylon,  of 
heaps    of    rubbish    impregnated    with 
nitre,  cannot   be    cultivated."     Rich's 
Memoir,   p.    16.     '■  The   decomposing 
materials  of    a    Babylonian    structure 
doom  the  earth  on  which  they  perish, 
to  lasting  sterility.     On  this  part  of  the 
plain,   both  where   traces  of  buildings 
are    left,    and    where    none    stood,  all 
seemed  equally  naked  of  vegetation  ; 
the  whole  ground  appearing  as  if  it  had 
been  washed  over  and  over  aga>n,  by 
the  coming  and   receding  writers,  till 
every   bit   of    genial  soil    wa3   swept 


27S 


ISAIAH. 


[£.C.7l3. 


chere ;    neither   shall    the    shep- 
herds make  their  fold  there: 


21  But  3wild  beasts  of  the  de- 
sert   shall    lie    there :  and  their 


away  ;  its  half-clay,  half-sandy  surface 
being  left  in  ridgy  streaks,  like  what  is 
often  seen  on  the  flat  shores  of  the  sea 
alter  the  retreating  of  the  tide."  Sir 
R.  K.  Porter's  Travels,  vol.  1i.  p.  392. 
"  The  ground  is  low  and  marshy,  and 
presents  not  the  slightest  vestige  of 
former  buildings,  of  any  description 
whatever."  Buckingham's  Travels,  vol. 
ii.  278.  "  The  ruins  of  Babylon  are 
thus  inundated  so  as  to  render  many 
parts  of  them  inaccessible,  by  convert- 
ing the  valleys  among  them  into  mo- 
rasses." Rich's  Memoir,  p.  13.  IT  Nei- 
ther shall  the  Arabian  pitch  tent  there 
The  Arabians  dwelt  chiefly  in  tents  ; 
and  were  a  wandering  people,  or  enga- 
ged in  traffic  which  was  conducted  in 
caravans  travelling  from  place  to  place. 
The  idea  here  is,  that  Babylon,  so  far 
frorn  being  occupied  as  a  permanent  re- 
sidence for  any  people,  would  be  unlit 
even  for  a  resting  place.  It  would  be 
so  utterly  desolate  ;  so  forsaken  ;  and 
so  unhealthy,  that  the  caravan  would 
not  even  stop  there  for  a  night.  What 
a  change  this  from  its  former  splen- 
dour!  How  different  from  the  time 
when  it  was  the  place  of  magnificent 
palaces  ;  when  strangers  flocked  to  it  ; 
and  when  people  from  all  nations  were 
collected  there  !  IF  Neithei  shall  the 
shepherds,  &>0.  This  is  an  additional 
image  of  desolation.  Babylon  was  sit- 
uated in  the  midst  of  a  most  fertile  re- 
gion. It  might  be  supposed  that,  though 
it  was  to  be  destroyed,  it  would  still 
furnish  pasturage  for  flocks.  But  no, 
says  the  prophet,  it  shall  be  so  utterly 
and  entirely  desolate,  that  it  shall  not 
even  afford  pasturage  for  them.  The 
reasons  of  this  are,  (1)  that  the  whole 
region  round  about  Babylon  was  laid 
under  water  by  the  Euphrates  after  the 
city  was  taken,  and  became  a  stagnant 
pool,  and  of  course  an  unfit  place  for 
flocks;  and  (2;  that  Babylon  was  re- 
duced to  an  extended  scene  of  ruins  ; 
and  on  those  ruins — those  extended 
wastes  of  broken  walls,  of  bricks  and 
lement — no  grass  would   grow.     The 


prophecy  has  been  remarkably  fulfilled, 
h  is  said  that  the  Arabs  cannot  be  per- 
suaded to  remain  there  even  for  a  night! 
They  traverse  these  ruins  by  day  with- 
out fear;  but  at  night  the  superstitious 
dread  of  evil  spirits  deters  them  from  re- 
maining there.  "Captain  Mignan  was 
accompanied  by  six  Arabs  completely 
armed,  but  he  '  could  not  induce  them  to 
remain  towards  night,  fro.n  the  ap- 
prehension of  evil  spirits  It  is  impos- 
sible to  eradicate  this  idea  from  the 
minds  of  these  people,  who  are  very 
deeply  imbued  with  superstition.'  '  And 
when  the  sun  sunk  behind  the  Muje- 
libe,  and  the  moon  would  have  lighted 
his  way  among  the  ruins,  it  was  with 
infinite  regret  that  he  obeyed  the  sum- 
mons of  his  guides '  "  Mignan's  Tra- 
vels, as  quoted  by  Keith,  pp.  221,  222 
"  All  the  people  of  the  country  assert 
that  it  is  extremely  dangerous  to  ap- 
proach the  mound"  [the  mound  in 
Babylon  called  Kasr,  or  Falad]  "  after 
night-fall,  on  account  of  the  multitude 
of  evil  spirits  by  which  it  is  haunted." 
Memoir  on  the  Ruins  of  Babylon,  by 
C.  J.  Rich,  p.  27.  The  Rev.  Joseph 
Wolff,  speaking  of  his  visit  to  Babylon, 
says,  "  I  inquired  of  them  (the  Ye- 
zeedes),  whether  the  Arabs  ever  pitched 
their  tents  among  the  ruins  of  Babylon. 
No,  said  they,  the  Arabs  believe  that 
the  ghost  of  Nimrod  walks  amidst  them 
in  the  darkness,  and  no  Arab  would 
venture  on  so  hazardous  an  experi- 
ment." 

21.  But  wild  beasts  of  the  desert 
shall  lie  there.  Heb.  D^'Jt  tzii/im. 
This  word  denotes  properly  those  ani- 
mals that  dwell  in  dry  and  desolate 
places,  from  ""%  a  icaste,  a  desert.  The 
ancient  versions  have  differed  consid- 
erably in  the  interpretation.  The  LXX 
in  different  places  render  it  wild  ani- 
mals, Or/pia  ;  or  demons,  lai/iivta.  The 
Syriac,  wild  animals,  spirits,  sirens 
The  Vulgate,  beasts,  demons,  dragons. 
Abarbanel  renders  it  apes.  This  word 
is  applied  to  vicn,  in  Ps.  lxx.  Si,  Ixxiv 


B.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


279 


houses  shall    be    full  of  'doleful 
creatures  :  and  6owls  shall  dwell 

4  ochim,  or,  ostriches. 
14  ;  to  animals,  Isa.  xxiii  13,  xxxiv 
14.  Jer  1.  39.  Bochart  supposes  that 
wild  cats  or  catamounts  are  here  in- 
tended. He  has  proved  (hat  they  abound 
in  eastern  countries.  They  feed  upon 
dead  carcasses,  and  live  in  the  woods, 
or  in  desert  places,  and  are  remarkable 
for  their  howl.  Their  yell  resembles 
that  of  infants.  See  Bochart,  Hieroz. 
P.  i.  B.  iii.  ch.  xiv  ,  p.  861),  861,  $62 
IT  And  tkeir  houses  shall  be  full  of 
doleful  creatures.  Margin,  ochim,  or 
ostriches.  O^nX .  The  LXX  render 
this  clamours,  or  howlings,  without 
supposing  that  it  refers  to  any  particu- 
lar animals.  The  Hebrew  word  is 
found  nowhere  else.  Bochart  supposes 
that  the  yell  or  howl  of  wild  animals 
is  intended,  and  not  animals  them- 
selves. Hieroz.  P.  i.  B.  iii.  ch  xv. 
H  And  owls  shall  dwell  there.  Heb. 
"  Daughters  of  the  owl  or  ostrich  " 
The  owl  is  a  well-known  bird  that 
dweils  only  in  obscure  and  dark  re- 
treats, giving  a  doleful  screech,  and 
seeking  its  food  only  at  night.  It 
is  not  certain,  however,  that  the  owl 
is  intended  here.  The  LXX  render  it 
sirens,  czirjiiKs.  The  Chaldee,  "  The 
daughter  of  the  ostrich."  Bochart  has 
gone  into  an  extended  argument  to 
prove  that  the  ostrich  is  intended  here 
Hieroz.  P.  xi.,  B.  ii.  ch.  xiv.  The  He- 
brew does  not  particularly  denote  the 
kind  of  bird  intended,  but  means  those 
that  are  distinguished  for  their  sound — 
"  the  daughters  of  sound  or  clamour." 
"  The  ostrich  is  a  sly  and  timorous 
creature,  delighting  in  solitary  barren 
deserts.  In  the  night  they  frequently 
make  a  very  doleful  and  hideous  noise  ; 
sometimes  groaning  as  if  they  were  in 
the  greatest  agonies."  Shaw's  Trav- 
els, vol.  ii.  p.  348,  8vo.  Taylor's  Heb. 
Con.  See  Job  xxx  29  Isa.  xxxiv.  13, 
xliii.  20.  Jer.  1  39.  Micah  i.  8.  Lev. 
xi  16.  Deut.  xiv.  15  Lam.  iv.  3. 
The  word  does  not  elsewhere  occur. 
IT  And  satyrs  shall  dance  there.  0"H"'vl3. 
A   satyr  in  mythology  was  a  sylvan 


1  there,    and    satyrs    shall    dance 
there. 

5  daughters  of- the  owl. 

deity  or,  demi-god,  represented  as  a 
monster,  half  man  and  half  goat,  hav- 
ing horns  on  his  head,  a  hairy  body, 
with  the  feet  and  tail  of  a  goat  Web- 
ster. The  word  here  used  properly 
denotes  that  which  is  hairy,  or  rough, 
and  is  applied  to  goals  in  Gen.  xxv.  25. 
Ps  lxviii.  21  Lev  xiii.  10,  25,  26,30, 
32.  It  is  often  rendered  hair.  See 
Taylor.  In  Isa.  xxxiv.  14,  it  is  ren- 
dered satyr;  in  Deut.  xxxii  2,  it  is 
rendered  "  the  small  ram ;"  in  Lev. 
xvii.  7,  and  2  Chron  xi.  15,  it  is  ren- 
dered "  the  devils,"  meaning  objects 
of  worship,  or  idols.  Bochart  supposes 
that  it  refers  to  the  idols  that  were 
worshipped  among  the  Egyptians,  who 
placed  goats  among  their  gods.  D6- 
derlin  supposes  that  it  means  either 
fawns,  or  a  species  of  the  monkey 
tribe,  resembling  in  their  rough  and 
shaggy  appearance  the  wild  goat.  They 
are  here  represented  as  "  dancing,"  and 
in  Isa.  xxxiv.  14,  as  "  crying  to  each 
other."  It  is  evident  that  the  prophet 
intends  animals  of  a  rough  and  shaggy 
appearance  ;  such  as  are  quick  and 
nimble  in  their  motions  ;  such  as  dwell 
in  deserts,  in  forests,  or  in  old  ruins ; 
and  such  as  answer  to  each  other,  or 
chatter.  The  description  would  cer- 
tainly seem  more  applicable  to  some  of 
the  simia  or  monkey  tribe  than  to  any 
other  animals.  It  is  possible,  indeed, 
that  he  means  merely  to  make  use  of 
language  that  was  well  known,  as  de- 
scribing animals  that  the  ancients  sup- 
posed had  an  existence,  but  which 
really  had  not,  as  the  imginary  beings 
called  satyrs.  But  it  is  possible  also 
that  he  means  simply  wild  goats.  Comp. 
Bochart  Hieroz.  P.  xi.  B.  vi.  ch.  vii. 
The  LXX  render  it  demons,  or  devils, 
iiiijxo.ta.  The  Vulgate  pilosi — shaggy, 
or  hairy  pjimals.  The  Chaldee,  "  de- 
mons." The  essential  idea  is,  that  such 
wild  animals  as  are  supposed  to  dwell  in 
wastes  and  ruins,  would  hold  their  revels 
in  the  forsaken  and  desolate  palaces  of 
Babylon.  The  following  remarks  ot 
the    Rev.  Joseph  Wolff,   may    throw 


280 


ISAIAH. 


[.B.C.  713. 


22  And  *the  wild  beasts  of  the 
islands  shall  cry  in  their  7deso- 
late  houses,  and  dragons  in  their 


7  or,  palaces. 


light  on  this  passage  :  "  I  then  went  to 
die  rnounfain  <it    Sanjaar,  which  was 

full  of  Yezeedcs.  One  hundred  and  fifty 
years  ago,  they  believed  in  the  glorious 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  and  worshipped 
the  true  God;  but  being  severely  perse- 
cuted by  the  neighbouring  Yezeedes  they 
have  now  joined  thern  and  are  wor- 
shippere  of  the  devil.  Tliese  men  fre- 
quent the  ruins  of  Babylon,  and  dance 
around  them.  On  a  certain  night  which 
they  call  the  Night  of  Life,  they  hold 
their  dances  around  the  desolate  ruins 
in  honour  of  the  devil.  The  passage 
which  declares  that  satyrs  shall  dance 
there,  evidently  has  respect  to  this  very 
practice.  The  original  word  translated 
satyr,  literally  means,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  the  most  eminent  Jewish 
Rabbins,  devil  worshippers."  "  It  is  a 
curious  circumstance,"  says  .Mr.  Rich, 
in  his  "  Memoir  on  the  Ruins  of  Baby- 
lon," p.  30,  in  describing  the  Mujelibe, 
"  that  here  I  first  heard  the  oriental 
account  of  satyrs.  1  had  always  ima- 
gined the  belief  of  their  existence  was 
confined  to  the  mythology  of  the  west; 
but  a  Choadar  who  was  with  me  When 
I  examined  this  ruin,  mentioned  by  ac- 
cident, that  in  this  desert  an  animal  is 
found  resembling  a  man  from  the  head 
to  the  waist,  but  having  the  thighs  and 
legs  of  a  sheep  or  a  goat  ;  he  said  also 
that  the  Arabs  hunt  it  with  dogs,  and 
eat  the  lower  parts,  abstaining  from  the 
upper  on  account  of  their  resemblance 
to  the  human  species."  "The  Arabi- 
ans call  them  Sied-as-sad,  and  say 
that  they  abound  in  some  woody  places 
near  Semava  on  the  Euphrates." 

22.  And  the  wild  beasts  of  the 
islands.  C**X  .  See  Notes  ch.  xi.  11, 
xli.  1,  on  the  word  rendered  islands. 
The  word  denotes  islands,  or  coasts, 
lnd  as  those  coasts  and  islands  were 
unknown  and  unexplored,  the  word 
seems  to  have  denoted  unknown  and 
Uninhabited  regions  in  general.  Boehart 
■upposes  that  by  the  word  here  used  is 


pleasant  palaces:  and  her  lime 
is  near6  to  come,  and  her  days 
shall  not  be  prolonged. 


C  Deut.  32.  35,  3o. 


denoted  a  species  of  wolves,  the  jack- 
al, or  the  thoea.  It  is  known  as  a  wild 
animal,  exceedingly  fierce,  and  is  also 
distinguished  by  alternate  howlings  in 
the  night.  See  Boehart,  Hieroz  P.  i. 
B  iii.  ch.  xii.  The  word  wolf  proba- 
bly will  not  express  an  erroneous  idea 
here.  The  Chaldee  renders  it  cats. 
II  Shall  cry.  Hebrew,  Shall  answer, 
or  respond  to  each  other.  This  is 
known  to  be  the  custom  of  wolves  and 
some  other  wild  animals,  who  send 
forth  those  dismal  howls  in  alternate 
responses  at  night.  This  alternation 
of  the  howl  or  cry  gives  an  additional 
impressivencss  to  the  loneliness  and 
desolation  of  forsaken  Babylon  IT  And 
dragons.  O^SH .  This  word  in  its 
various  forms  of  tannim,  taninirn,  tan- 
nin, and  tannoth,  denotes  sometimes 
jackals  or  thoes,  as  in  Job  xxx  29. 
Ps.  xliv.  19.  Micah  i.  8.  Mai.  i.  3. 
But  it  also  denotes  a  great  fish,  a 
whale,  a  sea-monster,  a  dragon,  a  ser- 
pent. It  is  translated  a  whale  in  Job 
vii.  12.  Gen.  i.  21.  Ezek.  xxxii  2  ; 
serpents,  Ex  vii.  9,  10,  12  ;  dragons, 
or  dragon,  Isa.  li.  9  Ps.  xci.  13.  Neh. 
ii.  13.  Isa.  xxvii.  1  Jer.  li  34.  Deut. 
xxxii  33.  Ps  lxxiv.  13,  cxlviii.  7,  xnv. 
19.  Jer.  xiv.  tj.  Mai.  i.  3 — and  else- 
where ;  and  once  sea-monsters,  Lam. 
iv.  3.  A  dragon  properly  means  a 
kind  of  winged  serpent  much  celebrat- 
ed in  the  dark  ages.  Here  it  may  not 
improperly  be  rendered  jackal.  See 
Boehart,  Hieroz.  Part  i.  Book  i.  ch.ix. 
p.  69.  I  In  their  pleasant  palaces. 
Heb.  Their  palaces  of  luxury  or  plea- 
sure. The  following  testimonies  from 
travellers  will  show  how  minutely  this 
was  accomplished.  "  There  are  many 
dens  of  wild  beasts  in  various  parts.' 
"  There  are  quantities  of  porcupine 
quills."  "  In  most  of  the  cavities  are 
numberless  bats  and  owls."  "  These 
caverns,  over  which  the  chambers  of 
majesty  may  have  been  spread,  are  novt 
the  refuge  of  jackals  and  other  savag* 


B.  C.713.J 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


281 


animals  The  mouths  of  their  entrances 
are  strewed  with  the  hones  of  sheep 
and  goats;  and  the  loathsome  smell 
that  itsues  from  most  of  them  is  suffi- 
cient warning  not  to  proceed  into  the 
den."  Sir  R.  K.  Porter's  Trav.  vol.  ii. 
p.  342.  "  The  mound  was  full  of  large 
holes ;  we  entered  some  of  them,  and 
found  them  strewed  with  the  carcasses 
and  skeletons  of  animals  recently  kill- 
ed. The  ordure  of  wild  beasts  was  so 
strong  that  prudence  got  the  better  of 
curiosity,  for  we  had  no  doubt  as  to  the 
savage  nature  of  the  inhabitants.  Our 
guides,  indeed,  told  us  that  all  the  ruins 
abounded  in  lions  and  other  wild  beasts  ; 
so  literally  has  the  divine  prediction 
been  fulfilled,  that  wild  beasts  of  the 
deserts  should  lie  there."  Keppel's  Nar- 
rative, vol.  i.  pp.  179,  160.  1T  And 
her  time  is  near  to  come.  This  was 
spoken  about  174  years  before  the  de- 
struction of  Babylon.  But  we  are  to 
bear  in  mind  that  the  prophet  is  to  be 
supposed  to  be  speaking  to  the  captive 
Jews  in  Babylon,  and  speaking  to  them 
respecting  their  release.  See  ch.  xiv. 
1,  2.  Comp.  remarks  on  the  Analysis 
of  this  chapter.  Thus  considered,  sup- 
posing the  prophet  to  be  addressing  the 
Jews  in  captivity,  or  ministering  con- 
eolation  to  them,  the  time  was  near. 
Or  if  we  suppose  him  speaking  as  in 
his  own  time,  the  period  when  Babylon 
was  to  be  destroyed  was  at  no  great 
distance. 

On  this  whole  prophecy,  we  may 
observe,  (1.)  That  it  was  uttered  at 
least  an  hundred  and  seventy  years 
before  it  was  fulfilled.  Of  this  there  is 
ail  the  proof  that  can  be  found  in  re- 
gard to  any  ancient  writings.  (2.)  When 
uttered,  there  was  the  strongest  impro- 
bability that  it  would  be  fulfilled.  This 
improbability  arose  from  the  following 
circumstances  :  (a)  The  Jews  were  se- 
cure in  their  own  land,  and  they  had 
no  reason  to  dread  the  Babylonians. 
They  had  no  wars  with  them,  and  it 
was  improbable  that  they  would  be 
plucked  up  as  a  nation  and  carried 
there  as  captives.  Such  a  thing  had 
never  occurred,  and  there  were  no  cir- 
cumstances that  made  it  probable  that 
u  would  occur,    (b)  The  great  strength 


and  security  of  Babylon  rendered  it 
improbable.  It  was  the  capital  of  the 
heathen  world  ;  and  if  there  was  any 
city  that  seemed  impregnable  :t  was 
this,  (c)  It  was  improbable  ,hat  it  would 
be  overthrown  by  the  Medes.  Media, 
at  the  time  when  the  prophecy  was 
uttered,  was  a  dependent  province  of 
Assyria  (Note  ver  17),  and  it  waa 
wholly  improbable  that  the  Medes 
would  revolt;  that  they  would  subdue 
their  masters  ;  that  they  would  be  unit- 
ed to  the  Persians,  and  that  thus  a  new 
kingdom  would  arise,  that  should  over- 
throw the  most  mighty  capital  of  the 
world.  (d)  It  was  improbable  that 
Babylon  would  become  uninhabitable. 
It  was  in  the  midst  of  a  most  fert  le 
country  ;  and  by  no  human  sagacity 
could  it  have  been  seen  that  the  capi- 
tal would  be  removed  to  Susa,  or  that 
Seleucia  would  be  founded,  thus  drain- 
ing it  of  its  inhabitants  ;  or  that  by  the 
inundation  of  waters  it  would  become 
unhealthy.  How  could  mere  human 
sagacity  have  foreseen  that  there  would 
not  be  a  house  in  it  in  the  sixteenth 
century  ;  or  that  now  in  1839  it  would 
be  a  wide  and  dreary  waste  ?  Can  any 
man  now  tell  what  London,  or  Paris,  or 
New-York,  or  Philadelphia  will  be  two 
thousand  years  hence  ?  Yet  a  predic- 
tion that  those  cities  shall  be  the  resi- 
dence of"  wild  beasts  of  the  desert,"  of 
"  satyrs"  and  "  dragons,"  would  be  as 
probable  now  as  was  the  prediction 
respecting  Babylon  at  the  time  when 
Isaiah  uttered  these  remarkable  prophe- 
cies. (3.)  The  prophecy  is  not  vague 
conjecture.  It  is  not  a  general  state- 
ment. It  is  minute,  and  definite,  and 
particular  ;  and  it  has  been  as  definite- 
ly, and  minutely,  and  particularly  ful- 
filled. (4.)  This  is  one  of  the  evidences 
of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Bible.  How 
will  the  infidel  account  for  this  prophecy 
and  its  fulfilment  ?  It  will  not  do  to 
say  that  it  is  accident.  It  is  too  mi- 
nute, and  too  particular.  It  is  not 
human  sagacity.  No  human  sagacity 
could  have  foretold  it.  It  is  not  fan- 
cied fulfilment.  It  is  real,  in  the  most 
minute  particulars.  And  if  so,  then 
Isaiah  was  commissioned  by  Jehovah 
as  he  claimed  to  be — tor  none  but  the 


28-2 


ISAIAH. 


[H  r.7i3 


Omniscient  Jehovah  can  foresee  and 
describe  future  events  as  the  destruction 
of  Babylon  was  foreseen  and  described. 
And  it'  (Am  prophecy  was  inspired  by 
God.  by  tli'  same  trail  of  reasoning  it 
can  be  proved  that  the  whole  Bible  is 
a  revelation  from  heaven.  For  a  very 
interesting  account  of  the  present  state 
of  the  ruins  of  Babylon,  furnishing  the 
most  complete  evidence  of  the  fulfil- 


ment of  the  prophecips  in  revrnr.i  i  >  it, 
the  reader  may  consult  an  article  :n  hk 
American  Biblical  Repository,  vol.  viu 
pp  17  7—1.-;*.  See  also  the  two  '  Me- 
moirs on  the  Ruins  of  Babylon,'  by.  C.  -. 
Rich,  Esq.  London,  lyiG,  and  1818. 
The  following  cut,  from  a  drawing  by 
Mr  Rich,  will  give  an  accurate  and 
interesting  view  of  a  portion  of  those 
ruins. 


Ruins  of  the  Birs  Nemroud. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


ANALYSIS. 


Tins  chapter  is  n  continuation  of  the  prophecy  respecting  Babylon  winch  was  commenced  in  the 
previous  chapter.    The  i  rophecy  is  concluded  at  ver.  27     A  considerable  portion  of  th<  chapter  i~  a 

fMM  in  of  unequalled  beaut]  and  sublimity.  It  is  tq  be  rem<  mbered  that  tins  pro  tiecj  was  uttered  at 
east  174  \>-\r<  before  they  «  ere  carried  internal  tivity  |  and  the  design  of -the  proi  hot  is  lo  declare  tin- 
Ct  vainly  of  their  releu-e  after  they  should  !>e  subjected  to  this  bondage.  He  doubtless  intended  that 
this  prophecy  should  he  borne  with  them,  in  memory  at  least,  to  Babylon,  and  thai  il  should  eomrorl 
«  id  sustain  them  when  then-  .See  Introduction  to  cli.  xiii.  He  therefore  opens  the  vision  by  a 
•umman  statement  of  the  certainty  of  their  deliverance,  ys  1—3  This  general  feclaratfon  respect- 
ing the  rleliveranc  ■  of  (he  Jews,  is  followed  by  a  triumphant  s°6rur*on  inat  subject,  that  is  singularly 
beautiful  in  its  imagery,  and  sublime  in  its  eoncept  on.    "   t  moves  in  lengthviiQd  elegiac  measure, 

like  a  song  of  Ian taiion  for  thi  dead,  and  is  fun  of  lofty  scorn  and  contumely  from  beginning  to  the 

ind  "  Herder's  Spirit  of  Hebrew  Poetry  by  Marsh,  vol.si.  p.  806.  It  may  be  called  (he  trfumphal 
»o/iir  of  the  .li  to*  when  delivered  from  their  long  and  oppressive  bondage.  The  parts  and  design 
of  ttos  poem   may  be  thus  expressed: 

I  A  churns  of  Jews  is  introduced  expressing  their  surprise  at  the  sudden  and  entire  downfall  of 
Babylon,  and  the  complete  destruction  of  the  proud  and  naughty  city.  The  whole  earth  is  full  of 
joy  and  rejoicing  that  tie  city  so  long  distinguished  for  oppressions  and  arrogance  is  laid  low  ;  and 


B.C. IIS.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


2»3 


even  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  are  introduced  as  uttering  a  most  severe  taunt  over  the  fallen  tyrant,  and 
expressing  their  security  now  that  he  is  no  more,  vs.  4-8. 

II.  The  scene  is  immediately  changed  from  earth  to  hell.  Hades,  or  the  region  of  the  dead,  is 
represented  as  moved  at  the  descent  of  the  haughty  king  of  Babylon  to  those  abodes.  Departed 
monarchs  rise  from  their  thrones,  and  insult  him  on  being  reduced  from  his  pride  and  magnificence 
to  the  same  low  state  as  themselves,  vs  9—11.  This  portion  of  the  ode  is  one  of  the  boldest  personi- 
fications ever  attempted  in  poetry:  an,;  is  executed  with  remarkable  brevity  and  force -so  much  so 
thai  we  almost  seem  to  see  the  illustrious  shades  of  the  dead  rise  from  their  couches  to  meet  the 
descending  king  of  Babylon. 

III.  The  Jews  now  resume  the  speech,  vs.  12—17.  They  address  the  king  of  Babylon  as  fallen 
from  heaven— like  the  bright  star  of  the  morning.  They  speak  of  him  as  the  most  magnificent  and 
proud  of  the  monarchs  of  the  earth.  They  introduce  him  as  expressing  the  most  extravagant  pur- 
poses of  ambition  ;  as  designing  to  ascend  to  heaven,  and  to  make  his  throne  above  the  stars;  and 
as  aiming  at  equality  with  God.  They  then  speak  of  him  as  cast  down  to  hell;  and  as  the  object 
of  reproach  by  all  those  who  shall  behold  him. 

IV.  The  scene  is  again  changed.  Certain  persons  are  introduced  who  are  represented  as  seeing 
ti.e  fallen  king  of  Babylon— as  looking  narrow  ly  upon  lum  to  make  themselves  bure  that  it  was  lie— 
and  as  taunting  him  with  his  proud  designs  ami  his  purposes  to  make  the  world  a  wilderness,  vs.  13 — 
20.  They  see  him  cast  out  and  naked ;  lying  among  the  undistinguished  dead  and  trodden  under 
feet;  and  contrast  h\>  condition  with  that  of  monarchs  who  are  usually  deposited  in  a  splendid  mau- 
soleum. But  the  once  haughty  king  of  Babylon  is  represented  as  denied  even  a  common  burial,  and 
as  lying  undistinguished  in  Ihe  streets. 

V.  The  whole  scene  of  the  poem  is  closed  by  introducing  God  as  purposing  the  certain  ruin  of 
Ba  ylon  .  as  designing  to  cut  off  the  whole  of  the  royal  family,  and  to  convert  the  whole  city  into 
puols  ot  waier.  and  a  habitation  for  the  bittern,  vs.  21— vs.  This  is  declared  to  be  the  purpose  of 
JEHOVAH  ,  and  a  solemn  declaration  is  made  that  when  he  makes  a  purpose  none  can  disannul  it. 

VI.  A  confirmation  of  tins  is  added  (vs.  24—27)  in  a  fragment  respecting  the  destruction  of  the 
army  of  the  Assyrian  under  Sennacherib,  by  which  the  exiles  in  Babylon  would  be  comforted  with 
the  assurance,  that  he  who  bad  destroyed  the  Assyrian  host  with  such  ease  could  also  effect  his 
purposes  respecting  Babylon.    See  the  remarks  introductory  to  ver.  24 

"  I  believe  il  may  be  affirmed."  says  Lowtn,  "  that  there  is  r,o  poem  of  its  kind  extant  in  any 
je,  in  .which  the  subject  is  so  well  laid  out,  and  so  happily  conducted,  with  such  a  richness 
of  invention,  H  ith  such  a  variety  oi  images,  persons,  and  distinct  actions,  with  such  rapidity  and  ease 
of  transition  in  so  small  a  compass,  as  in  this  ode  of  Isaiah.  Tor  beauty  of  disposition,  strength  of 
colouring,  greatness  of  sentiment,  brevity,  perspicuity,  and  force  of  expression,  it  stands  among  all 
the  monuments  vt  antiquity  unrivalled.". 

The  king  of  Babylon  who  was  the  subject  of  this  prediction,  and  who  reigned  when  Babylon  was 
taken,  was  Belshazzar.    See  Dan.  v.    See  Notes  on  ver.  22. 


1  For-f  the  Lord  will  have 
mercy  on  Jacob,  and  will  yet 
choose^   Israel,   and  set  them  in 


/  Ps.  102.  13. 


g  Zech.  1.  17.  2.  12. 


1.  For  the  Lord  will  have  mercy  on 
Jacob.  That  is,  he  will  pity  the  cap- 
tive Jews  in  Babylon.  He  will  not 
abandon  them,  but  will  remember  them, 
and  restore  them  to  their  own  land. 
If  And  will  yet  choose  Israel.  Will  show 
that  he  regards  them  as  still  his  chosen 
people  ;  or  will  again  choose  them  by 
recovering  them  from  their  bondage, 
and  by  restoring  them  to  their  country 
as  his  people.  The  names  Jacob  and 
Israel  here  simply  denote  the  Jews. 
They  do  not  imply  that  all  of  those 
who  were  to  be  carried  captive  would 
return,  but  that  as  a  people  they  would 
be  restored.  H  And  set  them,  &c. 
Heb.  '  will  cause  them  to  rest  in  their 
own  country ;'  that  is,  will  give  them 
peace,  quietness,  and  security  there. 
*  And  the  stranger  shall  be  joined  to 
them.  The  stranger  here  probably 
refers  to  those  foreigners  who  would 
become   proselytes    to    their    religion 


their  own  land  :  and  the  stran- 
gers shall  be  joined  with  them, 
and  they  shall  cleave  to  the  house 
of  Jacob. 

while  they  were  in  Babylon.  Thuse 
proselytes  would  be  firmly  united  with 
them,  and  would  return  with  them  to 
their  own  land.  Their  captivity  would 
be  attended  with  this  advantage,  that 
many  even  of  those  who  led  them  away 
would  be  brought  to  embrace  their  reli- 
gion, and  to  return  with  them  to  their 
own  country.  If  it  is  asked  what  evi- 
dence there  is  that  any  considerable 
number  of  the  people  of  Chaldea  be- 
came Jewish  proselytes,  I  answer  that 
it  is  expressly  stated  in  Esther  viii.  17  : 
"  And  many  of  the  people  of  the  land 
became  Jews  ;  for  the  fear  of  the  Jews 
fell  upon  them."  Ezra  indeed  has  not 
mentioned  the  fact  that  many  of  the 
people  of  Babylonia  became  proselytes 
to  the  religion  of  the  Jews,  but  it  is  in 
accordance  with  all  that  we  know  of 
their  history,  and  their  influence  on  the 
nations  with  which  from  time  to  time 
they  were  connected,  that  many  should 


284 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. 713. 


2  And  the  people  shall  take 
them,  and  bring71  them  to  their 
place :  and  the  house  of  Israel 
shall  possess  them  in  the  land  of 
the  Lokd  for  servants  and  hand- 
maids:  and  they  shall  take  them 
captives,    whose    8captives   they 

h  oh.  IS.  7.   60.  4,&c.   68.  20. 
8  tnat  had  taken  the.m  captives. 

have  been  thus  joined  to  them.  We 
know  that  in  subsequent  times  many 
of  other  nations  became  proselytes,  and 
that  multitudes  of  the  Egyptians,  the 
Macedonians,  the  Romans,  and  the 
inhabitants  of  Asia  Minor,  embraced 
the  Jewish  religion,  or  became  what 
were  called  "proselytes  of  the  gate." 
They  were  circumcised,  and  were  re- 
garded as  entitled  to  a  part  of  the  privi- 
leges of  the  Jewish  people.  SBe  Acts 
ii.  9,  10,  11.  L'omp.  Acts  xvii  4,  17. 
Tacitus,  speaking  of  his  time,  says, 
that  "every  abandoned  man,  despising 
the  religion  of  his  country,  bears  tribute 
and  revenue  to  Jerusalem,  whence  it 
happens  that  the  number  of  the  Jews 
is  greatly  increased."  Hist  L.  v.  c.  v. 
Tluit  the  Jews,  therefore,  who  were  in 
Babylon  should  induce  many  of  the 
Chaldeans  during  their  long  captivity 
to  become  proselytes,  is  in  accordance 
with  all  their  history. 

2.  And  the  people  shall  take  them. 
That  is,  the  people  in  Babylon.  If  And 
bring  them  to  their  place.  That  is, 
they  shall  attend  them  to  the  land  of 
Judea  and  aid  in  restoring  them  to 
their  own  country.  There  is  reference 
here  doubtless  to  the  fact  that  Gyrus 
would  assist  them  (comp.  Ezra  ch.  i.), 
and  that  many  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Chaldea  who  would  become  proselytes 
would  be  willing  to  accompany  them 
to  their  own  land.  If  And  the  house 
of  Israel  shall  possess  them  in  the  land 
of  the  Lokd  Not  in  a  foreign  land, 
and  among  Btrangers  and  foes,  but  in 
their  own  land,  and  among  the  insti- 
tutions of  their  own  religion.  They 
would  be  willing  to  return  with  them, 
and  occupy  a  humble  place  among 
them,  as  servants,  for  the  sake  of  en- 


were  ;  and  they  shall  rule  over 
their  oppressors. 

3  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in 
the  day  that  the  Lord  shall  give 
thee  rest'  from  thy  sorrow,  and 
from  thy  fear,  and  from  the  hard 
bondage  wherein  thou  wast  made 
to  serve, 

i  Ezck.  28.  24. 

joying  the  privileges  of  the  true  reli- 
gion. It  was  a  matter  of  course  among 
the  Hebrews  that  proselytes  would  be 
regarded  as  occupying  a  less  elevated 
place  in  society  than  native-born  Jews. 
If  And  thru  shall  take  them  captive, 
&c.  That  is,  they  shall  induce  thci 
to  become  proselytes  ;  to  be  willing  to 
accompany  them  to  their  own  homes, 
and  to  become  their  servants  there  It 
does  not  mean  that  they  would  subdue 
them  by  force  ;  but  they  would  be  able 
by  their  influence  there  to  disarm  their 
opposition  ;  and  to  induce  them  to 
become  the  friends  of  their  religion. 
If  And  they  shall  rule  over  their  op- 
pressors. This  is  one  instance  where 
the  people  o-f  God  would  show  that  they 
could  disarm  their  oppressors  by  a  mild 
and  winning  demeanor,  and  in  which 
they  would  be  able  to  induce  others  to 
join  with  them.  Such  would  be  the 
force  of  their  example  and  conduct,  of 
their  conversation  and  of  their  deport- 
ment, even  in  the  midst  of  proud  and 
haughty  Babylon,  that  their  oppressors 
would  be  won  to  embrace  the  religion 
of  their  captives.  If  in  proud  and 
haughty  Babylon  those  who  loved  the 
Lord  could  thus  do  good  ;  If  when  they 
were  captives  they  could  have  such  an 
influence  over  their  haughty  masters, 
where  is  there  a  place  in  which  the 
friends  of  God  may  not  be  useful  by 
their  example,  their  conversation,  and 
their  prayers  ? 

3.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass.  That 
is,  then  thou  shalt  take  up  a  taunting 
song  against  the  king  of  Babylon,  ver. 
4.  1T  That  the  Lord  67/.;//  give  thee 
rest.  Comp.  ch.  xxxviii.  12.  The 
nature  of  this  predicted  rest  is  more 
fu'Jy  described  in  Ezek.  xxvii.  25.  26 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


285 


4  Thatfc  thou  shalt  take  up 
this  9proverb  against  the  king  of 
Babylon,  and  say,  How  hath  the 

Jfc  Hab.  2.  6.  9  or,  taunting  speech. 

IT  From  thy  sorroic  The  long  pain  of 
thy  captivity  in  Babylon.  IT  And  from 
thy  fear.  Heb.  Trembling ;  that  is, 
the  apprehension  of  the  ills  to  which 
they  were  continually  exposed.  Trem- 
bling is  usually  one  effect  of  fear. 
IT  And  from  thy  hard  bondage.  The 
severe  and  galling  servitude  of  seventy 
years. 

4.  That  thou  shalt  take  up.  Thou 
shalt  utter,  declare,  or  commence. 
The  word  'take  up"  is  used  in  the 
sense  of  utter,  speak,  or  declare,  in  Ex. 
xx.  7,  xxiii  1.  Ps.  xv.  2.  IT  This  pro- 
verb. bti}l£Tl .  Vulgate,  "  parable." 
Septuagint,  "  lamentation,"  tov  Bpovov. 
The  Hebrew  word  mashal,  usually  ren- 
dered proverb,  is  also  rendered  a  para- 
ble, or  a  by-word.  It  properly  denotes 
a  metaphor,  a  comparison,  a  similitude ; 
and  is  applied  usually  to  a  brief  and 
pungent  sentiment  or  maxim  where 
wisdom  is  embodied  in  few  words.  In 
these  the  ancients  abounded.  They 
jad  few  books  ;  and  hence  arose  the 
necessity  of  condensing  as  much  as 
possible  the  sentiments  of  wisdom,  that 
they  might  be  easily  remembered,  and 
transmitted  to  future  times.  These 
maxims  were  commonly  expressed  in 
figurative  language,  or  by  a  brief  com- 
parison or  short  parable,  as  they  are 
with  us.  The  word  also  means,  figu- 
rative discourse  generally,  and  hence  a 
song  or  poem.  Num.  xxiii.  7,  18.  Job 
xxvii.  1,  xxix.  1.  Ps.  xlix.  5.  It  is  also 
used  to  denote  a  satire,  or  a  song  of 
triumph  over  enemies  Micah  ii  4. 
Heb.  iv.  6.  Joel  ii.  17.  It  is  evidently 
used  in  this  sense  here — to  denote  a 
taunting  speech,  a  song  of  triumph 
over  the  prostrate  king  of  Babylon. 
In  this  beautiful  song  there  are  all  the 
elements  of  the  most  pungent  satire  ; 
and  all  the  beauties  of  the  highest  po- 
etry. IT  Against  the  king  of  Babylon. 
Over  the  king  of  Babylon,  or  in  regard 
to  him.  It  is  not  certain  that  any 
particular  king  of  Babylon  is  here  in- 


oppressor  ceased !  the  'golden 
city™  ceased ! 

5  The  Lord  hath  broken  th» 

1  or,  exae'ress  of  gold.       m  Rev.  18.  16.    ■ 

tended.  If  there  was,  it  was  probably 
Belshazzar,  in  whose  reign  the  city 
was  taken.  See  Note  on  ver.  22  It 
may,  however,  be  designed  to  denote 
the  Babylonian  empire  ;  the  kingdom 
that  had  oppressed  the  Jews  ;  and  thus 
the  king  may  be  referred  to  as  the  head 
of  the  nation,  and  as  the  representative 
of  the  whole  people.  IT  How  hath  the 
oppressor  ceased.  The  word  "  op- 
pressor" ^?3  denotes  properly  the  ex- 
actor of  tribute,  and  refers  here  to  the 
fact  that  Babylon  had  oppressed  its 
dependent  provinces  by  exacting  large 
revenues  from  them,  and  thus  cruelly 
oppressing  them.  1T  Ceased.  Ceased 
to  exact  tribute  ;  or  (Heb  )  '  is  at  rest.' 
It  is  now  at  rest ;  and  no  more  guts 
forth  its  power  in  oppressing  its  de- 
pendent provinces.  H  The  golden  city. 
Babylon.  The  word  used  here  ""^vH^r 
occurs  nowhere  else  in  the  Bible.  Ac- 
cording to  the  Jewish  Commentators  it 
means  an  exactress  of  gold,  as  if  de- 
rived from  -D1*!  dehdbh  used  for  ~'~n 
zehdbh  gold.  Gesenius  and  Michaelia 
prefer  another  reading,  '*"C\;~1''?  mdrhi' 
bha  from  ^r]H  rdhdbh,  and  suppose  that 
it  means  oppression.  The  Vulgate 
renders  it  tribute — "  the  tribute  hath 
ceased."  The  LXX,  solicitor,  or  ex- 
actor (of  gold),  iKicTraviacrfif.  Vitrincta 
supposes  that  the  word  means  gold,  and 
that  it  refers  to  the  golden  sceptre  of 
its  kings  that  had  now  ceased  to  be 
swayed  over  the  prostrate  nations. 
The  most  probable  sense  is,  that  it 
means  the  exactress  of  gold,  or  of  trib- 
ute. This  best  expresses  the  force  of 
the  word,  and  best  agrees  with  the 
parallelism.  In  this  sense  it  does  not 
refer  to  the  magnificence  of  the  city, 
but  to  its  oppressive  acts  in  demanding 
tribute  of  gold  from  its  dependent  prov- 
inces 

5.  The  Lord  hath  broken.  Jehovah, 
by  the  hand  of  Cyrus.  V  The  staff  of 
the  wicked.     That  is,  the  sceptre  a 


236 


ISAIAH 


B.C.  713 


staff  of  the  wicked,  and  the  seep- 
tre  of  the  rulers. 

6  He  who  smote"  the  people 
in  wrath  with  a '•'continued  stroke, 
he  that  ruled  the  nations  in  an- 
ger, is  persecuted,  and  none  hin- 
dereth. 

n  ch.  33.  l.       2  a  stroke  without  removing. 

the  king  of  Babylon.  The  word  ren- 
dered staff  nai?  may  mean  either  a 
bough,  stick,  staff*,  rod,  or  a  sceptre. 
The  sceptre  was  the  symbol  of  supreme 
power.  It  was  in  the  form  of  a  staff, 
and  was  made  of  wood,  ivory,  or  gold. 
It  here  means  that  Jehovah  had  taken 
away  the  power  from  Babylon,  and 
destroyed  his  dominion. 

b".  He  who  smote.  This  may  either 
refer  to  the  king  of  Babylon,  or  to  the 
rod  or  sceptre  which  he  had  used,  and 
which  was  now  broken.  Herder  refers 
it  to  the  sceptre,  "that  which  smote 
the  nations."  On  the  meaning  of  the 
word  smote,  see  Note,  ch.  x.  20. 
H  The  people.  The  nations  that  were 
6ubjeet  m  his  authority,  f  With  a 
continual  stroke.  Marg.  '  a  stroke 
without  removing.'  Vulg.  •  With  an 
incurable  plague' — Plaga  insanabili. 
Septuagint,  the  same,  rrXnyij  diudru. 
The  Hebrew  is,  as  in  the  margin — a 
smiting  without  removing,  or  without 
cessation.  There  was  no  relaxation  in 
its  oppressions,  it  was  always  engaged 
in  acts  of  tyranny.  H  He  that  ruled 
the  nations.  Babylon  was  the  capital 
of  a  vast  empire,  and  that  empire  wa9 
composed  of  many  dependent  nations. 
f  Is  persecuted.  By  those  that  make 
war  upon  it.  Its  turn  had  come  to  be 
oppressed,  and  overthrown.  IT  And 
none  hindereth.  No  nation  opposes  the 
invader.  None  of  the  dependent  king- 
doms of  Babylon  have  any  real  attach- 
ment to  it,  but  all  rejoice  at  its  down- 
fall The  most  mighty  kingdom  of  the 
earth  is  helpless  and  ruined.  What  a 
change  was  this !  How  sudden  and 
Striking  the  revolution  !  And  what  a 
warning  to  proud  and  guilty  cities  ! 

7.  The  whole  earth  is  at  rest.  The 
kingdom  of  Babylonia,  or  Chaldea.  ex- 


1  The  whole  earth  is  at  rest, 
and  is  quiet ;  they  break  forth 
into  singing. 

8  Yea,  the  fir-;rees'  rejoice  at 
thee,  and  the  cedars  of  Lebanon, 
saying,  Since  thou  art  laid  down, 
no  feller  is  come  up  against  us. 

q  Ezek.  31.  IG. 


tended  nearly  over  the  whole  heathen 
world.  Now,  that  Babylon  was  fallen, 
and  that  those  oppressions  would  cease, 
the  world  is  represented  as  .'n  peace 
and  quietness.  IT  They  break  forth 
in/o  singing.  That  is,  the  inhabitants 
of  all  the  nations  that  were  subject  to 
Babylon  now  rejoice  that  they  are  re- 
leased  from  its  galling  and  oppressive 
yoke. 

8.  Yta,  the  fir-trees  rejoice  at  thee. 
They  join  with  the  inhabitants  of  the 
nations  in  rejoicing  at  thy  downfall — 
for  they  now,  like  those  inhabitants, 
are  suffered  to  remain  undisturbed. — 
On  the  word  rendered  fir-trees,  see 
Notes  on  ch.  i.  29.  It  is  evident  that  a 
species  of  evergreen  is  meant ;  and 
probably  some  species  that  grew  in 
Syria  or  Palestine.  The  idea  is  plain. 
The  very  forest  is  represented  as  re- 
joicing It  would  be  sate  from  the 
king  of  Babylon.  He  could  no  longer 
cut  it  down  to  build  his  palaces,  or  to 
construct  his  implements  of  war.  This 
figure"  of  representing  the  hills  and 
groves,  the  trees,  the  mountains,  and 
the  earth,  as  exulting  or  as  breaking 
forth  into  joy,  is  common  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

Let  the  heavens  rejoice,  and  let  the  earth  be 

glad  ; 
Let  tnesea  ro;ir,  and  the  fulness  thereof. 
Let  the  tiel.l  he  joyful  and  all  tliat  is  therein  : 
Then  shall  all  the  trues  of  the  wood  rejoice 
Before  the  Lord.—  r».  xcn.  11— 13. 

Let  the  Hoods  rclap  their  hands  ; 
Let  the  lolls  be  joyful  together, 
Before  tne  Lord  —  Ps.  xeviii.  s>  l. 

Praise  the  Lord  from  the  earth, 
Ye  dragons  and  all  deeps  ; 
Fire  and  nail  s  snow  an. I  vapour ; 
Stormy  wind  full'illing  his  word: 
.Mountains  and  all  hills  : 
Fruitful  trees  and  all  cedars. 

Ps.  cxlviii.  7— 14 

Comp.  1  Chron.  xvi.  31.  Hab.  iii.  10, 
11.     ^  The  cedars  of  Ltbunon.     Note 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


287 


9  4Hell*  from  beneath  is  moved 
for  thee  to  meet  thee  at  thy  com- 
ing :  it  stirreth  up  the  dead  for 
thee,  even  all  the  5chief  ones  of 

ch.  x.  34.  The  cedars  of  Lebanon 
were  much  celebrated  for  building  ;  and 
it  is  not  impossible  that  the  king  of 
Babylon  had  obtained  timber  from 
that  mountain  with  which  to  construct 
his  palaces  at  Babylon.  They  are  now 
represented  as  rejoicing  that  he  is  fallen, 
since  they  would  be  safe  and  undis- 
turbed. A  similar  figure  of  speech  oc- 
curs in  Virgil  Eel.  v.  u'8  : 

Peace,  peace,  mild  Daphnis  loves;  with  joyous 

cry 
The  untill'd  mountains  strike  the  echoing  sky  ; 
And   rocks   and  towers   the   triumph  spread  a- 

broad— 
"  A  god  !  Menalcas  t  Daphnis  is  a  god  I" 

Wrangham. 

It  is  a  beautiful  figure  ;  and  is  a  fine 
specimen  of  the  poetry  of  the  Hebrews, 
where  every  thing  is  animated,  and  full 
of  life.  IT  Since  thou  art  laid  down. 
Since  thou  art  dead.  IT  No  feller.  No 
one  to  cut  us  down.  Jowett  (Chris. 
Research.)  makes  the  following  re- 
marks on  this  passage  on  his  visit  to 
Lebanon.  "  As  we  passed  through  the 
extensive  forest  of  fir-trees  situated 
between  Deir  el  Kamr  and  Ainep,  we 
had  already  heard,  at  some  distance, 
the  stroke  of  one  solitary  axe,  resound- 
ing from  hill  to  hill  On  reaching  the 
spot,  we  found  a  peasant,  whose  labour 
had  been  so  far  successful,  that  he  had 
felled  his  tree  and  lopped  his  branches. 
He  was  now  hewing  it  in  the  middle, 
so  as  to  balance  the  two  halves  upon 
his  camel,  which  stood  patiently  by 
him  wraiting  for  his  load  In  the  days 
of  Hiram,  king  of  Tyre,  and  subse- 
quently under  the  kings  of  Babylon, 
this  romantic  solitude  was  not  so  peace- 
ful ;  that  most  poetic  image  in  Isaiah, 
who  makes  these  very  trees  vocal,  ex- 
ulting in  the  downfall  of  the  destroyer 
of  nations,  seems  now  to  be  almost 
realized  anew — Yea,  the  fir-trees  re- 
joice at  thee,  and  the  cedars  of  Lebanon, 
laying,  Since  thou  art  laid  down,  no 
feller  is  come  up  against  us." 
9.  Hell  from  beneath.     The  scene  is 


the  earth  :  it  hath  raised  up  from 
their  thrones  all  the  kings  of  the 
nations. 

4  or,  the  graves.  s  Ezek.  32.  21. 

5  leaders,  or,  great  goats. 

now  changed.  The  prophet  had  re- 
presented the.  people  of  all  the  subject 
nations  as  rejoicing  that  the  king  of 
Babylon  had  fallen,  and  had  introduced 
even  the  trees  of  the  forest  as  breakiiT- 
forth  into  joy  at  this  event.  He  now 
transfers  the  scene  to  the  mournful  re- 
gions of  the  dead  ;  follows  thp  spirit 
of  the  departed  king  of  Babylon — the 
man  who  once  gloried  in  the  magnifi- 
cence of  his  kingdom  and  his  court,  and 
who  was  more  distinguished  for  pride 
and  arrogance  than  all  other  monarchs 
— down  to  the  land  of  darkness,  and 
describes  his  reception  there.  This 
portion  of  the  ode  is  siginally  sub- 
lime, and  is  managed  with  great  power 
and  skill.  It  is  unequalled,  perhaps, 
by  any  writings  for  boldness,  majesty, 
and  at  the  same  time,  for  its  severe  sar- 
casm. The  word  hell  here  plNUJ 
sheol)  is  rendered  by  the  Vulgate  in- 
form!*} and  by  the  LXX  hades,  'O 
eMrjs.  It  properly  means  the  grarve,  and 
then  the  dark  regions  of  the  lower 
4  world — the  region  of  ghosts,  and  shades  : 
a  place  where  thick  darkness  reigns. 
The  verb  from  which  it  is  derived 
means  properly  to  ask,  to  demand,  to 
require,  to  seek;  and  this  name  sheol 
is  supposed  to  have  been  given  to  the 
grave,  and  to  the  regions  of  departed 
spirits,  from  the  insatiable  demand 
which  they  are  constantly  making  of 
the  living.  See  Note  ch.  v.  14,  where 
the  word  is  explained.  The  word  de- 
notes, says  Taylor  (Heb.  Con  ),  "  The 
underground  parts  of  the  earth,  other- 
wise called  the  nether  or  lower  parts 
of  the  earth  ;  the  earth  beneath  in  op- 
position to  the  earth  above,  where  men 
and  other  animals  live.  In  sheol  are 
the  foundations  of  the  mountains. 
Deut.  xxxii.  22.  In  sheol  men  pene- 
trate by  digging  into  the  earth.  Amos. 
ix.  2.  Into  sheol,  the  roots  of  trees  do 
strike  down.  Ezek.  xxxi.  16.  Into 
sheol  Korah,  Datham,  and  Abirani 
went   down   alive.   Num.  xvi.  30,  33. 


288 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


Jn  sheol  the  body  is  corrupted  and  con- 
sumed by  worms.  Job  xvii  13,  14.  Ps. 
xvi  10,  xlix  14.  They  that  rest  toge- 
ther in  the  dust  are  said  to  go  down  to 
the  bars,  or  strong  gates  of  sheol.  Job 
xvii.  It!.  In  sheol  there  is  no  know- 
ledge, nor  can  any  praise  God  or  give 
thanks  there.  Ps.  vi.  5.  Eccl  ix  10. 
Isa.  xxxviii.  10,  11.  Sheol  and  the 
pit,  death  and  corruption,  are  synony- 
mous. Ps  xvi.  10,  Ixxxix.  48.  Prov. 
i.  12,  vii  27.  Ezek.  xxxi.  16.  Hos. 
xiii.  14.  A  grave  is  one  particular 
cavity  purposely  digged  for  the  inter- 
ment of  a  dead  person  ;  sheol  is  a  col- 
lective name  for  all  the  graves  He 
that  is  in  the  grave  is  in  sheol  ;  but  he 
that  is  in  sheol  may  not  be  In  a  grave, 
but  in  any  pit  or  in  the  sea.  In  short, 
it  is  the  region  of  the  dead  ;  which  is 
figuratively  considered  as  a  city  or 
large  habitation  with  gates  and  bars  in 
which  there  are  many  chambers.  Prov. 
vii.  27."  Sheol  is  never  full,  but  is  al- 
ways asking  or  craving  more.  Prov. 
xxvii  2(1.  Heb.  ii.  5.  Here  it  means, 
not  a  place  of  punishment,  but  the  re- 
gion of  the  dead,  where  the  ghosts  of 
the  departed  are  considered  as  residing 
together.  H  From  beneath.  From  be- 
neath the  earth.  Sheol  was  always  re- 
presented as  being  in  or  under  the 
ground,  and  the  grave  was  the  avenue 
or  door  that  led  to  it.  Bee  Note  on 
ch.  v  14.  H  Is  moved  for  thee.  Is 
roused  to  meet  thee  ;  is  surprised  that 
a  monarch  once  so  proud  and  magnifi- 
cent is  descending  to  it.  The  image 
here  is  taken  from  the  custom  of  the 
ancients  in  burying,  especially  of  bury- 
ing princes  and  kings  This  was 
usually  done  in  caves  or  sepulchres  ex- 
cavated from  a  rock.  See  the  Notes 
and  illustrations  on  ch.  lxvi.  4.  Mr. 
Stephens  in  his  Travels  in  Egypt,  Ara- 
bia Fetraea,  and  the  Holy  Land,  has 
given  an  account  of  the  manner  in 
which  he  passed  a  night  in  Petra, 
which  may  serve  to  illustrate  this  pas- 
sage. "  We  ascended  the  valley,  and 
risins  to  the  summit  of  the  rocky  ram- 
part [of  Petra],  it  was  almost  dark 
when  we  found  ourselves  opposite  a 
range  of  tombs  .n  thp  suburbs  of  the 
eity.     Here  we  dismounted  ;   and   se- 


lecting from  among  them  one  which, 
from  its  finish  and  dimensions,  must 
have  been  the  last  abode  of  some 
wealthy  Edomite,  we  prepared  to  pass 
the  night  within  its  walls.  In  the 
front  part  of  it  was  a  large  chamber, 
about  twenty-five  feet  square  and  ten 
feet  high  ;  and  behind  this  was  another 
of  smaller  dimensions,  furnished  with 
receptacles  of  the  dead,  not  arranged 
after  the  manner  of  shelves  along 
the  wall,  as  in  the  catacombs  I  had 
seen  in  Italy  and  Egypt,  but  cut  length- 
wise in  the  rock,  like  ovens,  so  as  to 
admit  the  insertion  of  the  body  with 
the  feet  foremost.  My  plans  for  the 
morrow  being  all  arranged,  the  Be- 
douins stretched  themselves  out  in  the 
outer  chamber,  while  I  went  within; 
and  seeking  out  a  tomb  as  far  back  as 
I  could  find,  I  crawled  in  feet  first,  and 
found  myself  very  much  in  the  condi- 
tion of  a  man  buried  alive.  I  had  just 
room  enough  to  turn  round  ;  and  the 
worthy  old  Edomite  for  whom  the  tomb 
was  made  never  slept  in  it  more  quietly 
than  I  did."  Vol.  ii.  pp.  82,  «3,  86. 
To  understand  the  passage  before  us, 
wc  are  to  form  the  idea  of  an  immense 
and  gloomy  cavern,  all  around  which 
are  niches  or  cells  made  to  receive  the 
bodies  of  the  dead.  In  this  vast  vault 
monarchs  repose  in  grandeur  suitable 
to  their  former  rank,  each  on  his  couch, 
"  in  glory,"  with  their  arms  beside  them. 
See  ver.  18.  These  mighty  shades — 
these  departed  monarchs — are  repre- 
sented as  rising  from  their  couches  to 
meet  the  descending  king  of  Babylon, 
and  receive  him  with  insults  on  his 
fall  — The  Hebrew  word  for  moved 
denotes  more  than  our  translation  con- 
veys. It  means  that  they  were  agita- 
ted— they  trembled — they  advanced  to- 
wards the  descending  monarch  with 
trepidation.  The  idea  of  the  shades 
of  the  mighty  dead  thus  being  troubled, 
and  rising  to  meet  the  king  of  Babylon, 
is  one  that  is  exceedingly  sublime. 
IT  It  stirreth  up  Sheol  stirreth  up ; 
that  is.  they  are  stirred  up  or  excited. 
So  the  LXX  render  it :  "  All  the  giants 
who  rule  the  earth  rise  up  to  thee " 
IF  The  dead.  Heb.  C^XE"!  rtphaun. 
The  LXX  render  this  giants,  pi  yiyamt 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


28fc 


10  All  they  shall  speak  and 
say  unto  thee,  Art  thou  also  be- 
come weak  as  we  ?  art  thou  be- 
come like  unto  us  ? 

Bo  the  Vulgate,  and  the  Chaldee.    The 
meaning  of  this  word  has  been  a  sub- 
ject   of    great    difference    of    opinion 
among  lexicographers.    It  is  sometimes 
found  as  a  gentile  noun  to  denote  the 
sons    of    Raphah,   called    Rephaim  (2 
Sam.  xxi.  16,  18),  a  Canaanitish  race 
of    giants    that    lived    beyond    Jordan 
(Gen.  xiv.  5,  xv.  20),  from  whom  Og 
the    son    of    Bashan    was    descended. 
Deut   iii.  \\.     It  is  sometimes  used  to 
denote  all   the  giant  tribes  of  Canaan  ; 
(Deut.  ii.  11,  20)  ;  and  is  particularly  j 
applied  to  men  of  extraordinary  strength  : 
among    the    Philistines.     2  Sam.  xxi.  J 
16,    18.     Vitringa    supposes    that    the 
term   was    given   to   the  spirits  of  the 
dead  on  account  of  the  fact  that  they  I 
appeared  to  be  larger  than  life;  that  j 
they  in   their  form  and  stature  resem-  ! 
bled    giants.       But    a    more   probable  ' 
opinion    is,  that    it    is   applied  to  the 
shades  of  the  dead  as  being  weak,  fee- 
ble, or  without  power  or  sensation, from 
the    word    NST    rdphd,   weak,  feeble, 
powerless.       This     interpretation     is  ■ 
strongly  confirmed  by  the  place  before  : 
us  (ver.  10).     "  Art  thou  become  weak  ! 
as  we  1"     The  word  is  rendered  giants 
in  the  following  places:  2  Sam.  xxi.  16, 
18,  20,  22.  1  Chron.  xx.  5,  6,  8.  Deut. 
ii.  11,  20,  iii.  13.  Josh.  xv.  8,xviii.  16, 
Deut   iii.  11.  Josh,  xii  4,  xvii.  15.     It 
is   rendered   Rephaims  Gen.   xiv.  5.  2  i 
Sam.  v.  18,  22,  xxiii.  13.  Gen.  xv.  20.  j 
It  is  rendered  the  dead,  Isa.  xxvi.  29.  ' 
Job  xxvi.  5.  Ps    lxxxviii.  10.  Prov.  ii. 
18,  ix.  18,  xxi.  16.  Job  xxvi.  5;  and 
once  it  is  rendered  deceased,  Isa.  xxvi. 
1-!.     It  here  means  the  departed  spirits 
of  the  dead — the   inhabitants  of  that 
dark  and  dismal  region,  conceived  by 
the  Hebrews  to  be  situated  beneath  the 
ground,  where  dwell  the  departed  dead 
before    their    final    destiny    is    fixed — 
called   sheol,  or  hades.      It  is  not  the 
residence    of    the     wicked     only — the 
pla  •.*    of    punishment — but    the    place 
where  all  the  dead  are  supposed  to  be 
13 


11  Thy  pomp  is  brought  down 
to  the  grave,  and  the  noise  of  thy 
viols :  the  worm  is  spread  under 
thee,  and  the  worms  cover  thee. 


congregated  before  their  final  doom  is 
pronounced,  f  The  chief  ones  of  the 
earth.  Marg.  Leaders,  or  great  goats. 
The  Hebrew  word  means  properly 
great  goats,  or  goats  that  are  leaders 
of  the  flock.  Perhaps  there  is  intended 
to  be  a  slight  degree  of  sarcasm  in  ap- 
plying this  word  to  princes  and  mon- 
archy. It  is  nowhere  else  apphVl  to 
princes,  though  the  word  is  often  used 
or  applied  to  rains,  or  to  the  chief  goats 
of  a  flock.  IT  From  their  thrones.  In 
hades,  or  sheol.  They  are  there  repre- 
sented as  occupying  an  eminence  simi- 
lar to  that  which  distinguished  them 
on  earth. 

10.  All  they  shall  speak,  &c.  Lan- 
guage of  astonishment  that  one  so 
proud,  and  who  apparently  never  ex- 
pected to  die,  should  be  brought  down 
to  that  humiliating  condition.  It  is  a 
severe  taunt  at  the  great  change  which 
had  taken  place  in  a  haughty  monarch. 

11.  Thy  pomp.  Thy  magnificence. 
Note  on  ch.  v.  14.  IT  The  noise  of  thy 
viols.  Instruments  of  music  were  often 
used  in  their  feasts  ;  and  the  meaning 
here  is,  that  instead  of  being  surround- 
ed with  splendour,  and  the  instruments 
of  music,  the  monarch  was  now  brought 
down  to  the  corruption  and  stillness  of 
the  grave.  The  instrument  referred 
to  by  the  word  viol  333  vebhel,  plur. 
nebhdlim,  Gr.  vafiXa,  Lat.  nablium,  was 
a  stringed  instrument  usually  with 
twelve  strings,  and  played  by  the  pec- 
ten  or  by  the  hand.  See  Notes  and 
illustrations  on  ch.  v.  12.  Additional 
force  is  given  by  all  these  expressions 
if  they  are  read,  as  Lowth  reads  them, 
as  questions  asked  in  surprise,  and  in 
a  taunting  manner,  over  the  haughty 
king  of  Babylon.  '  Ts  thy  pride  then, 
brought  down  to  the  grave  V  &.c. 
IT  The  worm.  This  word  in  Hebrew 
il53"i  rimnia,  denotes  a  worm  that  is 
found  in  putrid  substances  Ex.  xvi. 
2f>.  Job  via  5,  xxi.  20.  IT  7s  spread 
under  thee.     Is    become  thy  couch— 


290 


ISAIAH. 


[B.L. 


12  How  art  thou  fallen  from 
heaven,  O  'Lucifer,  son  of  the 
morning  !  how  art  thou  cut  down 

9  or,  day-star. 

instead  of  the  gorgeous  couch  on  which 
thou  wert  accustomed  to  repose.  MAnd 
the  worm  "^rP^  tolea — the  same 
word  which  occurs  in  ch.  i  18,  and 
there  rendered  crimson.  See  Note  on 
that  verse.  This  word  is  usually  ap- 
plied to  the  insect  from  which  the 
crimson  dye  was  obtained  ;  but  it  is 
also  applied  to  the  worm  which  preys 
upon  the  dead.  Ex.  xvi.  20.  Isa. 
lxvi.  24.  If  Cover  thee.  Instead  of 
the  splendid  covering  which  was  over 
thee  when  reposing  on  thy  couch  in 
thy  palace.  AVhat  could  be  more  hu- 
miliating than  this  language  ?  How 
striking  the  contrast  between  his  pre- 
sent situation  and  that  in  which  lie 
reposed  in  Babylon !  And  yet  this 
language  is  as  applicable  to  all  others 
as  to  that  proud  and  haughty  king.  It 
is  equally  true  of  the  great  and  mighty 
every  where  ;  of  the  rich,  the  gay,  the 
beautiful,  and  the  proud,  who  lie  on 
beds  of  down,  that  they  will  soon  lie 
where  worms  shall  be  their  couch  and 
their  covering.  How  ought  th's  re- 
flection to  humble  our  pride !  How 
should  it  lead  us  to  be  prepared  for 
that  hour  when  the  grave  shall  be  our 
bed ;  and  when  far  aw^ay  from  the 
sound  of  the  viol  and  the  harp  ;  from 
the  sweet  voice  of  friendship  and  the 
noise  of  revelry,  we  shall  mingle  with 
our  native  dust ! 

12.  How  art  thou  fallen  from  kea- 
v;n.  A  new  image  is  presented  here. 
It  is  that  of  the  bright  morning  star  ; 
and  a  comparison  of  the  once  magnifi- 
cent monarch  with  that  beautiful  star 
He  is  now  exhibited  as  having  tallen 
from  his  place  in  the  east  to  the  earth. 
His  glory  is  dimmed  ;  his  brightness  | 
quenched.  Nothing  can  be  more  poetic 
and  beautiful  than  a  comparison  of  a 
magnificent  monarch  with  the  bright 
morning  Btar!  Nothing  more  striking 
in  representing  his  death  than  the  idea 
of  that  star  falling  to  the  earth  !  IT  Lu- 
nfcr.     Margin,  day-star.     5?",n  heltl 


to  the  ground,  which  didst  weak 
en  the  nations ! 

13  For  thou  hast  said  in  thine 
heart,  I  will  ascend  into  heaven, 


from  '5*7  haldl  to  shine.  The  word 
in  Hebrew  occurs  as  a  noun  nowhere 
else.  In  two  other  places  (Ezek.  xxi. 
12.  Zech.  xi.  2),  it  is  used  as  a  verb 
in  the  imperative  mood  of  the  Hiphil, 
and  is  translated  howl  from  the  verb 
35^  yaldl  to  howl  or  cry.  Gesenius 
and  Rosennitlller  suppose  that  it  should 
be  so  rendered  here.  So  Noyes  ren- 
ders it,  "  Howl,  son  of  the  morning  !'' 
But  the  common  translation  seeins  to 
be  preferable.  The  LXX  render  it 
r.M,-:f,'i»-,?,  and  the  Vulgate,  Lucifer, 
the  morning  star.  The  C  ha  Idee,  "  How 
art  thou  fallen  from  high,  who  wert 
splendid  among  the  sons  of  men " 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  object 
in  the  eye  of  the  prophet  was  the  bright 
morning  star;  ami  his  design  was  to 
compare  this  magnificent  oriental  mo- 
narch with  that  The  comparison  of 
a  monarch  with  the  sun,  or  the  other 
heavenly  bodies  is  common  in  the 
Scriptures,  t  Son  of  the  morning. 
This  is  a  Hebraism  (see  Note  Matt.  i. 
l,j  and  signifies  that  that  bright  star 
is,  as  it  were,  the  production,  or  the 
offspring  of  morning;  or  that  it  belongs 
to  the  morning.  The  word  sow  often 
thus  denotes  possession,  or  that  one 
thing  belongs  to  another.  The  same 
star  in  one  place  represents  the  Son  of 
God  himself.  Rev.  xxi.  16:  "I  am — 
the  bright  and  morning  star."  IT  Wh°!ch 
didst  weaken  the  nations.  By  thy  op- 
pressions and  exactions,  rendering  once 
mighty  nations  feeble. 

13.  For  thou  hast  said  in  thine  heart. 
It  was  thy  purpose  or  design.  IT  /  wilt 
ascend  into  heaven.  Nothing  could 
more  Strikingly  show  the  arrogance  of 
the  monarch  of  Babylon  than  this  im- 
pious design.  The  meaning  is,  that 
he  intended  to  set  himself  up  as  su- 
preme ;  he  designed  that  all  should 
pay  homage  to  him  ;  he  did  not  intend 
to  acknowledge  the  authority  of  God. 
It  is  not  to  be  understood  literally ; 
but   it   means   that  he  intended  not  to 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


291 


I  will  exalt  r  ly  throne  above  the 
stars1  of  God  :  I  will  sit  also  up- 

X  Dan.  8.  10. 

acknowledge  any  superior  either  in 
heaven  or  earth,  but  designed  that  him- 
self and  his  laws  should  be  regarded  as 
supreme.  If  Above  the.  stars  of  God 
The  stars  which  God  has  made.  This 
expression  is  equivalent  to  the  former 
that  he  would  ascend  into  heaven. 
*>■  I  will  sit  also  upon  the  mount  of  the 
congregation.  The  word  rendered  con- 
gregation ^5^  from  "I??  to  fix,  ap- 
point, properly  means  a  fixed  or  definite 
time  ;  then  an  appointed  place  ot  meet- 
ing ;  then  a  meeting  itself;  an  assem- 
bly, a  congregation  What  is  referred 
to  here  it  is  difficult  to  determine.  The 
LXX  render  it,  "  on  a  high  mountain, 
on  the  lofty  regions  which  lie  to  the 
North."  The  Chaldee,  "  I  will  sit  in  the 
mount  of  covenant,  in  the  regions  of  the 
North."  Grotius  supposes  that  when 
the  king  of  Babylon  said  he  would 
ascend  into  heaven,  he  meant  the  land 
of  Judea,  which  was  called  heaven 
because  it  was  dedicated  to  God  ; — 
that  when  he  said  he  would  ascend 
above  the  stars,  he  meant  to  denote 
those  "  who  were  learned  in  the  law  ;" 
that  by  the  "  mount  of  the  congrega- 
tion," he  meant  Mount  Moriah  where 
was  the  temple  ;  and  that  by  the  "  side 
of  the  North,"  he  meant  Mount  Zion, 
which  he  says  was  on  the  north  of 
Jerusalem.  It  is  remarkable  that  the 
usually  accurate  Grotius  should  have 
fallen  into  this  error,  as  Mount  Zion 
was  not  on  the  north  of  Jerusalem,  but 
was  south  of  Mount  Moriah.  Vitringa 
defends  the  same  interpretation  in  the 
main,  but  supposes  that  by  the  "  mount 
of  the  congregation"  is  meant  Mount 
Zion,  and  by  "  the  sides  of  the  North," 
is  meant  Mount  Moriah  lying  north  of 
Zion.  He  supposes  that  Mount  Zion 
is  called  "  the  mount  of  the  congrega- 
tion," not  because  the  congregation  of 
Israel  assembled  there,  but  because  it 
was  the  appointed  place  where  God 
met  his  people,  or  where  he  manifested 
himself  to  them,  and  appeals  to  the. 
following  places  where  the  word  which 
is   here   rendered   congregetion   is  ap- 


on  the  mount  of  the  congregation, 
in  the  sides*'  of  the  north : 

y  Pa.  48.  2. 

plied,  in  various  forms,  to  the  mani- 
festation which  God  thus  made.  Ex. 
xxv.  22,  xxix  42,  43.  Ps.  lxxiv.  8. 
So  Lowth  supposes  that  it  refers  to  the 
place  where  God  promised  to  meet 
with  his  people  (Ex.  xxv  22,  xxix.  42. 
43),  and  to  commune  with  them,  and 
translates  it  "  the  mount  of  the  Divine 
presence."  But  to  this  interpretation 
there  are  great  objections.  (1.)  The 
terms  here  employed  "  the  mount  of 
the  congregation,"  "  the  sides  of  the 
North,"  are  not  elsewhere  applied  to 
Mount  Zion,  and  to  Mount  Moriah. 
(2.)  It  does  not  correspond  with  the 
evident  design  of  the  king  of  Babylon. 
His  object  was  not  to  make  himself 
master  of  Zion  and  Moriah,  but  it  was 
to  exalt  himself  above  the  stars  ;  to  be 
elevated  above  all  inferior  beings  ;  and 
to  be  above  the  gods.  (3.)  It  is  a 
most  forced  and  unnatural  interpreta- 
tion to  call  the  land  of  Judea  "  hea- 
ven," to  speak  of  it  as  being  "  above 
the  stars  of  God,"  or  as  "  above  the 
heights  of  the  clouds  ;"  and  it  is  clear 
that  the  king  of  Babylon  had  a  much 
higher  ambition,  and  much  more  arro- 
gant pretensions,  than  the  conquest  of 
what  to  him  would  be  the  comparative- 
ly limited  province  of  Judea.  How- 
ever important  that  land  appeared  to 
the  Jews  as  their  couniry  and  their 
home  ;  or  however  important  it  was  as 
the  place  of  the  solemnities  of  the  true 
religion,  yet  we  are  to  remember  that 
it  had  no  such  consequence  in  the  eyes 
of  the  king  of  Babylon.  He  had  no 
belief  in  the  truth  of  the  Jewish  reli- 
gion, and  all  Judea  compared  with  his 
other  vast  domains  would  appear  to  be 
a  very  unimportant  province.  It  is 
evident,  therefore,  I  think,  that  the 
king  of  Babylon  did  not  refer  here  to 
Judea,  or  to  Zion  The  leading  idea 
of  his  heart,  which  ought  to  guide  our 
interpretation,  was,  that  he  designed 
to  ascend  in  authority  over  all  inferior 
beings,  and  to  be  like  the  Most  High. 
We  are  to  remember  that  Babylon  wa8 
a  city  of  idolatry  ;  and  it  is  most  pro- 


292 


ISAIAH. 


[JB.C.713 


bable  that  by  "  the  mount  of  the  con- 
gregation, in  the  sides  of  the  north," 
there  is  reference-  to  a  belief  prevalent 
in  Babylon  that  the  gods  had  their 
residenou  on  some  mountain  of  the 
north.  This  was  a  common  opinion 
among  the  ancients.  The  Hindoos 
call  that  mountain  Meru  ;  the  Per- 
sians, who  are  followers  of  Zoroaster, 
Al  Bordsch;  the  Arabs,  Kafe;  and  the 
Greeks,  Olympus.  The  common  opi- 
nion was  that  this  mountain  was  in 
the  centre  of  the  world,  but  the  Hin- 
doos speak  of  it  as  to  the  north  of  them- 
selves in  the  Himmoleh  regions  ;  the 
followers  of  Zoroaster  in  the  moun- 
tains of  Caucasus,  lying  to  the  north  of 
their  country  ;  and  the  Greeks  speak  of 
Olympus,  the  highest  mountain  north 
of  them  in  Thessaly.  The  Hindoo 
belief  is  thus  referred  to  by  Ward : — 
u  In  the  book  of  Karma-Vipaka,  it  is 
eaid  that  the  heavenly  Vishnu,  Brahma, 
and  Siva,  are  upon  the  three  peaks  of 
the  mountain  Su-Meru,  and  that  at  the 
foot  of  this  mountain  are  the  heavens 
of  twenty-one  other  gods."  View  of  the 
History,  Literature,  and  Religion  of  the 
Hindoos,  vol.  i.  13.  So  Wilford,  in  a 
Treatise  on  the  mountain  Caucasus, 
in  the  Asiatic  Researches,  vol.  vi  488, 
says,  "  The  Hindoos  regard  the  moun- 
tain Meru  as  the  dwelling-place  of  the 
gods.  In  the  Puranns  it  is  said,  that 
upon  the  mountain  Meru  there  is  eter- 
nal day,  for  a  space  of  fourteen  degrees 
around  the  mountain  Su-Meru,  and 
consequently  eternal  night  for  the  same 
space  on  the  opposite  side  ;  so  the 
Hindoos  are  constrained  to  admit  that 
Su-Meru  is  directly  upon  the  top  of  the 
shadow  of  the  earth,  and  that  from  the 
earth  to  that  peak  there  is  a  vast  cone- 
formed  hill,  dense  as  other  earthly  bo- 
dies, but  invisible,  impalpable,  and  im- 
passable by  mortals.  On  the  side  of 
this  hill  are  various  abodes,  winch,  the 
higher  one  ascends,  become  the  more 
beautiful,  and  which  are  made  the 
dwellings  of  the  blessed  according 
to  the  degrees  of  their  desert.  God 
and  the  most  exalted  of  the  divine 
beings  have  their  abodes  on  the  sides 
of  the  north,  and  on  the  top  «f  this 
mountain."     According  to  the  Zenda- 


•  vesta,  the  Al  Bordsch  is  the  oldest  and 
I  the    highest   of  the    mountains  ;  upon 
that  is  the  throne  of  Ormuzd,  and  the 
assemblage     of    the    heavenly    spirits 
(Femer).       See    Rosenm tiller,    Alter- 
thumskunde,    i.    154-157.      Thus    in 
Babylon,  some  of  the  mountains  north 
in  Armenia   may  have  been   supposed 
to   be   the   peculiar    dwelling-place  of 
the   gods.     Such   a   mountain    would 
appear  to  be  under  the  north  pole,  and 
the  constellations   would   seem    to  re- 
!  volve  around  it.     It  is  not  improbable 
that  the  Aurora  Borealis,  playing  often 
I  as  it   does  in  the  North  with  peculiar 
magnificence,  might  have  contributed 
to  the  belief  that  this  was  the  pedoliai 
abode  of  the  gods.     Unable  to  account 
— as  indeed  all  moderns  are — for  these 
peculiar  and    magnificent  lights  in  the 
North,    it    accorded    with    the    poetic 
and    mythological    fancy    of  the    an- 
cients  to   suppose   that  they  were     e- 
signed   to  play  around,  and  to   aaorn 
the  habitation  of  the   gods.     This  dis- 
position to  make  the  mountains  of  the 
North  the  seat  of  the  gods,  may  have 
arisen   also  in   part  from  the  fact  that 
the   country  on  the   north   of  Babylon 
was  a  volcanic   region,   and    that   the 
light  emitted   from    volcanoes  wa^>  an 
appropriate  manifestation  of  the  glory 
of  superior  invisible  beings.     "  On  the 
borders  of  the   Caspian  [Sea],  in  the 
country  around   the   Bakir  there   is   a 
tract  called  The  Field  of  Fire,  which 
continually    emits     inflammable    gas, 
while  springs  of  naphtha  and  petroleum 
occur  in  the  same  vicinity,  as  also  mud 
volcanoes.     In  the  chain  of  Elburs,  to 
the  south  of  this  sea,  is  a  lofty  moun- 
tain, which  according  to  Morier,  some- 
times emits  smoke,  and  at  the  base  of 
which  there  are  several  craters  where 
sulphur  and   saltpetre  are  procured  in 
sufficient  abundance  to  be  used  in  com- 
merce." — Lyell's  Geology,  i.  297.     We 
find  some  traces  of  these  ideas  in  the 
Scriptures.     The  North  is  often  men- 
tioned  as   the  seat  of  the   whirlwind. 
the  storm,  and   especially  as  the  resi- 
dence of  the  cherubim.     Thus  in  Eze- 
kiel's     vision    of    the     cherubim,     the 
whole  magnificent  scene  is  represent- 
ed as  coming  from   the   North — as  if 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


293 


14  I  will  ascend  above  the 
heights  of  the  clouds ;  I  will  be 
•like  the  Most  High. 

j  2Thes.  2.  4. 


the  appropriate  abode  of  the  cheru- 
bim. 

"  I  looked,  and  loi  a  whirlwind  frumthe.  Sorth, 
Came   sweeping    onward,  a   vast  cloud    that 

rolled 
In  volumes,  charged  with  gleaming  fire,  along, 
And  cast  its  splendours  all  around. 
Now  from  within  shone  forth,  what  seemed 

the  glow 
Of  gold  and  silver  molten  in  the  flume, 
And  in  the  midst  thereof  the  form  expressed, 
As  of  a  fourfold  living  Hung—  a  shape 
That  yet  contained  the  semblance  of  a  man." 
Ezek.  1,  4,  5,  trans  in  Marsh's  Herder. 

Thus  in  Ezek.  xxviii.  14,  Tyre  is  said 
to  be  "  the  anointed  cherub  that  eover- 
eth,"  and  to  have  been  "  upon  the  holy 
mountain  of  God,"  or  the  gods — evi- 
dently meaning  not  Zion,  but  some 
mountain  in  the  vicinity  of  Eden.  See 
ver.  13.  Thus  also  in  Zech.  vi  1 — 8, 
four  chariots  are  represented  as  coining 
out  of  the  mountains,  the  first  chariot 
with  red  horses,  the  second  with  black 
horses,  the  third  with  white  horses,  and 
the  fourth  with  bay  horses.  The 
horses  that  have  gone  through  the  earth 
are  (ver.  8)  represented  as  going  to 
the  north  as  their  place  of  rest.  These 
passages,  particularly  the  one  from  Eze- 
kiel,  show  that  the  northern  regions 
were  regarded  as  the  seat  of  striking 
and  peculiar  manifestations  of  the  divine 
glory.  Comp.  Notes  on  Job  xxiii.  9, 
and  xxxvii.  '22  And  it  is  probable 
that  in  the  view  of  the  Babylonians  the 
northern  mountains  of  Armenia,  that 
seemed  to  be  near  the  north  pole  around 
which  the  constellations  revolved,  and 
that  appeared  to  be  surmounted  and 
encompassed  by  the  splendid  light  of 
the  Aurora  Borealis,  were  regarded  as 
the  peculiar  place  where  the  gods  held 
their  assemblies,  and  from  whence  their 
power  went  forth  through  the  nations. 
Over  all  their  power  it  was  the  inten- 
tion of  the  king  of  Babylon  to  ascend, 
and  even  to  rise  above  the  stars  that 
performed  their  revolutions  around  the 
eeats  of  the  gods  in  the  north  ;  to  be 
supreme  in  that  assembly  of  the  gods, 
and  to  be  regarded  there  as  the  su- 
arems  and  incontrol'able  director   of 


15  Yet  "thou  shalt  be  brought 
down  to  hell,  to  the  sides  of  the 
pit. 

a  Matt,  n.23 

even  all  the  gods.  It  is  probable,  says 
Mittbrd  (Life  of  Milton,  i.  p.  73),  that 
from  this  scarcely  intelligible  hint  Mil- 
ton threw  up  his  palace  for  his  fallen 
angels — -thus : 

At  length  into  the  limits  of  the  North 

They  came,  and  Satan  to  his  royal  seat, 

High  on  a  hill,  far  blazing  as  a  mount 

Raised  on  a  mount,  with  pyramid-  and  towers, 

From  diamond  quarries  hewn,  ami  rocks  of  gold. 

The  paiace  of  great  Lucifer,  so  rail 

That  structure  in  the  dialect  of  men 

Interpreted;  which  not  long  after  he 

Affeotingan  equality  with  God, 

In  imitati&n  of  that  mount,  whereon 

Messiah  was  declared  in  sight  of  heaven, 

The  mountain  of  the  congregation  called,  etc. 

14.  /  mill  be  like  the  3Iost  High. 
There  is  a  remarkable  resemblance  be- 
tween this  language  and  that  used  (2 
Thess  ii.  4)  in  regard  to  Antichrist  : 
"  He,  as  God,  sitteth  in  the  temple  of 
God,  showing  himself  that  he  is  God." 
And  this  similarity  is  the  more  re- 
markable because  Antichrist  is  repre- 
sented (in  Rev.  xvii.  4,  5,)  as  seated 
in  Babylon — the  spiritual  seat  of  arro- 
gance, oppression,  and  pride.  Probably 
Paul  had  the  passage  in  Isaiah  in  his 
eye  when  he  penned  the  description  of 
Antichrist. 

15.  Yet  thou  shalt  be  brought  down 
to  hell.  Heb.  To  sheol.  Comp.  ver. 
9.  IT  To  the  sides  of  the  pit.  The 
word  "  pit  "  here,  is  evidently  synony- 
mous with  hell  or  hades,  represented  as 
a  deep,  dark  region  under  ground. 
The  dead  were  often  buried  in  caves, 
and  the  descent  was  often  dark  and 
dreary,  to  the  vaults  where  they  re- 
posed. Hence  it  is  always  represented 
as  going  down;  or  as  the  inferior  re- 
gions. The  "  sides  of  the  pit "  here 
stand  opposed  to  the  "  sides  of  the 
north."  He  had  sought  to  ascend  to 
the  one  ;  he  should  be  brought  down  to 
the  other.  The  reference  here  is, 
doubtless  to  the  land  of  shades  ;  to  the 
dark  and  dismal  regions  where  the  de- 
parted dead  are  supposed  to  dwell — to 
sheol.  So  the  parallelism  proves.  But 
the  image  or  figure  is  taken  from  the 

I  custom  of  burying,   where    in    a  dent' 


294 


ISAIAH. 


[.B.C.  713. 


10  They  that   see  thee  shall  '  cities  thereof ;  *lhat  opened   no* 
narrowly    look    upon   thee,    and    the  house  of  his  prisoners  ? 
consider  thee,  saying,  Is  this  the         18  All   the  kings  of  the   na- 
man  that  made  the  earth  to  trcm-  j  tions,  even  all  of  them,  lie  in  glo- 
ble,  that  did  shake  kingdoms  ;         ry,  every  one  in  Ins  own  house: 

17    That  made  the  world  as  a         19  But  thou  art  cast  out  of 
wilderness,    and    destroyed    the  ;  thy  grave    like    an    abominable 

2  or,  did  not  let  his  prisoners  loose,  homewards. 


natural  cavern,  or  a  sepulchre  exca- 
vated from  a  rock,  the  dead  were 
ranged  around  the  aides  of  the  cavern 
in  niches  ur  recesses  excavated  for  that 
purpose.     See  Note  on  ver   9. 

1G.  They  that  see  thee.  That  is, 
after  thou  art  dead.  The  scene  here 
changes,  and  tht^  prophet  introduces 
those  who  would  contemplate  the  body 
of  the  king  of  Babylon  after  he  should 
be  slain — the  passers-by  arrested  with 
astonishment,  that  one  so  proud  and 
haughty  was  at  last  slain,  and  cast  out 
among  the  common  dead,  ver.  19. 
11  Hhiill  narrowly  look  upon  thee.  To 
be  certain  that  they  were  not  deceived. 
This  denotes  great  astonishment,  as  if 
they  could  scarcely  credit  the  testimony 
of  their  senses.  It  also  expresses  in- 
sult and  contempt.  They  ask  whether 
it  is  possible  that  one  who  so  recently 
shook  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  should 
now  lie  cast  out  as  unworthy  of  a  bu- 
rial. T  That  made  the  earth  to  trem- 
ble. That  agitated  the  world  by  his 
ambition. 

17.  That  made  the  world  as  a  wil- 
derness. That  made  cities  and  king- 
doms desolate,  f  That  opened  not 
the  house  of  his  prisoners.  This  is 
a  description  of  his  oppression  and  cru- 
elty. Of  course  many  prisoners  would 
be  taken  in  war.  Instead  of  giving 
them  liberty,  he  threw  them  into  prison 
ind  kept  them  there.  This  may  be 
rendered,  "  his  prisoners  he  did  not  re- 
lease that  they  might  return  home." 
See  the  Margin.  The  Chaldee  ren- 
ders it,  "  To  his  prisoners  he  did  not 
open  the  door."  The  sense  is  substan- 
tially the  same.  The  idea  is,  that  he 
was  cruel  and  oppressive.  He  threw 
his  captives  into  dungeons,  and  found 
pleasure  in  retaining  them  there. 


18.  All  the  kings  of  the  nations. 
That  is,  this  is  the  common  way  in 
which  the  kings  are  buried.  T  Lie  in 
glory.  They  lie  in  a  magnificent  mauso- 
leum ;  they  are  surrounded  with  splen- 
dour even  in  their  tombs.  It  is  w*-ll 
known  that  vast  sums  of  money  were 
expended  to  rear  magnificent  mau- 
soleums as  the  burial-place  of  kings. 
With  this  design  probably  the  pyra- 
mids of  Egypt  were  reared  ;  and  the 
temple  of  Bel  in  Babylon,  we  are  told, 
was  employed  for  this  purpose  Jose- 
phus  says  that  vast  quantities  of  money 
were  buried  in  the  sepulchre  of  David. 
The  kings  of  Israel  were  buried  in  a 
royal  burying-place  on  Mount  Zion. 
2  Chron.  xxi.  20,  xxxv.  24.  Neh.  iii. 
16.  For  a  description  of  the  sepulchre 
of  David,  and  of  sepulchres  in  general, 
see  Cal.  Die.  Art.  Sepulchre.  Coinp. 
Ezek.  xxxii.  IT  Every  one  in  his  own 
house.  In  a  sepulchre  constructed  for 
himself.  It  was  usual  for  kings  to  have 
a  splendid  tomb  constructed  for  them- 
selves. 

19.  But  thou  art  cast  out  of  thy 
grave.  Thou  art  not  buried  like  other 
kings  in  a  magnificent  sepulchre,  but 
art  cast  out  like  the  common  dead. 
This  was  a  mark  of  the  highest  in- 
famy. See  Isa.  xxxiv.  3.  Ezek.  xxix. 
5.  Jer.  xxii.  19  Nothing  was  consi- 
dered more  disgraceful  than  to  be  de- 
nied the  privileges  of  an  honourable 
burial.  See  Note  on  ch.  liii.  9.  On 
the  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy,  see 
Note  on  ver.  20.     f  As  an  abominable 

branch.  ^T?  "'?.?.•?  •  The  LXX  ren- 
der this,  "  And  thou  shalt  be  cast  upon 
the  mountains  as  a  dead  body  that  is 
abominable,  with  many  dead  that  are 
slain  by  the  sword,  descending  to 
Hades."      The   Chaldee,   "  And    thou 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


295 


branch,  and  as  the  raiment  of 
those  that  are  slain,  thrust 
through  with  a  sword,  that  go 
down  to  the  stones  of  the  pit ;  as 
a  carcase  trodden  under  feet. 
20  Thou  shalt  not  be  joined 


with  them  in  burial,  because 
thou  hast  destroyed  thy  land,  and 
slain  thy  people:  the  dseed  of 
evil-doers  shall  never  be  re- 
nowned. 

d  Job  18.  16.    Ps.  3*  28. 


ehalt  be  cast  out  of  thy  sepulchre  as  a 
branch  that  is  hid."  Lowth  supposes 
that  by  "  abominable  branch  "  there 
is  allusion  to  a  tree  on  which  a  niale- 
lactor  was  hanged,  that  was  regarded 
as  detestable,  and  cursed.  But  there 
are  obvious  objections  to  this  interpre- 
tation. One  is,  that  the  word  branch 
[nctzer),  is  never  applied  to  a  tree.  It 
means  a  shoot,  a  slip,  a  scion.  Note  ch. 
xi.  1.  Another  objection  is,  that  there 
seems  here  to  be  no  necessary  allusion 
to  such  a  tree  ;  or  to  any  thing  that 
would  lead  to  it.  Jerome  says,  that 
the  word  netzer  denotes  a  shoot  or 
sucker  that  starts  up  at  the  root  of  a 
plant  or  tree,  and  that  is  useless  to  the 
husbandman,  and  which  he  therefore 
cuts  off.  So  says  he,  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon shall  be  cast  off — as  the  farmer 
throws  away  the  useless  sucker.  This 
is  probably  the  correct  idea.  The  word 
abominable  means,  therefore,  not  only 
that  which  is  useless,  but  indicates  that 
the  shoot  or  sucker  is  troublesome  to 
the  husbandman.  It  is  an  object  that 
he  hates,  and  which  he  gets  clear  of  as 
soon  as  possible.  So  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon would  be  cast  out  as  useless,  hate- 
ful, abominable,  to  be  thrown  away,  as 
the  noxious  shoot  is,  as  unfit  for  use, 
and  unworthy  to  be  preserved.  IT  As 
the  raiment  of  those  that  are  slain.  As 
a  garment  that  is  all  defiled  with  gore, 
and  that  is  cast  away  and  left  to  rot. 
The  garments  of  those  slain  in  battle, 
covered  with  blood  and  dirt,  would  be 
cast  away  as  polluted  and  worthless, 
and  so  would  be  the  king  of  Babylon 
Among  the  Hebrews  such  garments 
were  regarded  with  peculiar  abhorrence 
(Rosenmilller)  ;  perhaps  from  the  dread 
which  they  had  of  touching  a  dead 
body,  and  of  course  of  any  thing  that 
was  found  on  i  dead  body.  IT  Thrust 
through  with  a  sword.  That  is,  the 
slain   thrust    through.     The   effect   of 


this  was  to  pollute  the  garment  with 
blood,  and  to  render  it  useless.  IT  That 
go  down  to  the  stones  of  the  pit.  The 
"  pit"  here  means  the  grave  or  sepul- 
chre, ver.  15.  The  phrase  stones  of 
the  pit.  conveys  the  idea  that  the  grave 
or  sepulchre  was  usually  either  exca- 
vated from  the  solid  rock,  or  construct- 
ed of  stones.  The  idea  is  simply,  that 
those  who  were  slain  with  the  sword 
were  buried  in  the  usual  manner,  though 
their  bloody  garments  defiled  were  cast 
away.  But  the  king  of  Babylon  should 
not  have  even  the  honour  of  such  a 
burial  as  was  given  to  those  who  fell  in 
battle.  TT  As  a  carcase  trodden  under 
foot.  Unburied  ;  as  the  body  of  a 
brute  that  is  exposed  to  the  air,  and 
denied  the  honour  of  a  sepulchre. 

20.  Thou  shalt  not  be  joined  with 
them  in  burial.  That  is,  even  with 
those  who  are  slain  with  the  sword  in 
battle,  and  to  whom  is  granted  the  pri- 
vilege of  a  decent  burial.  *H  Hast  de- 
stroyed thy  land.  Hast  been  a  cruel, 
harsh,  and  oppressive  prince,  IT  The 
seed  of  evil-doers.  The  posterity  of 
the  wicked.  IT  Shall  never  be  renowned. 
Heb.  Shall  never  be  called,  or  named, 
^(^"X?  ,  that  is,  shall  never  be  dis- 
tinguished, celebrated,  or  honoured. 
This  is  a  general  proposition  ;  but  the 
prophet  here  possibly  designs  to  apply  it 
to  the  king  of  which  he  is  speaking,  as 
having  been  descended  from  ancestors 
that  were  wicked  ;  or  more  probably  it 
is  a  new  circumstance,  more  fully  ex- 
plained in  the  following  verse,  that  his 
posterity  should  be  cut  off  from  the 
honour  of  succeeding  him  on  the 
throne,  and  that  they,  as  well  as  he, 
should  be  loaded  with  disgrace.  The 
design  is  to  affirm  the  fact  that  the 
Babylonian  dynasty  would  end  with 
him  ;  and  that  his  posterity  would  be 
reduced  from  the  honours  which  they 
nad  hoped  to  have  inherited.     At  the 


296 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


21  Prepare  slaughter  for  his*  i  22  For  I  will  rise  up  against 
children  for  the  iniquity  of  their  j  them,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  and 
fathers;  that  they  do  not  rise,  cut  oil*  from  Babylon  the  name, 
nor  possess  the  land,  nor  fill  the  and  remnant,  and  son,  and  ne- 
face  of  the  world  with  cities.         ,  phew,  saith  the  Lord. 

8  Ex.  20.  5. 


same  time,  the  general  proposition  is 
applicable  not  only  to  the  posterity  of 
the  king  of  Babylon,  but  to  all.  It  is 
n  great  truth  pertaining  to  the  divine 
administration,  that  the  descendants  of 
wicked  men  shall  be  dishonoured.  So 
it  is  wiih  the  posterity  of  a  traitor,  a 
pirate,  a  drunkard,  a  man  of  profligacy. 
They  are  involved  in  disgrace,  poverty, 
and  calamity,  as  the  result  of  the  sin 
of  their  ancestor. 

21.  Prepare  slaughter  for  his  chil- 
dren. That  is,  cut  them  off  not  only 
from  inheriting  the  honour  of  their 
father,  but  from  life.  This  command 
seems  to  be  directed  to  the  Medes  and 
Persians,  and  denotes  that  they  would 
thus  cut  off  his  children.  IT  For  the 
iniquity  of  their  fathers.  On  account 
of  the  crimes  of  their  ancestors — the 
pride,  haughtiness,  and  oppression  of 
the  kings  of  Babylon.  This  is  the 
statement  of  a  general  principle  of  the 
divine  administration,  that  the  conse- 
quences of  crime  often  pass  over  from 
the  perpetrator,  and  impinge  on  his  de- 
scendants. See  Ex  xx.  5.  1T  That 
they  do  not  rise.  That  they  do  not 
rise  to  occupy  the  places  of  their  fathers  ; 
that  they  be  degraded  and  reduced 
from  their  elevation  and  honours. 
IT  Nor  Jill  the  face  of  the  world  with 
citus.  The  LXX  render  this,  "  And 
fill  the  land  with  wars."  The  Chaldee, 
"  And  fill  the  face  of  the  world  with 
enemies."  The  Syriac,  "  And  fill  the 
face  of  the  earth  with  war."  These 
versions  evidently  took  the  word  D"1^ 
arim-  to  mean  enemies  or  wars,  a 
sense  which  the  word  sometimes  may 
have.  But  the  common  interpretation 
is  to  be  preferred.  The  apprehension 
was,  that  they  would  fill  the  land,  if 
they  lived,  with  such  cities  of  pride, 
magnificence  and  wickedness,  as  Bahu- 
lon  was,  and  that  thus  crimes  would 
be    multiplied    and     prolonged ;    and 


henee  the  purpose  of  God  was  not  only 

to  cut  oil"  Babylon — the  mode!  of  all 
cities  of  arrogance  and  pride — hut  also 
to  cut  off  those  who  would  be  disposed 
to  rear  similar  Cities,  and  to  till  the 
land  again  with  crime. 

:22.  Fur  I  will  rise  up  against  them, 
siiith  the  LOSS  Bjf  hosts  That  is, 
against  the  family  of  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon. IF  And  cut  of  from  Babylon  ike 
name.  That  is,  all  the  males  of  t.ie 
royal  family,  so  that  the  name  of  the 
monarch  shall  become  extinct.  Gomp. 
Ruth  iv.  5.  Isa  lvi.  5.  IT  And  rem- 
nant. All  that  is  left  of  them  ;  so  that 
the  family  shall  cease  to  exist.  fl  Tue 
son  and  nephew.  Every  one  of  the 
family  who  could  claim  to  be  an  heir 
of  the  throne.  The  dynasty  shall 
cease  ;  and  the  proud  and  haughty 
family  shall  become  wholly  extinct. 
This  is  the  solemn  purpose  in  regard 
to  the  family  of  the  monarch  of  Baby- 
lon. It  only  remains  to  inquire  when 
and  how  it  was  fulfilled. 

The  circumstances  which  it  was  said 
would  exist  in  regard  to  the  king  of 
Babylon  here  spoken  of,  are  the  fol- 
lowing: (1.)  That  he  would  be  a  proud, 
haughty  and  oppressive  prince,  ver.  17 
— and  throughout  the  prophecy.  (2.) 
That  when  he  died  he  would  be  cast 
out  with  the  common  dead,  and  denied 
the  common  honours  of  the  sepulchre — 
especially  the  honours  which  all  other 
monarchs  have  in  their  burial,  vs.  Lb— 
20.  (3.)  That  his  posterity  would  be 
cut  off,  and  that  he  would  have  no  one 
to  succeed  him  on  his  throne ;  or  that 
the  dynasty  and  the  kingdom  would 
terminate  in  him,  vs.  21,22. 

In  regard  to  the  application  and  the 
fulfilment  of  this  prophecy  there  have 
been  three  opinions. 

I.  That  it  does  not  refer  to  an  mdu 
oidual  sovereign,  but  to  the  kings  of 
Babylon  in  general  ;  that  the  descrip- 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


297 


tion  is  designed  to  be  applicable  to  the 
succession  or  the  dynasty,  as  signally 
haughty,  proud,  and  oppressive  ;  and 
that  the  prophet  means  to  say  that  that 
haughty  and  wicked  reign  of  kings 
should  cease.  To  this,  the  objections 
are  obvious.  (1.)  The  whole  aspect 
and  course  of  the  prophet  seems  to  have 
r<  Terence  to  an  individual.  Such  an 
individual  the  prophet  seems  to  have 
constantly  in  his  eye.  He  descends  to 
s/ieol  (ver.  9)  ;  he  is  proud,  ambitious, 
oppressive,  cast  out ;  all  of  which  cir- 
cumstances refer  naturally  to  an  indi- 
vidual, and  not  to  a  succession  or  dy- 
nasty. (2.)  The  main  circumstance 
mentioned  in  the  prophecy  is  applicable 
only  to  an  individual — that  he  should 
be  unburicd,  vs.  18-21.  It  was  not  ' 
true  of  all  the  kings  of  Babylon  that 
they  were  unburied,  and  how  could  it 
be  said  respecting  a  succession  or  a 
dynasty  at  all  that  it  should  be  cast  out 
of  the  grave  as  an  abominable  branch  ; 
and  that  it  should  not  be  joined  with 
others  in  burial  ?  All  the  circum- 
stances, therefore,  lead  us  to  suppose 
that  the  prophet  refers  to  an  individual. 
II.  The  Jews,  in  general,  suppose 
that  it  refers  to  Nebuchadnezzar.  But 
to  this  interpretation,  the  objections  are 
equally  obvious.  (1.)  It  was  not  true 
that  Nebuchadnezzar  had  no  one  to 
succeed  him  on  the  throne  ;  or  that  his 
family  was  totally  cut  off,  as  it  was 
foretold  of  this  king  of  Babylon  that 
his  would  be,  vs.  21,  22.  (2.)  It  was 
not  true  that  he  was  denied  the  privi- 
leges of  a  burial  which  kings  commonly 
enjoy.  To  meet  this  difficulty,  the 
Jews  have  invented  the  following  sto- 
ry. They  say  that  when  Nebuchad- 
nezzar was  driven  from  men  during  his 
derangement  (Dan.  iv.),  and  when  he 
was  with  the  beasts  of  the  field  seven 
years,  the  people  made  his  son,  Evil- 
Merodach,  king  ;  but  that  when  Nebu- 
chadnezzar was  restored  to  his  right 
mind  and  to  his  throne,  he  threw  Evil- 
Merodacb.  into  prison,  where  he  lay 
until  he  died  At  the  death  of  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, the  people  released  him  to 
make  him  king,  but  he  refused  because 
nc  did  no*,  believe  that  his  father  was 
dead,  aii  said  that  if  his  father  should 
13* 


find  him  he  would  kill  him  ;  and  that 
in  order  to  convince  him  that  his  father 
was  dead  he  was  taken  out  of  the  grave. 
But  this  is  manifestly  a  fiction.  Be- 
sides, the  prophecy  was  not  that  the 
king  should  be  taken  out  of  the  grave, 
but  that  he  should  not  be  buried. 
Nebuchadnezzar  was  succeeded  in  the 
kingdom  by  his  son  Evil-Merodach, 
and  he  by  Belshazzar,  in  whom  the  line 
of  kings  ended. 

III.  The  only  other  interpretation 
of  which  this  is  susceptible,  is  that 
which  refers  it  to  Belshazzar,  in  whose 
reign  the  city  of  Babylon  was  taken. 
This  king,  called  in  Scripture  Belshaz- 
zar (Dan.  v  ),  was  the  son  of  Evil- 
Merodach,  and  the  grandson  of  Nelm- 
ehadnezzar.  His  name,  as  it  occurs  in 
heathen  writers,  was  Nabenadius.  In 
him  the  circumstances  of  the  prophecy 
agree.  (1.)  He  was  an  impious  prince. 
Xenophon  Cyrop.  lib.  vii.  Dan  v.  (2.) 
In  his  reign  the  city  and  the  Kingdom 
came  to  an  end  as  it  was  foretold. 
(3  )  Every  circumstance  of  the  taking 
of  Babylon  would  lead  us  to  suppose 
that  he  was  denied  the  privilege  of  a 
magnificent  sepulture.  («.)  He  was 
slain  in  the  night.  Dan.  v.  30.  (6.)  It 
was  in  the  confusion  of  the  capture  of 
the  city — amidst  the  tumult  caused  by 
the  sudden  and  unexpected  invasion  of 
Cyrua  It  is  therefore  altogether  im- 
probable that  he  had  a  regular  and  an 
honoured  burial.  Like  the  common 
dead,  he  would  lie  in  the  palace  where 
he  fell,  or  in  the  street,  (c.)  There  is 
no  evidence  that  Cyrus  gave  him  an 
honourable  sepulchre.  ^4.)  None  of 
his  posterity  occupied  the  throne  to 
give  honour  to  the  memory  of  their 
father.  (5.)  In  him  the  dynasty  and 
the  kingdom  ended.  Immediately  the 
kingdom  on  his  death  was  given  to  the 
Medes  and  Persians.  Dan.  v.  28-30, 
3 1 .  None  of  the  names  of  his  posteri- 
ty if  he  had  any,  are  known  ;  and  God 
cu  off  from  him  "  the  name  and  rem- 
nant, the  son  and  nephew,"  as  was  pre- 
dicted. See  Prideaux's  Connections, 
Part  i.  B.  ii.  pp.  257-271,  Ed.  1815. 

23.  /  will  also  make  it  a  possession 
fur  the  bittern.  The  word  bittern  in 
English,  means  a  bird  wit  i  long  leg* 


298 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.TS. 


23  I  will   also  make  it  a  pos-     with   the   besom  of  destruction, 
session  for  the  bittern,  and  pools    saith  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
of  water  ;   and   I   will    sweep  it         24  The  Lord    of   hosts  hath 


and  neck,  that  stalks  among  reeds  and 
sedge,  feeding  upon  fish.  The  Hebrew 
word  *WR  qippddh,  occurs  but  five 
times.  Isa.  xxxiv.  11.  Zeph.  ii.  14. 
According  to  Bochart  and  Gesenius,  it 
means  the  hedge-hog.  It  has  been 
variously  rendered.  Some  have  sup- 
pi  isi'd  it  to  lie  a  land  animal  ;  BOine  an 
aquatic  animal  ;  and  most  have  regard- 
ed it  as  a  fowl.  Bochart  has  proved 
that  the  hedge-hog  or  porcupine  is 
found  on  the  shores  of  the  Euphrates. 
He  translates  tins  place,  '  I  will  place 
Babylon  for  an  habitation  of  the  porcu- 
pine, even  the  pools  of  water ;'  that  is, 
the  pools  that  are  round  about  Babylon 
shall  become  so  dry  that  porcupines 
may  dwell  there.  See  Bochart,  Hieroz. 
B  iii.  ch.  xxxvi.  pp.  1036-1042.  H  And 
pools  of  ioat<r.  Bochart  supposes  this 
means,  men  the  pools  of  vvat-r  shall 
become  dry.  But  the  common  inter- 
pretation is  to  be  preferred,  that  Baby- 
lon itself  should  become  filled  with  pools 
of  water.  This  was  done  by  Cyrus' 
directing  the  waters  of  the  Euphrates 
from  their  channel  when  the  city  was 
taken,  and  by  the  fact  that  the  waters 
Deyer  returned  again  to  their  natural 
bed,  so  that  the  region  was  overflowed 
witli  water.  See  Notes  on  ch.  xiii. 
11  And  I  will  sweep  it  with  the  besom 
of  destruction.  A  besom  is  a  broom  ; 
and  the  sense  here  is,  that  God  would 
entirely  destroy  Babylon,  and  render  it 
wholly  uninhabitable. 

24.  The  Lord  of  hosts.  See  Note 
ch.  1,  9.  It  is  evident  that  this  verse 
and  the  three  following,  is  not  directly 
connected  with  that  which  goes  before, 
respecting  Babylon.  This  pertains  to 
the  Assyrian  ;  that  had  relation  to 
Babylon.  Vitringa  says  that  this  is 
attached  to  the  prophecy  respecting 
Babylon,  and  is  a  peculiar  yet  not  alto- 
gether foreign  argument,  and  is  a  sort 
ot  epilogue  to  the  prophecy  respecting 
Babylon  The  design,  he  says,  is  this. 
As  the  events  which  had  been  foretold 
inspecting   Babylon    seemed    so  groat 


and  wonderful  as  to  be  almost  incredi- 
ble, the  prophet,  in  order  to  show  the 
Jews  how  easily  it  could  be  accom- 
plished, refers  them  to  the  case  of  Sen- 
nacherib,  and  the  ease  with  which  he 
and  his  army  had  been  destroyed. 
Lowth  supposes  that  the  Assyrians 
and  Babylonians  here  are  one  people. 
Rosenmilller  supposes  that  this  prophe- 
cy respecting  Sennacherib  has  been 
displaced  by  the  collector  of  the  prophe- 
cies of  Isaiah,  and  that  it  should  have 
been  attached  to  the  prophecy  respect- 
ing the  Assyrian  monarch.  See  ch  x. 
The  probable  sense  of  the  passage  is 
that  which  makes  it  refer  to  the  pre- 
dicted destruction  of  Sennacherib  (ch. 
x.)  ;  and  the  design  of  the  prophet  in 
referring  to  that  here  is,  to  assure  the 
Jews  of  the  certain  destruction  of  Baby- 
lon, and  to  comfort  them  with  the  as- 
surance that  they  would  be  delivered 
from  their  captivity  there.  The  pro- 
phecy respecting  Babylon  was  uttered 
before  the  destruction  of  Sennacherib-; 
but  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  its  de- 
sign was  to  comfort  the  Jews  in  Baby- 
lon. The  prophet  therefore  throws 
himself  beyond  the  period  of  their  cap- 
tivity— though  it  was  to  occur  many 
years  ufter  the  prophecy  respecting 
Babylon  was  uttered  ;  and  with  this 
view  he  introduces  the  subject  or  the 
Assyrian.  At  that  future  time,  Sen- 
nacherib would  have  been  destroyed. 
And  as  God  would  have  fulfilled  the 
prophecy  respecting  the  proud  and  self- 
confident  Assyrian,  so  they  might  have 
the  assurance  that  he  would  fulfil  his 
predictions  respecting  the  no  less  proud 
and  self-confident  king  of  Babylon  ; 
and  as  he  would  have  delivered  his 
people  from  the  invasion  of  the  Assy- 
rian, even  when  he  was  at  the  gates  of 
Jerusalem,  so  he  would  deliver  them  in 
their  captivity  in  Babylon.  IT  Hath 
sirorn.  See  Heb.  vi  13,  iii.  IS.  Gen. 
xxiv.  7.  Ex.  xiii.  5,11,  xxxiii.  1.  Num 
xxxii.  10.  Jehovah  is  often  represented 
as  making  use  of  an  oath  to  denote  the 


B.  C.  7 13.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


299 


sworn,  saying,  Surely  as  I  have 
thought,  so  shall  it  come  to  pass ; 
and  as  1  have  purposed,  so  shall 
it  stand ; 

25  That  I  will  break  the  As- 
syrian  in  my  land,  and  upon  my 
mountains  tread  him  under  foot : 
then  'shall  his  yoke  depart  from 
off  them,  and  his  burden  depart 
from  off  their  shoulders. 


strong  confirmation,  the  absolute  cer- 
tainty of  what  he  utters.  The  oath 
here  was  designed  to  comfort  the  Jews, 
when  they  should  be  in  Babylon,  with 
the  assurance  that  what  he  had  thus 
solemnly  promised  would  assuredly 
come  to  pass.  IT  As  1  have  thought. 
As  I  have  designed,  or  intended.  God's 
promises  never  fail ;  his  purposes  shall 
all  be  accomplished.  Comp  ch.  xlvi. 
10,  11.  This  passage  is  full  proof  that 
God  does  not  change:  that  whatever 
his  purposes  are,  they  are  inflexible. 
Change  supposes  imperfection  ;  and  it 
is  often  affirmed  that  God  is  immutable. 
James  i.  17.  Mai.  iii.  6.  1  Sam.  xv.  2J. 

25.  That  I  will  break.  That  I  will 
break  his  power  ;  that  I  will  discomfit 
and  destroy  his  army.  H  The  Assyri- 
an. Sennacherib.  See  ch.  x.  tf  In 
my  land.  That  is,  in  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan. This  is  often  called  his  land  ; 
and  this  expression  shows  that  the 
passage  does  not  and  cannot  refer  to 
the  king  of  Babylon,  for  he  was  de- 
stroyed in  his  own  city.  Dan.  v. 
If  And  upon  my  mountains.  That  is, 
upon  the  mountains  of  Palestine  The 
army  of  Sennacherib  was  destroyed  on 
the  mountains  that  were  near  to  Jeru- 
salem. See  Notes  on  ch.  x.  33,34. 
1T  Then  shall  his  yoke.  The  yoke  of  the 
Assyrian.     See  Note  ch.  x.  27. 

26  This  is  the  purpose.  This  is 
the  sum  of  the  whole  design — a  design 
that  embraces  the  destruction  both  of 
the  king  of  Assyria,  and  of  Babylon. 
TF  Upon  the  tihole  earth.  The  successive 
kingdom.*,  of  Assyria  and  Babylonia  en>- 
braced  the  whole  earth,  and  to  destroy 
.hem  woul  X  i;.  fact  affect  all  the  nations. 


26  This  is  the  purpose  that  is 
purposed,  upon  the  whole  earth  ; 
and  this  is  the  hand  that  is 
stretched  out  upon  all  the  na- 
tions. 

27  For  "the  Lord  of  hosts 
hath  purposed,  and  who  shall 
disannul  it  ?  and  his  hand  is 
stretched  out,  and  who  shall  turn 
it  back  ? 

o  2  Chron.  20.  6.  Job  23.  13.   Pr.  21.  30.   Dan.  4.  35 

27.  For  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Note 
ch.  i.  9.  IT  Who  shall  disannul  it  ? 
Who  has  power  to  defeat  his  purposes  ? 
Difficult  as  they  may  be  in  appearance, 
and  incredible  as  their  fulfilment  may 
seem,  yet  his  purposes  are  formed  in 
full  view  of  all  the  circumstances  ;  and 
there  is  no  power  to  resist  his  arm,  or 
to  turn  him  aside  from  the  execution 
of  his  designs.  By  this  assurance  God 
designed  to  comfort  his  people  when 
they  should  be  in  Babylon  in  a  long  and 
dreary  captivity.  Comp.  Ps.  cxxxvii. 
And  by  the  same  consideration  his 
people  may  be  comforted  at  all  times. 
His  plans  shall  stand.  None  can  dis- 
annul them.  No  arm  has  power  to 
resist  him.  None  of  the  schemes 
formed  against  him  shall  ever  prosper. 
Whatever  ills,  therefore,  may  befall 
his  people  ;  however  thick,  and  gloomy, 
and  sad  their  calamities  may  be  ;  and 
however  dark  his  dispensations  may 
appear,  yet  they  may  have  the  assur- 
ance that  all  his  plans  are  wise,  and 
that  they  all  shall  stand.  No  matter 
how  many,  or  how  mighty  may  be  the 
toes  of  the  church ;  no  matter  how 
strong  their  cities,  or  their  ramparts  ; 
no  matter  how  numerous  their  armies, 
or  how  self-confident  may  be  their 
leaders,  they  have  no  power  to  resist 
God.  If  their  plans  are  in  his  %vay 
they  will  be  thrown  down  ;  if  revolu- 
tions are  needful  among  men  to  accom- 
plish his  purposes  they  will  be  brought 
about ;  if  cities  and  armies  need  to  be 
destroyed  in  order  that  his  plans  may 
succeed  and  his  church  be  safe,  they 
will  be  demolished,  just  as  the  army  of 
Sennacherib  was   laid  pale   in   death, 


800 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


28  In    the    year    that   ?King  I 
Ahaz  died  was  this  burden. 

29  Rejoice    not   thou,    whole 

p  2  Kings  16.  20. 

anil  as  Babylon — the  haughtiest  of  cit- 
ies— was  overthrown.  Who  can  stand 
against  God  ?  and  who  can  resist  the 
execution  of  his  will  ? 

28.  In  the  year  that  king  Ahaz  died. 
This  is  the  caption  or  title  to  the  fol- 
lowing prophecy,  which  occupies  the 
remainder  of  this  chapter.  This  pro- 
phecy has  no  connection  with  the  pre- 
ceding ;  and  should  have  been  separa- 
ted from  it  in  the  division  into  chapters. 
It  relates  solely  to  Philistia  ;  and  the 
design  is  to  comfort  the  Jews  with  the 
assurance  that  they  had  nothing  to  ap- 
prehend from  them.  It  is  not  to  call 
the  Philistines  to  lamentation  and 
alarm,  for  there  is  no  evidence  that  the 
prophecy  was  promulgated  among  them 
(Yitringa)  ;  but  it  is  to  assure  the  Jews 
that  they  would  be  in  no  danger  from 
their  invasion  under  the  reign  of  the 
successor  of  Ahaz,  and  that  God  would 
more  signally  overthrow  and  subdue 
them  than  had  been  done  in  his  time. 
It  is  not  improbable  that  at  the  death 
of  Ahaz,  and  with  the  prospect  of  a 
change  in  the  government  on  the  ac- 
cession of  his  successor,  the  Philistines 
— the  natural  enemies  of  Judah — had 
meditated  the  invasion  of  the  Jews. 
The  Philistines  had  been  subdued  in 
the  time  of  Azariah  (2  Kings  xv.  1  — 
7), or  Uzziah  as  he  is  called  in  2  Chron. 
xxvi.  1,  who  was  the  son  and  successor 
of  Amaziah.  He  broke  down  the  wall 
of  Gath,  and  the  wall  of  Gabneh,  and 
the  wall  of  Ashdod,  and  effectually 
subdued  and  humbled  them.  2  Chron. 
xxvi.  fi.  In  the  time  of  Ahaz,  and 
while  he  was  engaged  in  his  unhappy 
controversies  with  Syria  and  Ephraim, 
the  Philistines  took  advantage  of  the 
enfeebled  state  of  Judah,  and  made 
successful  war  on  it  and  took  several 
of  the  towns  (2  Chron.  xxviii.  18)  ; 
and  at  his  death  they  had  hope  of  being 
able  to  resist  Judah — perhaps  the  more 
Bo  as  they  apprehended  that  the  reign 
of  Hezekiah  wiuld  be  mild,  peaceable, 
and   unwariiko.      Isaiah,  in    the  pro- 


Palestina,  because  rthe  rod  of 
him  that  smote  thee  is  broken  : 
for  out  of  the  serpent's  root  shall 

r  2  Chron.  26  6. 


phecy  before  us,  warns  them  not  to  en- 
tertain any  such  fallacious  expecta ti<  ris, 

and  assures  them  that  his  reign  would 
be  quite  as  disastrous  to  them  as  had 
been  the  reign  of  Ids  predecessors. 
H  Was  this  burden.  See  Note  ch. 
xiii.  1. 

29  Rejoice  not  thou.  Rejoice  not 
at  the  death  of  Ahaz,  king  of  Judah. 
It  shall  be  no  advantage  to  thee.  Jt 
shall  not  be  the  means  of  making  an 
invasion  on  Judah  more  practicable 
IT  Whale  Palestina.  We  apply  the 
name  Palestine  to  the  whole  land  of 
Canaan.  Formerly  the  name  referred 
only  to  Philistia  from  which  we  have; 
derived  the  name  Palestine.  The  word 
T'^bs  Peliaheth — means  properly  the 
laud  of  p-'journers  or  strangers,  from 
ttJ33  ]id!ds.'  to  rove  about,  to  wander, 
to  migrate.  The  LXX  render  it,  .iA- 
\6v\ot,  stranger*  or  Jureigners,  and  )  •; 
ci\.\ o f\ i>  :'i,Iand  of  strangers.  Philistia 
was  situated  on  the  southwestern  side 
of  the  land  of  Canaan,  extending  along 
the  Mediterranean  sea  from  Gaza  en 
the  south,  to  Lydda  on  the  north.  J  lie 
Philistines  were  a  powerful  people,  and 
had  often  been  engaged  in  wars  with 
Judah.  They  had  made  a  successful 
attack  on  it  in  the  time  of  Ahaz  ;  and 
amidst  the  feebleness  and  distractions 
which  they  supposed  might  succeed  on 
the  change  of  the  government  of  Judah, 
and  the  administration  of  an  inexperi- 
enced prince  like  Hezekiah,  they  hoped 
to  be  still  more  successful,  and  would 
naturally  rejoice  at  the  death  of  Ahaz. 
When  the  prophet  says  "  whole  Pales- 
lina,"  he  means  to  say  that  no  part  of 
Philistia  would  have  occasion  to  rejoice 
at  the  succession  of  Hezekiah  See 
ver  31.  H  Because  the  rod  of  him 
thai  smote  thee  is  broken.  It  was  not 
true  that  they  had  been  sm.tten  during 
the  reign  of  Ahaz,  but  it  ha<  been  done 
by  his  predecessor  Uzziah.  Perhaps 
the  prophet  refers  to  that  prince,  and  fn 
his  death.     He  had  smitten  and  sub- 


BC.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


SOI 


come  forth  a  3cockatrice,  and  his 
fruit  'shall  be  a  fiery  flying  ser- 
pent. 

30   And  the  first-born   of  the 


3  or,  adder. 


t  2  Kings  18.  3. 


dued  them.  At  his  death  they  would 
rejoice  ;  and  their  joy  had  been  con- 
tinued during  the  reigns  of  Jotliam  and 
Abaz.  They  would  now  rejoice  the 
more  that  a  young  and  inexperienced 
prince  was  to  ascend  the  throne.  Their 
joy  had  been  that  Uzziah  had  died — 
and  that  joy  had  been  augmenting  since 
his  death  But  the  prophet  now  tells 
them  that  they  will  have  no  further  oc- 
casion for  such  joy.  IT  For  out  of  the 
serpent's  root.  That  is,  there  shall 
spring  forth  from  the  serpent,  or  shall 
succeed  the  serpent — as  a  shoot  or 
sprout  springs  from  the  root  of  a  de- 
cayed tree.  Note  ch.  xi.  1.  By  the 
serpent  here,  is  undoubtedly  intended 
king  Uzziah,  who  had  so  severely  chas- 
tised the  Philistines.  The  word  ser- 
pent (tt^J)  denotes  a  serpent  of  any 
kind,  and  usually  one  far  less  veno- 
mous than  that  which  is  meant  by  the 
word  translated  cockatrice.  Probably 
the  prophet  does  not  give  this  name  ser- 
pent  to  Uzziah  or  to  Ahaz,  or  the  name 
cockatrice  to  Hezekiah,  because  he  re- 
garded the  names  as  properly  descrip- 
tive of  their  character,  but  because 
they  were  so  regarded  by  the  Philis- 
tines. They  were  as  odious  and  of- 
fensive to  them,  and  as  destructive  of 
their  plans,  as  venomous  reptiles  would 
be.  IT  Shall  come  forth  a  cockatrice. 
See  Note  on  ch.  lix.  5.  A  basilisk,  or 
adder — a  serpent  of  most  venomous 
nature.  See  Note  ch.  xi.  8.  That  is, 
though  Uzziah  is  dead,  yet  there  shall 
spring  up  from  him  one  far  more  de- 
structive to  you  than  he  was  ;  one  who 
shall  carry  the  desolations  of  war  much 
farther,  and  who  shall  more  effectually 
subdue  you.  Most  commentators  have 
concurred  in  supposing  that  Hezekiah 
is  here  referred  to,  who  "  smote  the 
Philistines  even  unto  Gaza  and  the 
borders  thereof,  from  the  tower  of  the 
watchmen  to  the  fenced  city."  2  Kings 
kviii.  8.     This  is  doubtless  the  correct 


poor  shall  feed,  and  the  needy 
shall  lie  down  in  safety  :  and  1 
will  kill  thy  root  with  famine, 
and  he  shall  slay  thy  remnant. 


interpretation.  The  Chaldee  renders 
it,  however,  "  Because  there  shall  pro- 
ceed from  the  descendants  of  Jesse  the 
Messiah,  and  his  works  shall  be  among 
you  as  a  flying  serpent."  This  inter- 
pretation RosenmUller  supposes  is  cor- 
rect ;  but  it  is  evidently  foreign  to  the 
scope  of  the  passage. 

3U.  And  the  first-born  of  the  pour 
shall  feed.  That  is,  there  sail  be  safety 
to  those  parts  of  Judah  which  have 
long  been  exposed  to  the  invasions  o" 
the  Philistines.  Philistia  bordered  on 
Judea,  and  was  constantly  making 
wars  upon  it,  so  that  there  was  no 
safety  felt.  Isaiah  now  says,  that  He- 
zekiah would  so  effectually  and  com- 
pletely subdue  them  that  there  should 
be  no  danger  from  their  invasion.  The 
phrase  "  the  first-born  of  the  poor"  is 
an  Hebraism — a  strong,  emphatic  ex- 
pression, denoting  those  who  are  the 
most  poor  ;  the  most  abject  sons  of 
poverty  ;  those  who  have  an  eminence 
or  a  double  portion  of  want — as  the 
first-born  among  the  Hebrews  were  en- 
titled to  peculiar  distinctions  and  privi- 
leges. The  idea  is,  that  even  the  most 
poor  and  defenceless  would  be  safe. 
IT  Shall  feed.  That  is,  they  shall  be 
supplied  with  food  ;  they  shall  feed 
safely  as  a  flock  does  that  is  guarded 
from  wild  beasts.  They  shall  be  no 
longer  alarmed,  but  shall  dwell  in  se- 
curity, peace,  and  plenty.  U  And  I 
will  kill  thy  root.  The  word  rendered 
root  denotes  properly  the  root  of  a 
plant,  which  being  dried  up  or  killed, 
the  plant  of  course  withers  and  dies. 
So  God  says  that  he  would  effectually 
and  entirely  destroy  the  power  of  the 
Philistines,  f  Slay  thy  remnant.  That 
is,  shall  slay  all  that  appertains  to  thee. 
Or,  he  shall  dry  up  the  root,  and  the 
branches  shall  wither  and  die  also. 
The  whole  power  of  the  nation  shall 
be  withered  and  destroyed. 

31.  Howl,  O  gate.     That  is;,  ve  wh« 


3u2 


ISAIAH. 


[tf.o.n3. 


31  Howl,  O  gate  ;  cry,  O  city ; 
thou,  whole  Palestina,  art  dis- 
solved: for  there  shall  come  from 
the  north  a  smoke,  and  *none 
shall  be  alone  in  his  Appointed 
times. 

6  or,  he  shall  not.  7  or,  assemblies. 

throng  the  gate.  The  gates  of  a  city 
were  the  chief  places  of  concourse. 
t  Cry,  0  city.  The  prophet  here  fixes 
the  attention  upon  some  principal  city 
of  Philistia,  and  calls  upon  it  to  be 
alarmed  in  view  of  the  judgments  that 
were  about  to  come  upon  the  whole 
land.  II  Art  dissolved.  The  word 
dissolved  (5"*)  is  applied  to  that  which 
melts,  or  which  wastes  away  gradually 
— and  then  to  that  which  faints  or  dis- 
appears. It  means  here  that  the  king- 
dom of  Philistia  would  disappear,  or 
be  destroyed.  It  probably  conveys  the 
idea  of  its  fainting,  or  becoming  feeble 
from  fear  or  apprehension.  H  From 
the  north  a  smoke.  From  the  regions 
of  Judah,  which  lay  north  and  east  of 
Philistia.  The  smoke  here  probably 
refers  to  a  cloud  of  dust  that  would  be 
seen  to  rise  in  that  direction  made  by 
an  invading  army.  1  And  none  shall 
be  alone  in  his  appointed  times.  There 
has  been  a  great  variety  of  interpreta- 
tion in  regard  to  this  passage.  Lowth 
renders  it,  "  And  there  shall  not  be  a 
straggler  among  his  levies."  The  He- 
brew is  as  in  the  margin,  "  And  not 
solitary  in  his  assemblies."  The  LXX 
render  it  xdi  6vk  carat  tov  eivai — and  it 
is  not  to  be  endured.  The  Chaldee, 
"  And  there  shall  be  none  who  shall 
retard  him  in  his  times."  The  Arabic, 
"  Neither  is  there  any  one  who  can 
6tand  in  his  footsteps."  The  Vulgate, 
"  Neither  is  there  any  one  who  can 
escape  his  army."  Aben  Ezra  renders 
it,  "  No  one  of  the  Philistines  shall 
dare  to  remain  in  their  palaces,  as 
rthen  a  smoke  conies  into  a  house  all 
are  driven  out  "  Probably  the  correct 
idea  is  given  by  Lowth  ;  and  the  same 
interpretation  is  given  by  Gesenius, 
Rosenmuller,  Dathe,  and  Michaelis. 
No  one  of  the  invading  army  of  Heze- 
k.iah    6hall    come  by  himself;  no  one 


32  What  shall  one  then  an- 
swer the  messengers  of  the  na- 
tion ?  That  "the  Lord  hath 
founded  Zion,  and  the  ^poor  of 
his  people  shall  'trust  in  it. 

U  Ps.  87.  1—6.  V  Zeph   3.  12. 

8  betake  themselves  unto. 

shall  be  weary  or  be  a  straggler  ;  the 
army  shall  advance  in  close,  military 
array,  and  in  dense  columns  ;  and  this 
is  represented  as  the  cause  of  the  cloud 
or  smoke  that  the  prophet  saw  rising 
— the  cloud  of  dust  that  was  made  by 
the  close  ranks  of  the  invading  host. 
Comp   Isa.  v.  27. 

32.  What  shall  one  then  answe-. 
The  design  of  this  verse  is  obvious.  Jt 
is  to  show  that  Judea  would  be  sate 
from  the  invasions  of  the  Philistines, 
and  that  God  was  the  protector  of 
Zion.  For  this  purpose  the  prophet 
refers  to  messengers  or  ambassadors 
who  should  be  sent  for  any  purpose  to 
Jerusalem — either  to  congratulate  He- 
zekiah,  or  to  form  an  alliance  with  the 
Jews.  The  prophet  asks  what  answer 
or  information  should  be  given  to  such 
messengers  when  they  came  respecting 
their  state  ?  The  reply  is,  that  Jeho- 
vah had  evinced  his  purpose  to  protect 
his  people.  IT  Of  the  nation.  Of  any 
nation  whose  ambassadors  should  be 
sent  into  Judea.  IT  That  the  Lord  hath 
founded  Zion.  That  he  is  its  orignal 
founder,  and  that  he  has  now  shown 
his  regard  for  it  by  protecting  it  from 
the  Philistines.  It  would  be  safe  from 
their  attacks,  and  Jehovah  would  thus 
show  that  he  had  it  under  his  own  pro- 
tection. The  LXX  render  this.  "  And 
what  shall  the  kings  of  the  Gentiles  then 
answer  ?  That  the  Lord  hath  founded 
Zion."  The  scope  of  the  passage  is 
the  assurance  that  Zion  would  be  safe, 
being  founded  and  preserved  by  Jeho- 
vah ;  and  that  the  Philistines  had  no 
cause  of  triumph  at  the  death  of  Ahaz, 
since  God  would  still  be  the  protector 
of  his  people.  The  doctrine  established 
by  this  passage  is,  that  in  all  the 
changes  which  take  place  by  the  death 
of  kings,  princes,  magistrates,  and  min- 
isters ;  and  in  all  the  revolutions  which 


B.C.  713.]  CHAPTER  XV.  303 

occur  in  kingdoms,  the  enemies  of  the  lamity  his  peop  e  could  betake  them- 

people  of  God   have  no   cause   for  re-  selves  there  in  safety      In  this  strong 

joicing.     God  is   the  protector  of  his  place  the  most  weak  and  defenceless 

church  ;  and  he  will  show  that  he  has  the   poorest  of  the   people    would    be 

founded  Zion,  and  that  his  people  are  safe.     In  the  church  of  God,  the  poor 

safe.   No  weapon  that  is  formed  against  are  the  objects  of  as  deep  regard  as  the 

his  people  shall  prosper,  and  the  gates  rich  ;  the  humble, the  meek,  the  weak, 

of  hell    shall    not    prevail    against  his  the  feeble,  are  there  safe,  and  no  power 

church.     IT  Shall  trust  init.     In  Zion.  of  an  enemy  can  reach  or  affect  them. 

It  was   a   strongly  fortified   city,  God  ,  God  is  their  defender  and  their  friend  ; 

was  its  protector,  and  in  times  of  ca-  \  and  in  his  arms  they  are  secure. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ANALYSIS    OF    CHS.    XV.    XVI. 
§  I.      The  time  of  the  prophecy. 

This  nnd  the  following  chapter  make  one  entire  prophecy,  and  should  not  hnve  heen  divided.  At 
what  time  it  was  delivered  is  unknown.  The  only  period  which  is  designated  is,  that  it  was  to  he  fn|. 
filled  in  three  years  from  the  time  when  it  was  uttered,  ch.  xvi.  14.  Lowth  supposes  that  it  was  deliv- 
ered soon  alter  the  former,  in  the  first  years  of  the  reign  of  Hezekiah,  and  that  it  was  fulfilled  in  the 
fourth  year  of  his  reign  when  Shalmauezer  invaded  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  He  supposes  that  he 
might  have  marched  through  Moah,  and  secured  its  strong  places  on  his  way  to  Judea.  Gesenius 
supposes  that  it  was  uttered  hy  some  contemporary  of  Isaiah,  or  hy  some  earlier  prophet,  without  the 
epiiogne  (ch.  xvi.  14"),  as  a  general  denunciation  against  Moah  ;  and  that  it  was  adopted  by  Isaiah 
and  applied  to  the  Moabites  during  his  own  time.  This  he  argues  because  of  the  repetition  of  geo- 
graphical mimes  ;  the  play  upon  those  names  ;  the  roughness  and  harshness  of  the  expressions  ;  and 
many  favourite  phrases  which  he  says  are  foreign  to  "  the  genuine  Isaiah."  He  supposes  that  it  had 
its  origin  in  the  national  animosity  which  subsisted  between  the  Jews  and  the  Moabites  :  and  that  it 
might  have  been  composed  on  account  of  the  tribute  which  had  been  withheld,  B.  C.  896  ;  or  on  ac- 
count of  the  corruption  of  the  Moabites,  B.  C.  949  ;  or  on  the  taking  possession  ot  the  territory  by 
Keubeii  and  Gad.  But  this  is  evidently  conjectural.  It  is  fair  to  presume  that  it  is  a  production  of 
'Isaiah  himself,  unless  it  can  be  proved  that  he  did  not  write  it ;  and  the  argument  from  the  style,  to 
prove  that  it  was  written  by  some  other  person  than  Isaiah  does  not  seem  to  be  sufficient.  It  may 
have  been  written  by  Isaiah  at  an  early  period  of  his  life,  and  subsequently  incorporated  into  his  prophe- 
cies, and  adapted  by  himself  to  a  state  of  things  existing  in  an  advanced  period  of  his  prophetic  life. 
Fee  Note  on  ch.  xvi.  14.  Comp.  however  the  arguments  of  Gesenius  in  his  Commentary,  and  in  the 
Biblical  Repository,  vol.  vii.  pp.  120, 121.  It  is  certain  that  it  was  composed  when  the  tribute  was 
withheld  from  Judah  which  was  due  from  the  Moabites.    See  ch.  xvi.  1. 

§  II.     History  of  Moah. 

The  land  of  Moab,  so  called  from  Moab  the  son  of  Lot  by  his  eldest  daughter  (Gen.  xix.  31 — 37). 
was  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  Jordan,  and  adjacent  to  the  Dead  Sea,  and  on  both  sides  or 
the  river  Anion,  although  strictly  and  properly  speaking  the  river  Anion  was  regarded  as  its  northern 
boundary.  Its  capital  city  was  on  the  river  Anion.  The  first  residence  of  Lot  after  fleeing  from 
Sodom  was  Zear  (Gen.  xix.  30),  on  the  southeast  of  the  Dead  Sea  ;  from  thence  he  removed  into  the 
mountainous  region  where  his  two  sons  were  born.  Gen.  xix.  30.  The  country  was  originally  occu. 
pied  by  a  race  of  giants  called  Emiin  (Dent.  li.  10),  whom  the  Moabites  conquered,  and  expelled.  A 
considerable  part  of  this  country  was  subsequently  conquered  by  Sihon,  king  of  the  Amontes.  who 
made  the  Anion  the  boundary  of  the  land  of  Moab,  and  Ileshb.m  his  capital.  Num.  xxi.  2ti.  Comp. 
Num.  xxi.  13.  Judges  xi.  18.  The  Israelites  passed  by  their  land  in  journeying  to  Canaan  without  dis. 
tressing  or  embarrassing  them  ;  because  God  had  said  that  he  had  given,  "  Ar  to  the  children  of  Lot 
for  a  possession."  Deut.  ii.  9.  But  the  adjacent,  region  in  the  possession  of  the  Amorites,  the  Israel, 
ites  took,  after  a  signal  victory,  and  gave  to  the  tribes  of  Reuben  and  Gad.  Num.  xxi.  31 — 35. 
Thus  the  territory  of  the  Jews,  being  bounded  by  the  river  Anion,  whs  adjacent  to  that  of  Moab  It 
is  evident,  however,  though  the  Arnon  was  the  proper  boundary  of  Moab,  yet  that  a  consideiable 
[■onion  of  country  on  the  north  of  that  river  was  usually  rejrnrded  as  lving  in  the  land  of  Moah, 
hough  stricr\y  within  the  limits  of  the  territory  formerly  of  the  Amorites,  and  subsequently  of  tne 
tribes  of  Reuben  and  Gad.  Thus  Mount  Nelio  is  said  to  be  in  the  land  of  Moab  (Deut.  xxxii.  49, 
xxxiv.  1),  though  it  was  properly  within  the  limits  of  the  Amorites.  And  thus  many  of  the  places  in 
the  prophecy  before  us  were  on  the  north  of  that  river,  though  specified  as  in  the  country  of  Moab. 
It  is  probable  that  the  boundary  was  never  regarded  as  permanently  fixed,  though  the  river  Anion  was 
its  natural  and  usual  limit.  ,..,,■  j   ,  L  . 

There  was  always  a  great  antipathy  between  the  Jews  and  the  Moabites,  and  they  were  the  natural 
ind  constant  euei  lies  of  the  Jewish  nation.    The  foundation  of  the  enmity  was  laid  lar  buck  in  their 


304 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


history.  Balaam  seduced  the  Israelite!  to  sin  by  mean  of  the  daughters  of  Moab  (Nam.  xxv.  1.  2)  : 
and  (-iud  ordered  that  this  people  ihuuld  not  enter  into  the  congregation  of  his  people,  or  he  capable  of 
office,  to  the  tenth  generation,  been  IS8  they  hid  the  inh  imnuity  to  refuse  tlie  cluldren  of  Israel  a 
passage  througb  their  land  in  their  journej  to  I  lanaiin.    Dent,  xjciii.  3. 

Egiuu.  king  of  the  Moabjtes,  was  the  tir»'  who  oppressed  Israel  after  the  death  of  Joshua.  Ehud 
killed  In  a  i  and  subdued  Ihr  SlouDUes.  Judges  in.  21.  Toward  the  end  of  this  period,  however,  peace 
and  friendship  were  restored,  mutual  honours  were  reciprocated,  us  the  history  of  Ruth  shows,  and 
Moah  ii|i|ieurs  to  have  been  a  place  of  refuge  for  outcasts  and  emigrant-Hebrews.  Ruth  i.  I.  1  Sam, 
xxii.  3.  .itr.  xi.  11.  Isa.  xvi.  ;i.    De\  id  subdued  Moab  and  Ainmou,  and  made  them  tributary.    2  Sam. 

viii.S — 12.  \.\ni.  90.  The  right  to  levy  this  trtl.ute  seems  to  have  been  transferred  to  Israel  after  the 
division  of  the  kingdom  ;  tor  after  the  death  of  Almh  they  refused  to  [my  the  customary  tribute  ol 
luO.UUO  lambs  and  us  many  rains.  ■>  Kmgs  j.  1,  ui.  4.  1-ji.  \vi.  I.  Soon  ,,|it.r  ,|ie  death  of  Aliah  they 
•  ■revolt.  2  K inns  iii.  4,  r>.  They  were  subsequently  engaged  in  wars  with  the  Jews.  Amos 
(1.  18,  &.c )  denounced  neat  calamities  un  them;,  which  they  probably  suffered  under  Uv.iah  and  Jo. 
thaiu  kings  of  Judab.  2  Chrmi.  xxvi.  7,  8,  XJtvil.  5.  Calniet supposes  that  they  were  earned  captive 
by  Nebuchadnezzar  beyond  the  Euphrates,  as  the  prophets  had  threaleued  (.ler.  ix.  2ti,  .\ii.  II,  15, 
xxv.  11.  12,  xlviit.  47,  xlix.  3,  li,  89.  I.  Hi)  ;  and  that  they  were  restored  by  Cyrus  to  their  laud,  as 
many  other  captive  nations  were,  ll  is  probable  that  111  the  latter  times  II, cy  were  subject  to  the 
Asmnnean  kings,  and  finally  to  Herod  the  Great.  Huh  I'nl.  It  is  remarkaba*  'bat  Jeremiah  has 
introduced  much  of  this  diopter  into  his  prophecy  in  his  xlvnith  chapter. 


§  III.      Comparison  of  Isaiah  with  J errmiah. 

In  order  to  see  the  resemblance  between  the  two  prophecies,  I  insert  here  a  comparison  of  the  col- 
responding  porks,  following  the  order  of  Isaiah. 


ISAIA.H   XV. 

8.  On  all  their  heads  shall  he  baldness. 
And  every  beard  cutoff. 

3.  In  their  streets  they  shall  gird  themselves  with 

sackcloth ; 
On  the  topsol  their  houses,  and  in  their  streets, 
every  one  shall  howl. 

4.  And  Ueshbon  slmll  cry,  and  Elealeli : 
Their  voice  shall  lie  heard  unto  .lahaz  : 
Therefore  the  armed  soldiers  of  Moab  shall  cry 

out: 
His  life  shall  be  grievous  unto  him, 

5.  His  fugitives  shall  flee  unto  Zoar,  an  heifer  of 

three  years  old  ; 

For  by  the  mounting  up  of  Lubith  with  weep- 
ing shall  they  go  it  up  ; 

For  in  the  way  of  lloronaim  they  shall  raise  up 
.1  cry  of  destruction. 

5.  For  the  waters  of  Nimrim  shall  be  desolate. 
7.  Therefore  the  abundance  they  hare  gotten, 
And  that  which  they  have  laid  up, 
Shall  they  carry  away  to  the  brook  of  the  wil- 

lows.  .      .    ,         :  r.  1 

8,  9,  xvi.  1 — D,  ore  wanting  in  Jeremiah.  J 
xvi.  d.   IVe  have  heard  of  the  pride  of  Moab  ; 
He  is  very  proud  ; 
Even  his  haughtiness,  and  his  pride,  and  his 

wrnth; 
But  his  lies  shall  not  be  so. 


7.  Therefore  shall  Moab  howl  for  Moab, 
Every  one  shall  howl : 
For  the  foundation  of  Kir-hareseth  shall   ye 

mourn  ; 
Surely  are  they  stricken. 
5.  As  to  the  vine  of  Sibmah,  the  lords  of  the 

heathen   have  broken   down  the  principal 

plants  thereof; 
They  have  come  even  unto  Jnzer, 
They  wandered  through  the  wilderness  ; 
Her  branches  are  stretched  out, 
'1  hey  are  gone  over  the  sea. 
J.  Therefore  I  will  bewail  wiih  the  weeping  of 

Jazer,  the  vine  of  Sibmah  • 
For  the  shouting  of  thy  summer  fruits. 
And  for  thy  harvest  is  fallen. 
I).  And  gladness  is  taken  away,  and  joy  out  of 

the  plentiful  held; 
The  treuders  shall  tread  out  uo  wine  in  their 

presses  ; 
r  bave  made  their  vintage-shouting  to  ceuse. 


Jeremiah  xlvih. 

37.  For  every  head  shall  be  bald. 
And  every  heard  clipped. 

Upon  all  the  hands  shall  be  cuttings, 
\11.l  upon  il^-  loins  sackcloth. 

38.  There  shall   be  lamentations  generally  upon 

the  housetops  of  Moub,  una  in  the  streets 
thereof. 
34.  From  the  cry.  of  Heshbon  even  unto  Elealeh, 
And  unto  Juhaz  have  they  uttered  their  voice. 


34.  From  Zoar  even  unto  lloronaim. 

As  an  heiler  of  three  years  old  ; 

For  in  the  going  up  of  Lubith, 

Continual  weeping  shall  go  up. 
3.  A  voice  of  crying  shall  be  from  Horonoim 
5.  For  in  the  going  down  of  Horonaiui, 

The  enemies  huve  heurd  a  cry  of  destruction. 
34.  For  the  waters  also  of  Nimrim  shall  be  deso- 
late. 
36.  Because   the    riches  that  he  hath  gotten  is 
perished. 


29.  We  have  heard  of  the  pride  of  Moab  ;  he  11 

exceeding  proud  ; 
His  loftiness  and  his  arrogancy, 
And  his  pride  nnd  the  haughtiness  of  his  heart ! 

30.  I  know  his  wrath,  saith  the  Lord  ; 
But  it  shall  not  be  so  : 

His  lies  shall  not  so  effect  it. 

31.  Therefore  will  I  howl  for  Moab, 
And  1  will  cry  out  for  all  Moab  ; 

Mine  heart  shall    mourn  for  the  men  of  Kir- 
heres. 

32.  O  vine  of  Sibmah  ! 

Thy  plants  are  gone  over  the  sea  ; 
They  reuch  even  unto  the  sea  of  Jazer. 


32.  Ovine  of  Sibmah! 

I  will  weep  for  thee  with  the  weeping  of  Juzer: 
The  spoiler  is  fallen  upon  thy  summer  fruits  and 
upon  thy  viutuge. 

33.  And  joy  and  gladness  is  taken  from  the  plenti- 

ful field,  and  from  the  land  of  Moub  ; 
And  1  have  caused  wine  .0  fail  from  the  wine 

presses ; 
None  shall  tread  with  shouting  ; 
Their  shouting  shall  be  no  shouting 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


30c 


II.  Wherefore  my  bowels  shall  sound  like  an  harp 
fur  Moab, 
And  mine  inward  parts  for  Kir-haresh. 


6.  Therefore  my  heart  sha,  I  sound  for  Moab  like 
pipes  ; 
And  mine  heart  shall  sound  like  pipes  for  the 
men  of  Kir-heres. 


§  IV.     Moab  after  the  exile. 

After  the  exile,  intimate  connexions  took  place  between  the  Jews  and  tl>»  Moabites  by  marriages. 
E/.ra  ix.  1.  seq.  Nell,  xiii.  1.  These  marriages,  however,  were  dissolved  by  E/ra  as  being  in  his  new 
contrary  to  the  law  of  Moses,  in  the  tune  of  the  Maccabees  little  mention  is  made  of  them,  icomp. 
Dun.  xi,  41)  ;  but  Josephus  mentions  thatrj  in  the  history  of  Alexander  Jannaeus.    Heshbon  and  Na- 

daba,  i.ernba,  and  Uroiias,  (elithon  and  Zara,  cities  of  Moab,  are  there  mentioned  as  being  ai  Mini 
time  in  the  possession  of  the  Jews.  Jos.  Aut.  B.  xtn.ch.  xv.  5  4.  AHer  that,  their  name  is  lost  under 
that  of  the  Arabians,  as  was  also  the  case  with  Edom  and  Amnion.  At  the  tune  ol  Abuitedtt,  Moab 
proper,  south  of  the  river  Anion,  bore  the  name  of  Karrak  from  the  city  of  that  name  icomp.  Note  on 
ch.  xv.  1)  ;  the  territory  north  of  the  Arnon,  the  name  of  Beiku,  which  includes  also  the  country  ol 
the  Amorites.  Since  that  time  the  accounts  of  the  country  arc  exceedingly  meagre,  and  it  1 
until  quite  recently  that  the  state  of  Moab  has  attracted  the  attention  of  travellers.  It  has  been  ranged 
and  ravaged  by  tlie  predatory  tribes  of  Arabs,  and  through  fear  of  them  few  travellers  have  ventured 
to  Msit  it.  In  February  and  March,  180tj,  however,  Mr.  Seetzen,  not  without  danger  ot  losing  his 
life,  undertook  a  tour  from  Damascus  down  to  the  south  of  the  Jordan  and  the  Dead  Sea,  and  thence 
to  Jerusalem,  and  111  his  journey  threw  much  unexpected  light  on  the  prophecy  before  US,  especially 
.11  regard  to  the  places  here  mentioned.  He  found  a  multitude  of  places,  or  the  ruins  ol  places,  stiH 
bearing  the  old  names,  and  thus  has  set  bounds  to  the  perfectly  arbitrary  designations  of  the  old  maps. 
In  September,  1812,  that  distinguished  German  traveller  L  L.  Kurckhardt  made  the  same  tour  from 
Damascus  down  to  Karrak,  whence  he  pursued  his  journey  over  Wady  Mousu,  or  Petrn,  and  thence 
to  Cairo  in  Egypt.  In  1818  a  company  of  intelligent  English  travellers  (Bankes,  Irby,  Mangles,  and 
Legh),  made  a  journey  from  Karrak  to  the  land  of  the  Edomites,  particularly  to  Petrn,  and  thence 
back  on  the  other  side  of  the  Jordan  to  Tiberias.  In  some  respects  they  confirmed,  and  111  others  ex. 
tended  the  accounts  of  Seetzen.  See  Gesenius'  Coiiira.  In  the  Notes  on  these  chapters,  I  have 
endeavoured  to  embody  the  prmcipul  information  found  111  these  writers  on  the  topography  of  Moab. 

§  V.     Analysis  of  this  prophecy. 

"The  prophecy,"  says  Prof.  Stuart  (Bib.  Repository,  vii.  110),  "is  a  piece  replete  with  vivid 
description,  with  unimated  and  impassioned  thought,  with  poetic  diction,  and  with  scenes  which  are 
adapted  to  make  a  deep  impression  on  the  mind  of  the  reader."  The  prophecy  in  the  two  chapters, 
contains  the  following  parts: 

I.  The  capitals  of  Moab  are  destroyed  suddenly  in  one  night,  ch.  xv.  1. 

II.  In  the  midst  of  the  consternation,  the  people  hasten  to  the  high  places,  and  to  the  altars  and 
temples  of  the  gods,  to  implore  protection.  They  nre  seen  in  the  streets  with  sackcloth,  and  on  the 
tops  of  the  houses,  crying  out  with  loud  lamentntions,  and  every  expression  of  sorrow  and  despair, 
xv.  2—4. 

III.  Some  of  the  fugitives  flee  to  Zoar  for  protection,  and  others  to  Luhith  and  Horonnim — has. 
tening  to  countries  beyond  their  own  borders,  because  every  thing  in  their  own  land  was  withered  and 
dried  up,  xv.  5 — 7. 

IV.  Consternation  and  desolation  are  spread  throughout  the  land,  and  even  the  streams  are  full  of 
blood,  and  wild  beasts  are  seen  coming  up  upon  the  land,  ch.  xv.  8,  9. 

V.  The  prophet  pities  them  ;  weeps  with  them  (ch.  xv.  5,  xvi.  i.  11),  and  advises  them  to  seek  the 
favour  of  Judnli  by  sending  to  them  the  customary  tribute  which  was  due,  and  which  had  been  for  a 
long  time  withheld,  xvi.  1.  . 

VI.  Some  of  the  fugitives  nre  seen  nt  the  fords  of  Arnon  endeavouring  to  escape  to  Juden,  and 
making  supplication  for  reception,  and  imploring  blessings  on  the  land,  xvi.  2— b'.  But  see  the  Notes 
on  ch.  xvi.  2—',  for  another  view  of  the  design  of  this  passage.  The  view  here  given  is  that  suggest- 
ed bv  Gesenius  md  Prof.  Stuart. 

VII.  They  are  repulsed,  and  the  answer  to  their  supplication  is  given  in  such  a  tone  as  to  show  the 
deep  sense  of  the  injury  received  from  Moab  which  the  Jewish  people  entertnined,  xvi.  7. 

VIII.  The  prophet  then  proceeds  in  his  description  of  the  utter  wasting  of  the  country  of  Moab— 
desolation  which  excited  the  deepest  feelings  in  his  heart,  and  so  great  as  to  move  his  most  tender  com. 
passion,  xvi.  8 — 12. 

IX.  Then  follows  a  limitation  of  the  time  when  all  this  would  take  place.  Within  three  years  all 
this  would  be  fulfilled,  xvi.  13.  14. 


1  The  "burden  of  Moab.  Be- 
cause in  the  night  Ar  of  Moab 

a  Jer.  48.    Ezek.  25.  8—11.    Amos  21.  3. 

1.  The  burden  of  Moab.  See  Note 
ch  xiii.  1.  This  is  the  title  of  the 
prophecy.  The  Chaldee  renders  this, 
"  The  burden  of  the  cup  of  malediction 
which  is  to  come  upon  Moab."  f  Be- 
cause in  the  night.  The  fact  that  this 
was  to  be  done  in  the  night  denotes  the 
suddenness  with  which  the  calamity 
■vould  come  upon  them.     Thus  the  ex- 


is  laid  waste,  and  brought1  to 
silence ;     because   in  the    night 

1  or,  cut  off. 

pression  is  used  in  Job  to  denote  the 
suddenness  and  surprise  with  which 
calamities  come. 

Terrors  take  hold  on  him  as  waters, 
A  tempest  stealeth  him  away  in  the  night. 
Job  xxvii.  20. 

So  a  thief  is  represented  as  coming  in 
the  night— in  a  sudden  and  unexpected 
manner.     Job  xxiv.  14. 


306 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


Kir  of  Moab  is  laid  waste,  and        2  He  is  gone    up   to  Bajith, 
brought  to  silence  ;  and  to  Dibon,  the  high  places,  ta 


The  murderer  in  the  night  is  as  a  thief. 
See  also  Matth.  x.viv.  43.  1  Thess.  v. 
2.  2  Pet.  iii.  10.  Rev.  iii.  3,  xvi.  15. 
IT  Ar  of  Moab.  This  was  the  capital 
of  Moab.  It  was  situated  on  the  south 
of  the  river  Anion.  It  was  sometimes 
called  Sabbath  Moab.  Isaiah  (ch.  xvi. 
7-11)  calls  it  the  city  "  with  walls  of 
burnt  brick."  Under  the  name  of 
Areopolis  it  occurs  in  Euscbius  and 
Stephen  of  Byzantium,  and  in  the  acts 
of  many  Synods  of  the  fifth  and  sixth 
centuries,  when  it  was  the  seat  of  a 
bishop.  Relandi  Palaestina,  pp.  577, 
578.  Abulfeda  says  that  in  his  time  it 
was  a  small  town.  Jerome  says  that 
the  city  was  destroyed  by  an  earth- 
quake when  he  was  young,  probably 
about  A.  D  315.  Burckhardt  found  a 
place  called  Rabba  about  twenty  miles 
south  of  the  river  Arnon  which  he  sup- 
posed to  be  the  ancient  Ar.  Seetzen 
found  there  ruins  of  considerable  com- 
pass ;  especially  the  ruins  of  an  old 
palace  or  temple,  of  which  portions  of 
the  wall  and  some  pillars  are  still  stand- 
ing. Legh  says,  "  There  are  no  traces 
of  fortifications  to  be  seen,  but  upon  an 
eminence  were  a  dilapidated  Roman 
temple  and  some  tanks."  IT  Is  laid 
waste.  That  is,  is  about  to  be  laid 
waste.  This  passed  before  the  mind 
of  Isaiah  in  a  vision,  and  he  represents 
it  as  it  appeared  to  him,  as  already  a 
scene  of  desolation.  IT  And  brought 
to  silence.  Marg.  Cut  off.  The  word 
may  mean  either.  The  sense  is,  that 
the  city  was  to  be  desttoyed,  for  so  the 
word  '"1"9^  damd  often  means.  Hos. 
iv.  5.  Jer.  vi  2.  Hos  x.  15.  Zeph.  i. 
11.  Hos.  iv.  6,  x.  7.  Jer.  xlvii.  5. 
11  Kir  of  Moab.  I  -obably  this  city 
was  the  modern  A'ei  \k  or  Karak.  The 
Chaldee  renders  it  t  y  the  name  St3^3D 
Kerdkkd,  or  fortret »,  hence  the  name 
Kerek  or  Karak.  /  ccording  to  Burck- 
hardt, it  lies  about  hree  hours,  and  ac- 
cording to  Abul'  rda  twelve  Arabic 
miles,  south  of  A  Moab,  upon  a  very 
high  and  stee  •  -  cky  hill,  from  which 
the  prospect  nds  even  to  Jerusa- 


lem, and  which,  formed  by  nature  for 
a  fortress,  overlooks  the  whole  sur- 
rounding country.  In  the  wars  of  the 
Maccabees  (2  Mace.  xii.  17)  it  is  men- 
tioned under  the  name  of  Kapaica,  h'a- 
raka,  and  it  is  now  known  by  the  name 
Of  Kerek  or  Karak.  In  the  time  of 
the  Crusades,  a  heathen  prince  built 
there  under  king  Fulco  (in  the  yeai 
1131)  a  very  important  castle  which 
was  very  serviceable  to  the  Franks,  and 
in  1183  it  held  out  successfully  against 
a  formidable  siege  of  a  month  by 
Saladin.  Abulfeda  speaks  of  it  as  so 
strong  a  fortress  that  one  must  abandon 
even  the  wish  to  take  it.  It  has  been 
visited  in  modern  times  by  Seetzen, 
Burckhardt,  and  the  company  of  Eng- 
lish travellers,  referred  to  above.  The 
place  has  still  a  castle,  into  which  the 
whole  surrounding  country  brings  its 
grain  for  safe  keeping.  The  small  and 
poor  town  is  built  upon  the  remains  of 
once  important  edifices,  and  is  inhabit- 
ed by  Moslems  and  Christians.  It  is 
the  seat  of  a  Bishop,  though  the  Bishop 
resides  at  Jerusalem.  See  Gesenius' 
Comm.  in  loc. 

2.  He  ie  gone  up.  That  is,  the  in- 
habitants of  Moab  in  consternation 
have  fled  from  their  ruined  cities,  and 
have  gone  up  to  other  places  to  weep. 
IT  To  Bajith,  and  to  Dibon.  Lowth 
supposes  that  these  two  words  should 
be  joined  together,  and  that  one  place 
is  denoted.  The  Chaldee  renders  it, 
"  Ascend  into  the  houses  of  Dibon." 
Kimchi  supposes  that  the  word  ^"?3 
denotes  a  temple.  It  usually  means 
house,  and  hence  may  mean  a  temple 
of  the  gods  ;  that  is,  the  principal  house 
in  the  land.  This  interpretation  is 
adopted  by  Gesenius  and  Noyes.  \  i- 
tringa  supposes  it  to  mean  Beth*Meon 
(Jer.  xlviii.  24),  or  Beth-Baal-Meon 
(Josh.  xiii.  17),  north  of  the  Arnon. 
now  Macin.  I  have  adopted  the  trans- 
lation proposed  by  Kimchi  as  better 
expressing  the  sense  in  my  view  than 
that  which  makes  it  a  proper  name. 
Dibon — perhaps    the    same    place    ai 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


307 


weep  :     Moab    shall    howl    over    their  heads  shal  be  baldness,  and 
Nebo,  and  over  Medeba  :  on  all    every  beard  cut  off. 

Dimon  in  ver.  9 — was  a  city  given  by 
Moses  to  Gad,  and  afterwards  yielded 
to  Reuben.  Num.  xxxii.  3,  33,  34. 
Josh.  xiii.  9.  It  was  again  occupied 
by  the  Moabites.  Jer.  xlviii.  IS,  22. 
Eusebius  says  it  was  a  large  town  on 
the  north  of  the  river  Arnon.  Seetzen 
found  there  ruins  under  the  name  of 
Diban  in  a  magnificent  plain.  Hence 
Dibon  is  here  appropriately  described 
as  going  vp  from  a  plain  to  weep  ;  and 
the  passage  may  be  rendered,  "  Dibon 
is  weeping  upon  the  high  places." 
IT  To  weep.  Over  the  sudden  desola- 
tion which  has  come  upon  the  princi- 
pal cities.  IT  Moub  shall  howl  ocer 
Nebo.  Nebo  was  one  of  the  moun- 
tains on  the  east  of  the  Jordan.  It 
was  so  high  that  from  it  an  extended 
view  could  be  taken  of  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan opposite.  It  was  distinguished 
as  being  the  place  where  Moses  died. 
Deut.  xxii.  49,  xxxiv.  1.  The  mean- 
ing of  this  is,  that  on  Mount  Nebo, 
Moab  should  lift  up  the  voice  of  wail- 
ing Jerome  says  that  the  idol  Chamos, 
the  principal  idol  of  Moab,  was  on 
Mount  Nebo,  and  that  this  was  the 
place  of  its  worship.  This  mountain 
was  near  the  northern  extremity  of  the 
Dead  Sea.  Mount  Nebo  was  com- 
pletely barren  when  Burckhardt  passed 
over  it,  and  the  site  of  the  ancient  city 
had  not  been  ascertained  Travels  in 
Syria,  p.  37U.  On  its  summit,  says 
Burckhardt,  was  a  heap  of  stones  over- 
shadowed by  a  very  large  wild  pistachio 
tree.  At  a  short  distance  below  to 
the  southwest  is  the  ruined  place  called 
Kereyat.  IT  And  over  Medeba.  This 
was  a  city  east  of  the  Jordan  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  territory  allotted  to 
Reuben.  It  was  taken  from  the  Reu- 
benites  by  the  Moabites.  Burckhardt 
describes  the  ruins  of  this  town,  which 
still  bears  the  same  name.  He  says 
of  it,  it  is  "  built  upon  a  round  hill  ; 
but  there  is  no  river  near  it.  It  is  at 
least  half  an  hour  in  circumference.  I 
observed  many  remains  of  private 
houses,  constructed  with  blocks  of 
silex  ;  but  not  a  single  edifice  is  stand- 


ing. There  is  a  large  Birket  [tank,  or 
cistern],  which  as  there  is  no  spring  at 
Medeba  might  be  still  of  use  to  the 
Bedouins  were  the  surrounding  gro.ind 
cleared  of  the  rubbish  to  allow  the 
water  to  flow  into  it ;  but  such  an  un- 
dertaking is  far  beyond  the  views  of 
the  wandering  Arab.  On  the  west 
side  of  the  town  are  the  foundations 
of  a  temple  built  with  large  stones  and 
apparently  of  great  antiquity.  A  part 
of  its  eastern  wall  remains,  constructed 
in  the  same  style  as  the  castle  wall  at 
Amnion.  At  the  entrance  to  one  of 
the  courts  stand  two  columns  oj  .he 
Doric  order.  In  the  centre  of  one  of 
the  courts  is  a  large  well."  Travels 
in  Syria,  pp.  366,  367.  IT  On  all  their 
heads  shall  be  baldness,  &c.  To  cut 
off  the  hair  of  the  head  and  the  beard 
was  expressive  of  great  grief.  It  is 
well  known  that  the  Orientals  regard 
the  beard  with  great  sacredness  and 
veneration,  and  that  they  usually  dress 
it  with  great  care.  Great  grief  was 
usually  expressed  by  striking  external 
acts.  Hence  they  lifted  up  the  voice 
in  wailing  ;  they  hired  persons  to  howl 
over  the  dead ;  they  rent  their  gar- 
ments ;  and  for  the  same  reason,  in 
times  of  great  calamity  or  grief,  they 
cut  off  the  hair,  and  even  the  beard. 
Herodotus,  II.  36,  speaks  of  it  as  a 
custom  among  all  nations  except  the 
Egyptians  to  cut  off  the  hair  as  a  token 
of  mourning.  So  also  Homer  says  that 
on  the  death  of  Patroclus  they  cut  off 
the  hair  as  expressive  of  grief.  Iliad 
xxiii.  46,47. 

Next  these  a  melancholy  band  appear, 
Amidst  lay  dead  Patroclus  on  a  bier ; 
O'er  all  the  course  their  scattered  locks  they 
threw.  Pope. 

See  also  Odyss.  iv.  197.  This  was 
also  the  custom  with  the  Roman3 
(Ovid,  Amor.  3,  5,  12)  ;  the  Egyptians 
(Diod.  i.  84) ;  the  Scythians  (Herod. 
4,  71)  ;  and  the  modern  Cretans.  The 
principle  on  which  this  is  done  is,  that 
thereby  they  are  deprived  of  what  is 
esteemed  the  most  beautiful  ornament 
of  the   body ; — an  idea  which  lies  at 


30* 


ISAIAH. 


[.B.C.  713. 


3  In   their  streets    they  slinll  howl,  •weeping  abundantly, 

gird  themselves  with   sackcloth  :  4  And  Heshbon  shall  cry,  and 

on  the  tops  of  their  houses,  and  Elealfdi ;    their    voice    shall    be 

in  their  streets,  eviry  one  shall  tdetcenftng  tnta  weeping,  or,  amtngdown 

J  Witlt  toeepins;. 

the  foundation  of  mourning  in  all 
countries  and  ages.  The  loss  of  the 
beard  also  was  the  highest  calamity 
and  would  be  expressive  of  the  deepest 
grief.  "  It  is,"  says  D'Arvieux,  who 
has  devoted  a  chapter  to  the  exposition 
of  the  sentiments  of  the  Arabs  in  re- 
gard to  the  beard,  "  a  greater  mark  of 
infamy  in  Arabia  t<>  cut  a  man's  beard 
off,  than  it  is  with  us  to  whip  a  fellow 
at  the  cart's  tail,  or  to  burn  him  in  the 
hand.  Many  people  in  that  country 
vould  far  rather  die  than  incur  that 
punishment.  I  saw  an  Arab  who  had 
received  a  musket  shot  in  the  jaw,  and 
who  was  determined  rather  to  perish 
than  to  &]'ow  the  surgeon  to  cut  his 
beard  off  to  dress  his  wound.  His  re- 
solution was  at  length  overcome  ;  but 
not  until  the  wound  was  beginning  to 
gangrene.  He  never  allowed  himself 
to  be  seen  while  his  beard  was  off;  and 
when  at  last  he  got  abroad,  he  went 
always  with  his  face  covered  with  a 
black  veil,  that  he  might  not  be  seen 
without  a  beard  ;  and  this  he  did  till 
his  beard  had  grown  again  to  a  consi- 
derable length."  Pic.  Bib  vol.  ii.  ]U9. 
Burckhardt  also  remarks  that  the  Arabs 
who  have  from  any  cause  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  lose  their  beards  invariably 
conceal  themselves  from  view  until 
their  beards  are  grown  again.  Comp. 
Isa.  iii.  24,  xxii.  12.  Jer.  xli.  5.  Micah 
i.  16.  The  idea  is,  that  the  Moabites 
would  be  greatly  afflicted.  Jeremiah 
has  stated  the  same  thing  of  Moab,  ch. 
xlviii.  37. 

For  every  head  shal.  be  bald,  and  every  beard  be 

clip) ; 
And  upon  all  hands  shull  l>e  cuttings, 
And  u|»jn  the  loins  sackcloth. 

3.  In  their  streets.  Publicly.  Every 
where  there  shall  be  lamentation,  and 
grief.  Some  shall  go  into  the  streets, 
and  some  on  the  tops  of  the  houses. 
They  shall  gird  themselves  with  sack- 
cloth. The  common  token  of  mourn- 
jig  ;  and  also  worn  usually  in  times  of 


humiliation  and  fasting  It  was  one 
of  the  outward  acts  by  which  they  <x- 
pressed  deep  sorrow.  Gen.  xxxvii.  34. 
2  Sam.  iii.  31.1  Kings  xxi.  27.  2  Kings 
xix.  1.  Job  xvi.  15.  Note  ch.  iii.  24. 
*»  On  the  tops  of  the  houses.  The  roofs 
of  the  houses  in  the  ivist  were,  and  still 
are,  made  flat,  and  were  places  of  resort 
for  prayer, for  promenade,  vVc.  The  pro- 
phet here  says,  that  all  the  usual  places 
of  resort  would  be  filled  w.ih  weep- 
ing and  mourning.  In  the  streets,  and 
on  the  roofs  of  the  houses,  they  would 
utter  the  voice  of  lamentation.  ^  Shall 
howl.  It  is  known  that  in  times  of 
calamity  in  the  East  it  is  common  to 
raise  tin  unnatural  and  forced  howl,  or 
long  continued  shriek.  Persons  are 
often  hired  for  this  purpose.  Jer.  ix. 
17.  1T  Weeping  abundantly.  Heb.  De- 
scending into  weeping;  i.  e.  going  as 
we  would  say  deep  into  it,  or  weeping 
much  ;  immersed  as  it  were  in  tears. 
Comp.  Jer.  xiii.  17,  xiv.  17. 

4.  And  Heshbon  shall  cry.  This 
was  a  celebrated  city  of  the  Amorites, 
twenty  miles  east  of  the  Jordan.  Josh. 
xiii.  17.  It  was  formerly  conquered 
from  the  Moabites  by  Sihon,  and  be- 
came his  capital,  and  was  taken  by  the 
Israelites  a  little  before  the  death  of 
Moses.  Num.  xxi.  25  After  the  car- 
rying away  of  the  ten  tribes  it  was  re- 
covered by  the  Moabites.  Jeremiah 
(xlviii.  2)  calls  it  "  the  pride  of  Moab." 
The  town  still  subsists  under  the  same 
name,  and  is  described  by  Burckhardt. 
He  says,  it  is  situated  on  a  hill,  south- 
west from  El  Aal  [Elealeh]  "  Here 
are  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  town  toge- 
ther with  the  remains  of  some  edifices 
built  with  small  stones  ;  a  few  broken 
shafts  of  columns  are  still  standing,  a 
number  of  deep  wells  cut  in  the  rock, 
and  a  large  reservoir  of  water  for  the 
summer  supply  of  the  inhabitants." 
Travels  in  Syria,  p.  3U5.  7  And  Elea- 
leh. This  was  a  town  of  Reuben  aboul 
a  mile  from  Heshbon.    Num  xxxii.  37 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


309 


heard  even  unto  Jahaz  :  therefore 
the  armed  soldiers  of  Moab  shall 
cry  out;  his  life  shall  be  griev- 
ous unto  him. 

Burckhardt  visited  this  place.  Its  pres- 
ent name  is  El  Aal.  "  It  stands  on  the 
summit  of  a  hill,  and  takes  its  name 
from  its  situation — Aal  meaning  '  the 
high  '  It  commands  the  whole  plain, 
and  the  view  from  the  top  of  the  hill 
is  very  extensive,  comprehending  the 
whole  of  the  southern  Belka.  El  Aal 
was  surrounded  by  a  well-built  wall,  of 
which  some  parts  yet  remain.  Among 
the  ruins  are  a  number  of  large  cisterns, 
fragments  of  walls,  and  the  foundations 
of  houses,  but  nothing  worthy  of  notice. 
The  plain  around  it  is  alternately  chalk 
and  flint."  Travels  in  Syria,  p  3b*5. 
H  Even  unto  Jahaz.  This  was  a  city 
east  of  Jordan,  near  to  which  Moses 
defeated  Sihon  It  was  given  to  Reu- 
ben (Deut.  ii.  32),  and  was  situated  a 
short  distance  north  of  Ar  the  capital 
of  Moab.  ^  The  armed  soldiers  of 
Moab.  The  consternation  shall  reach 
the  very  army.  They  shall  lose  their 
courage,  and  instead  of  defending  the 
nation,  they  shall  join  in  the  general 
weeping  and  lamentation.  IT  His  life 
shall  be  grievous.  As  we  say  of  a  per- 
son who  is  overwhelmed  with  calami- 
ties that  his  life  is  wearisome,  so  says 
the  prophet  shail  it  be  with  the  whole 
nation  of  Moab. 

5.  My  heart  shall  cry  out  for  Moab. 
This  is  expressive  of  deep  compassion  ; 
and  is  proof  that  in  the  view  of  the 
prophet  the  calamities  which  were 
coming  upon  it  were  exceedingly  heavy. 
The  same  sentiment  is  expressed  more 
fully  in  ch.  xvi.  11.  See  also  Jer.  xJviii. 
3b' :  "  My  heart  shall  sound  for  Moab 
like  pipes."  The  phrase  denotes  great 
inward  pain  and  anguish  in  view  of  the 
calamities  of  others  ;  and  is  an  expres- 
sion of  the  fact  that  we  feel  ourselves 
oppressed  and  borne  down  by  sympathy 
on  account  of  their  sufferings.  See  ch. 
xxi  3.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that 
the  LXX  read  this  as  if  it  were  "  his 
heart" — referring  to  the  Moabitts,"the 
heart  of  Moab  shall  cry  out."     So  the 


5  My  *heart  shall  cry  out  for 
Moab;1  his  fugitives  shah  fee 
unto    Zoar,    an    heifer    of  three 

b -ch.  16  It.      l  or,  to  the  borders  thereof,  even 
as  an  heifer. 

Chaldee  ;  and  so  Lowth,  Michaeus  and 
others  read  it.  But  there  is  no  authority 
for  this  change  in  the  Hebrew  text ; 
nor  is  it  needful.  In  the  parallel  place 
in  Jer.  xlviii.  3G,  there  is  no  doubt  that 
the  heart  of  the  prophet  is  intended  ; 
and  here,  the  phrase  is  designed  to  de- 
note the  deep  compassion  which  a  holy 
man  of  God  would  have  even  when 
predicting  the  ills  that  should  come 
upon  others.  How  much  compassion  ; 
how  much  deep  and  tender  feeling, 
should  ministers  of  the  gospel  have 
when  they  are  describing  the  final  ruin — ■ 
the  unutterable  woes  of  impenitent  sin- 
ners under  the  awful  wrath  of  God  in  the 
world  of  wo!  ^  His  fugitives.  Marg. 
Or,  to  the  borders  thereof  as  an  heifer. 
fl,n",*Q .  Jerome  and  the  Vulgate 
render  this  "  her  bars,"  and  it  has  been 
explained  as  meaning  that  the  voice  of 
the  prophet,  lamenting  the  calamity  of 
Moab,  could  be  heard  as  far  as  the  bars 
or  gates  of  Zoar  ;  or  that  the  word  bars 
means  princes,  i.  e.  protectors,  a  figure 
similar  to  shields  of  the  land,  Ps  xlvii. 
10.  Hos.  iv.  16.  The  LXX  render  it,  iv 
airy — "  the  voice  of  Moab  in  her  is  heard 
to  Zoar."  But  the  more  correct  ren- 
dering is  undoubtedly  that  of  our  trans- 
lation, referring  to  the  fugitives  who 
should  attempt  to  make  their  escape 
from  Moab  when  the  calamities  should 
come  upon  her.  IT  Unto  Zoar.  Zoar 
was  a  small  town  in  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  Dead  Sea,  to  which  Lot 
fled  when  Sodom  was  overthrown. 
Gen.  xix.  23.  Abulfeda  writes  the 
name  Zoghar,  and  speaks  of  it  as  exist- 
ing in  his  day.  The  city  of  Zoar  was 
near  to  Sodom,  so  as  to  be  exposed  to 
the  danger  of  being  overthrown  in  the 
same  manner  that  Sodom  was,  Zoar 
being  exempted  from  destruction  by  the 
angel  at  the  solicitation  of  Lot.  Gen. 
xix.  21.  That  the  town  lay  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Dead  Sea,  is  apparent 
from  several  considf  rations.  Lot  as- 
cended from  i:  'o  the  mountain  where 


310 


ISAIAH. 


[jB.C.713 


years  old  .   for  by  the  mounting  Honoraim  they  shall   raise   up  a 

up  of  Luhith  with  weeping  shall  cry  of  destruction, 
they  go  it  up;  for  in  the  way  of         6   For  the  waters  of  Nimrim 

3  breaking.  t  desolations.  shall    be   desolate  :*   for  the    hay 


his  daughters  bore  each  of  them  a  son, 
who  became  the  ancestors  of  the  Mo- 
abites  and  the  Ammonites.  But  these 
nations  both  dwelt  on  the  east  side 
of  the  Dead  Sea.  Farther,  Josephus, 
speaking  of  this  place,  calls  it  "  Zoar 
of  Arabia."  Zodpwi/  r^s  'Apaftias,  B.  J. 
iv.  8  4.  But  the  Arabia  of  Josephus 
was  on  the  east  of  the  Dead  Sea.  So 
the  crusaders,  in  the  expedition  of  king 
Baldwin,  A.  D.  11U0,  after  marching 
from  Hebron,  proceeded  around  the 
south  end  of  the  lake,  and  came  at 
length  to  a  place  called  Segor,  doubtless 
the  Zoghar  of  Abulfeda.  The  proba- 
bility, therefore,  is,  that  it  was  near  the 
southern  end  of  the  sea,  but  on  the 
eastern  side.  The  exact  place  is  now 
unknown.  In  the  time  of  Eusebius 
and  Jerome  it  is  described  as  having 
many  inhabitants,  and  a  Roman  garri- 
son. In  the  time  of  the  crusaders  it  is 
mentioned  as  a  place  pleasantly  situ- 
ated, with  many  palm-trees.  But  the 
palm-trees  have  disappeared,  and  the 
site  of  the  city  can  be  only  a  matter  of 
conjecture.  See  Robinson's  Bibli.  Re- 
search, ii.  648-651.  IT  An  heifer  of 
three  years  old.  That  is,  their  fugitives 
flying  unto  Zoar  shall  lift  up  the  voice 
like  an  heifer,  for  so  Jeremiah  in  the 
parallel  place  explains  it.  Jer.  xlviii. 
34.  Many  interpreters  have  referred 
this,  however,  'o  Zoar  as  an  appellation 
of  that  city  denoting  its  flourishing 
condition.  Bochart  refers  it  to  Isaiah, 
and  supposes  that  he  designed  to  say 
that  he  lifted  his  voice  as  an  heifer. 
But  the  more  obvious  interpretation  is 
that  given  above,  and  is  that  which 
occurs  in  Jeremiah.  The  expression, 
however,  is  a  very  obscure  one.  See 
the  various  senses  which  it  may  bear, 
examined  in  Rosenmtlller  and  Gesenius 
in  loc.  Gesenius  renders  it,  '•'  to  Eglath 
♦he  third  ;"  and  supposes,  in  accordance 
with  many  interpreters,  that  it  denotes 
a  place  called  Eglath,  called  the  third 
in  distinction  from  two  other  places  of 


the  same  name  ;  though  he  suggests 
that  the  common  explanation  that  it 
refers  to  a  heifer  of  the  age  of  three 
years  may  be  defended.  In  the  third 
year,  says  he,  the  heifer  was  most  vig- 
orous, and  hence  was  used  for  an  offer- 
ing. Gen.  xv.  9.  Until  that  age  she 
was  accustomed  to  go  unbroken,  and 
bore  no  yoke.  Pliny,  8,  4,  5.  If  this 
refers  to  Moab,  therefore,  it  may  mean 
that  hitherto  it  was  vigorous,  unsub- 
dued, and  active  ;  but  that  now,  like 
the  heifer,  it  was  to  be  broken  and 
brought  under  the  yoke  by  chastise- 
ment, ^he  expression  is  a  very  diffi- 
cult one,  and  it  is  impossible  cerhnps 
to  determine  what  is  the  true  sense. 
IT  By  the  mounting  up  of  Luhith.  The 
ascent  of  Luhith.  It  is  evident  from 
Jer.  xlviii.  5,  that  it  was  a  mountain, 
but  where  is  not  clearly  ascertained. 
Eusebius  supposes  it  was  a  place  be- 
tween Areopolis  and  Zoar.  See  Reland 
Palaest.  pp.  577—579.  The  whole  region 
there  is  mountainous.  1T  In  the  way 
of  Horonahn.  This  was,  douhtless,  a 
town  of  Moab,  but  where  it  was  situ- 
ated is  uncertain.  The  word  means 
two  holes.  The  region  abounds  to  this 
day  with  caves  which  are  used  for 
dwellings.  Srctzen.  The  place  lay 
probably  on  a  declivity  from  which  one 
descended  from  Luhith.  IT  A  cry  of 
destruction.  Heb.  Breaking.  A  cry 
appropriate  to  the  great  calamity  that 
should  come  upon  Moab. 

6.  Fftr  the  waters  of  Ximrim.  It  is 
supposed  by  some  that  the  prophet 
here  states  the  cause  why  the  Moab- 
ites  would  flee  to  the  cities  of  the 
south,  to  wit,  that  the  waters  of  the 
northern  cities  would  fail,  and  the 
country  become  desolate,  and  that  they 
would  seek  support  in  the  south.  But 
it  is  more  probable  that  he  is  simply 
continuing  the  description  of  the  deso- 
lation that  would  come  upon  Moab. 
Nimrah,  or  Beth  Nimra,  meaning  a 
house  of  limpid  waters,  was  a  city  of 


B.C.  713.1 


CHAPTER  XV. 


311 


is  withered  away,  the  grass  fail- 
eth,  there  is  no  green  thing. 

7  Therefore  the  abundance 
they  have  gotten,  and  that  which 
they  have  laid  up,  shall  they  carry 
away  to  the  5  brook  of  the  willows. 

Reuben  east  of  the  Dead  Sea.  Num. 
xxxii.  3.  Comp.  Jer.  xlviii.  34.  It 
was  doubtless  a  city  celebrated  for  its 
pure  fountains  and  springs  of  water. 
Here  Seetzen's  chart  shows  a  brook 
flowing  into  the  Jordan  called  Nahr 
Nimrim,  or  Wadij  Shoaib.  "  On  the 
east  of  the  Jordan  over  against  Jericho 
there  ts  now  a  stream  called  Nimlim — 
doubtless  the  ancient  Nimrim.  This 
flows  into  the  Jordan,  and  as  it  flows 
aiong  gives  fertility  to  that  part  of  the 
country  of  Moab."  Rev.  Eli  Smith. 
It  is  possible  that  the  waters  failed  by 
a  common  practice  in  times  of  war, 
when  an  enemy  destroyed  the  fountains 
of  a  country  by  diverting  their  waters, 
or  by  casting  into  them  stones,  trees, 
&c.  This  destructive  measure  of  war 
occurs  with  reference  to  Moab  in 
2  Kings  iii.  25,  when  the  Israelites, 
during  an  incursion  into  Moab,  felled 
the  fruit-trees,  cast  stones  intt  the 
ploughed  grounds,  and  closed  the  foun- 
tains, or  wells.  IT  For  the  hay  is  with- 
ered away.  The  waters  are  dried  up, 
and  the  land  yields  nothing  to  support 
life. 

7.  Therefore  the  abundance  they  have 
gotten.  Their  wealth  they  shall  remove 
from  a  place  that  is  utterly  burnt  up 
with  drought,  where  the  waters  and 
the  grass  fail,  to  anothv.  <jlace  where 
they  may  find  water.  IT  To  the  brook 
of  willows  Marg.  "  The  valley  of 
the  Arabians."  The  LXX  render  it, 
"  I  will  lead  them  to  the  valley  of  the 
Arabians,  and  they  shall  take  it."  So 
Saadias.  It  might  perhaps  be  called 
the  valley  of  the  Arabians  because  it 
was  the  boundary  line  between  them 
and  Arabia  on  the  south.  Lowth  ren- 
ders it  "  to  Babylon."  The  probability 
is,  that  the  prophet  refers  to  some  val- 
ley or  brook,  that  was  called  the  brook 
of  the  willows,  from  the  fact  that  many 


8  For  the  cry  is  gone  round 
about  the  borders  of  Moab,  the 
howling  thereof  unto  Eglaim, 
and  the  howling  thereof  unto 
Beer-elim. 

5  or,  valley  of  the  Arabians. 


willows  grew  upon  its  bank.  Perhaps 
it  was  the  small  stream  which  flows 
into  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
Dead  Sea,  and  which  forms  the  bound- 
ary of  Arabia  Petrea  of  the  province 
of  Jebal.  They  withdrew  towards  the 
south,  where  towards  Petra  or  Sela 
they  had  their  property  in  herds  (ch. 
xvi.  1)  ;  for  probably  the  invader  came 
from  the  north  and  drove  them  in  this 
direction.  Lowth,  and  most  commen- 
tators suppose  that  "  they"  in  this  verse 
refers  to  the  enemies  of  Moab,  and  that 
it  means  that  they  would  carry  away 
the  property  of  Moab  to  some  distant 
place.  But  the  more  probable  meaning 
is,  that  when  the  waters  of  the  Nimrim 
should  fail,  they  would  remove  to  a 
place  better  watered  ;  that  is,  they 
would  leave  their  former  abode,  and 
wander  away.  It  is  an  image  of  the 
desolation  that  was  coming  upon  the 
land 

8.  For  the  cry  is  gone  round  about, 
&c.  The  cry  of  distress  and  calamity 
has  encompassed  the  whole  land  of 
Moab.  There  is  no  part  of  the  land 
which  is  not  filled  with  lamentation 
and  distress.  IT  The  howling.  The 
voice  of  wailing  on  account  of  the  dis- 
tress. IT  Unto  Eglaim.  This  was  a 
city  of  Moab  east  of  the  Dead  Sea, 
which,  Eusebius  says,  was  eight  miles 
south  of  Ar,  and  hence,  says  Rosen- 
mililer,  it  was  not  far  from  the  south 
border  of  Moab.  It  is  mentioned  by. 
Josephus  (Ant.  B  xiv.  ch.  1,)  as  one 
of  the  twelve  cities  in  that  region 
which  was  overthrown  by  Alexander 
the  Great.  IT  Unto  Beer-elim.  Lite- 
rally the  well  of  the  princes.  Perhaps 
the  same  as  that  mentioned  in  Num. 
xxi.  14-18,  as  being  in  the  land  of 
Moab,  and  near  to  Ar: 

The  princes  digged  the  well, 
'the  nobles  of  the  people  digged  it.- 


312 


ISAIAH. 


[JS.C.713. 


9  For  the  waters  of  Dirnon 
shall  be  full  of  blood  :  for  I  will 
bring  'more  upon  Dimon,  lionsS" 

6  additions 

!).  Fur  the  waters  of  Dimon.  Proba- 
bly the  same  as  Dibon,  ver.  2.  EJuse- 
bius  says  it  was  a  large  town  on  the 
northern  bank  of  the  river  Anion. 
Jerome  says  that  the  letters  m  and  b 
are  often  interchanged  in  oriental  dia- 
lects. See  Note  on  ver.  2.  IT  Shall 
b'  full  of  blood.  That  is,  the  number 
of  the  slain  of  Motib  shall  be  so  great 
that  the  blood  shall  colour  the  waters 
of  the  river — a  very  common  occur- 
rence in  times  oi  great  slaughter.  Per- 
haps by  the  waters  of  Dimon  the  pro- 
phet does  not  mean  the  river  Anion, 
but  the  small  rivulets  or  streams  that 
might  flow  into  it  near  to  the  city  of 
Dibon.  Probably  there  were  winter 
brooks  there  which  do  not  run  at  all 
seasons.  The  Chaldee  renders  it, 
"  The  waters  of  Dimon  shall  be  full  of 
blood,  because  I  will  place  upon  Dimon 
an  assembly  of  armies."  IT  For  I  will, 
bring  wore  upon  Dirnon.  Heb.  "  I  will 
bring  additions  :" — that  is,  I  will  bring 
upon  '•  additional  calamities.  Jerome 
says  tat  by  those  additional  calami- 
tie^      le    prophet    refers  to   the    lions 


upon  him  that  escapeth  of  Moab, 
and  upon  the  remnant  of  the 
land. 

g  2  Kings  17.  25. 


which  are  immediately  after  mentioned. 
11  Lions  upon  him  that  escapeth  oj 
Moab.  Wild  beasts  upon  those  who 
escaped  from  the  slaughter,  and  who 
took  refuge  in  the  wilderness,  or  on  the 
mountains.  The  Chaldee  renders  it, 
"  a  king  shall  ascend  with  an  army, 
and  shall  destroy  the  remainder  of 
their  land."  Abel)  Ezra  interprets  it 
of  the  king  of  Assyria  ;  and  Jarchi  of 
Nebuchadnezzar  who  is  called  a  lion 
in  Jer.  iv.  7  Vitringa  also  supposed 
that  Nebuchadnezzar  is  meant  But 
it  is  more  probable  that  the  prophet  re- 
fers to  wild  beasts,  which  are  often  re- 
ferred to  in  the  Scriptures  as  objects 
of  dread,  and  as  bringing  calamities 
upon  nations.  See  Lev.  xxvi  22.  Jer. 
v.  G,  xv.  3.  2  Kings  xviii.  25  '"  Upon 
the  remnant  9f  the  land.  Upon  all 
those  who  escaped  the  desolation  of  the 
war.  The  LXX  and  the  Arabic  ren- 
der this  "  upon  the  remnant  of  Ada  ma" 
— understanding  the  word  rendered 
land  '"1,9'7i*  adhama,  as  the  name  of  a 
city.  But  it  more  probably  means  the 
land. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


ANALYSIS. 


This  chapter  is  a  continuance  of  the  former,  and  the  scope  of  it  is,  to  five  advice  o  the  Moabite*, 
»nd  to  threaten  them  with  punishment  in  case,  as  the  prophet  foresaw,  they  should  neglect  or  refuse 
to  follow  it.  The  advice  was  (ver.  1—5),  to  send  the  customary  tribute  to  the  king  of  Judah;  to  s<  •  !; 
his  protection,  and  to  submit  themselves  to  him.  But  the  prophet  foresaw  that  through  the  pride 
of  Moab  (ver.  fi).  thej  would  refuse  to  recognize  their  subjection  to  Judah,  and  that  us  a  ottnsenueoee 
they  would  be  doomed  to  severe  punishment  (ver.  7 — 11)  and  to  a  certain  overthrow  within  a  speci- 
fied time,  ver.  12—14.    See  the  Analysis  prefixed  to  chap   xv. 


1   Send   ye   the   lamb'  to   the 
ruW  of  the  land   from  7Sela  to 


i  2  Kings  3.  4. 


1.   Send  ye    the  lamb.      Lowih  ren- 
ders this,  "  I   will   send   forth  the  son 


the  wilderness,  unto  the    mount 
of  the  daughter  of  Zion. 

7  a  rock-,  or,  Petra. 


from   the   ruler  of   the  land  ;"  —mean- 
ing, as  he  supposes,  that  under  the  As- 


B.C. TVS.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


313 


Syrian  invasion  even  the  young  prince 
of  Moab  would  be  obliged  to  flee  for 
his  life  through  the  desert  that  he  might 
escape  to  Judea  ;  and   that    thus  God 
says   that   he  would  send   him.     The 
only  authority  for  this  however  is,  that 
the  LXX  read  the  word  send  in  the  fu- 
ture   tense    (dwoarcXw)    instead  of  the 
imperative  ;  and  that  the  Syriac  reads 
"•?    bar  instead  of  "^8   kar — a   lamb. 
But  assuredly  this  is  too  slight  an  au- 
thority for  making  an  alteration  in  the 
Hebrew  text.     This  i9  one  of  the  many 
instances  in  which  Lowth  has  ventured 
to    suggest    a   change    in  the   text  of 
Isaiah     without     sufficient     authority. 
The  LXX  read  this,  "  I  will  send  rep- 
tiles {ioTrirU)  upon  the  land.     Is  not  the 
mountain  of  the   daughter  of  Zion  a 
desolate  rock  \"     The  Chaldee  renders 
it,  "  Bear  ye  tribute  to  the  Messiah  the 
anointed  of    Israel,   who    is    powerful 
over  you  who  were  in  the  desert,  to 
Mount  Zion."      And  this,  understand- 
ing by  the    Messiah   the  anointed  king 
of  Israel,  is  probably  the  true  render- 
ing.    The   word   lamb — "'S    kar — de- 
notes properly  a  pasture   lamb,  a  fat 
lamb,  and    is    usually   applied   to    the 
lamb    which    was    slain    in    sacrifice. 
Here    it    probably    means   a    lamb,  or 
lambs  collectively,  as  a  tribute,  or  ac- 
knowledgment of  subjection   to  Judah. 
Lambs  were  used  in  the  daily  sacrifice 
in  the  temple,  and  in  the  other  sacri- 
fices of  the  Jews.     Large  numbers  of 
them  would  therefore  be  needed,  and  it 
is  not  improbable  that  the  tribute  of  the 
nations  subject  to  them  was  often  re- 
quired to  be  paid  in  animals  for  burnt 
offering.     Perhaps    there    might    have 
been  this  additional  reason  for  that — 
that  the  sending  of  such  animals  would 
be    a   sort  of  incidental   acknowledg- 
ment of  the   truth  of  the   Jewish  reli- 
gion, and  an  offering  to  the  God  of  the 
Hebrews.      At  all    events,    the    word 
here   seems  to  be  one  that  designates 
tribute  ;  and  the  counsel  of  the  prophet 
is,  that  they  should  send   their  tribute 
lo   the  Jews.      IT    To   the   ruler  of  the 
land.     To  the  king  of  Judah.     This 
's  proved  by  the  addition  at  the  close 
)f  the  verse,  "  unto  'he  mount  of  the 
14 


daughter  of  Zion."     It  is  evident  from 
2  Sam.  viii.  2,  that  David  subdued  the 
Moabitcs,  and  laid  them  under  tribute, 
so  that  the  "  Moabites  became  David's 
servants,    and    brought   gifts."       That 
lambs  were  the  specific  kind  of  tribute 
which  the   Moabites  were  to  render  to 
the  Jews  as  a  token  of  their  subjection, 
is   clearly  proved    in   2   Kings  iii.    4 : 
"  And    Mesha   king  of   Moab   was    a 
sheep-master,  and    rendered  unto  the 
king  of  Israel    an   hundred    thousand 
rams,   with   the  wool."     This  was  in 
the   time  of  Ahab.     But  the  Moabites 
after  his  death  revolted  from  them,  and 
rebelled.     2  Kings  iv.  5.     It  is  proba- 
ble   that    as   this   tribute  was  laid   by 
David   before    the    separation    of    the 
kingdoms  of  Judah  and  Israel,  and  as 
the  kings  of  Judah  claimed  to  be  the 
true  successors  of  David  and  Solomon, 
they  demanded  that  the  tribute  should 
be  rendered  to  them,  and   not  to  the 
kings  of  Israel,  and  this   is  the  claim 
which  Isaiah   enforces  in  the  passage 
before  us.     The  command  of  the  pro- 
phet is  to  regain  the  lost  favour  of   Is- 
rael by  the  payment  of  the  tribute  that 
was  due. — The  territory  of  Moab  was 
in  earfy  times,  and  is  still,  rich  in  flocks 
of  sheep.     Seetzen   made   his  journey 
with  some  inhabitants  of  Hebron  and 
Jerusalem  who  had  purchased  sheep  in 
that    region      Lambs  and  sheep  wero 
often  demanded  in  tribute.     The  Per- 
sians received  fifty  thousand  sheep  as  a 
tribute    annually    from    the    Cappado- 
cians,  and  one  hundred  thousand  from 
the  Medea.    Straboii.  p.  362.     'I  From 
Sela    in    the    wilderness.      The    word 
Sela  5>^D   means  a    rock;   and   by   it 
here  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  there 
is  intended  the  city  of  that  name  which 
was  the  capital  of  Arabia  Petreit.    The 
city  was  situated  within  the  bounds  of 
Arabia  or  Idumea,  but  was  probably  at 
this    time    in    the    possession    of    the 
Moabites.     It   was,  therefore,  the   re- 
motest part  of  their  territory,  and  the 
sense  may  be, '  Send  tribute  even  from 
the  remotest  part  of  your  land  ;'  or  it 
may  be,  that  the  region   around   that 
city  was  particularly  favourable  to  pas- 
turage,  and    for   keeping   flocks.     To 


014 


ISAIAH. 


\B.C7l* 


this  place  they  had  fled  with  their  flocks 
on  the  invasion  from  the  north      See 

Note  ch  xv.  7.  \  itringa  saya  that 
that  desert  around  Petra  was  regarded 
as  a  vast  common,  on  which  the  Woa- 
bites  and  Arabians  promiscuously  fed 
their  flocks.  The  situation  of  the  city 
of  Sela,  or  nlrpa  Prim,  meaning  the 
same  as  Selu,  a  rock,  was  for  a  long 
time  unknown,  but  it  has  lately  been 
discovered.  It  lies  about  a  journey  of 
a  day  and  a  half  southeast  of  the  south- 
ern extremity  of  the  Dead  Sea  It 
derived  its  name  from  the  fact  that  it 
was  situated  in  a  vast  hollow  in  a 
rocky  mountain,  and  consisted  almost 
entirely  of  dwellings  hewn  out  of  the 
rock.  It  was  the  capital  of  the  Edo- 
mites  (2  Kings  xix.  7);  but  might 
have  been  at  this  time  in  the  possession 
of  the  Moabites.  Strabo  describes  it 
as  the  capital  of  the  Nabatheans,  and 
as  situated  in  a  vale  well  watered,  but 
encompassed  by  insurmountable  rocks 
(xvi.  §  41,  at  a  distance  of  three  or 
four  days'  journey  from  Jericho  Dio- 
dorus  (19,  55)  mentions  it  as  a  place 
of  trade,  with  caves  for  dwellings,  and 
Btrongly  fortified  by  nature.  Pliny,  in 
the  first  century,  says,  "  The  Naba- 
theans inhabit  the  city  called  Petra,  in 
a  valley  less  than  two  [Roman]  miles  in 
amplitude,  surrounded  by  inaccessible 
mountains,  with  a  stream  flowing 
through  it."  Hist.  Nat.  vi.  28.  Adrian, 
the  successor  of  Trajan,  granted  im- 
portant privileges  to  that  city  which 
led  the  inhabitants  to  give  his  name  to 
it  upon  coins.  Several  of  these  are 
still  extant.  In  the  fourth  centur/, 
Petra  is  several  times  mentioned  by 
Eusebius  and  Jerome,  and  in  the  fifth 
and  sixth  centuries  it  appears  as  the 
metropolitan  see  of  the  Third  Pales- 
tine. See  the  article  Petra  in  Rcland's 
Palestine.  From  that  time,  Petra  dis- 
appeared from  the  pages  of  history,  and 
the  metropolitan  see  was  transferred  to 
Rabbah.  In  what  way  Petra  was  de- 
Btroyed  is  unknown.  Whether  it  was 
by  the  Mohammedan  conquerors,  or 
whether  by  the  incursions  of  the  hordes 
of  the  desert,  it  is  impossible  now  to 
ascertain.  All  Arabian  writers  of 
tfiat    period    are    silent    as    to    Petra. 


j  The  name  became  changed  to  that 
which  it  bears  at  present,  iVady  Mns/i, 

I  and  it  was  not  until  the  travels  of 
Seetzea  in  1807  that  it  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  world.  During  his  ex- 
cursion from  Hebron  to  the  bill  Madu- 
rah,  his  Arab  guide  described  the  place, 
exclaiming,  "  \h  !  how  I  weep  when 
I  behold  the  ruins  of  Wady  Musa." 
Seetzen  did  not  visit  it,  but  Burckhardt 
passed  a  short  time  there,  and  described 
it.  Since  his  time  it  has  been  re- 
peatedly visited.  See  Robinson's  Bibli. 
Research,  ii  573-580. 

This  city  was  formerly  celebrated  as 
a  place  of  great  commercial  impor- 
tance, from  its  central  position  and  its. 
being  so  securely  defended.  Dr  Vin- 
cent in  his  "  Commerce  of  the  An- 
cients," (vol.  xi  p.  26*3,  quoted  in 
Laborde's  Journey  to  Arabia  Petrea,p. 
17,)  describes  Petra  as  the  capital  of 
Edom  or  Sin,  the  Iduinea  or  Arabia 
Petrea  of  the  Greeks,  the  Nabatea  con- 
sidered both  by  geographers,  historians, 
and  poets,  as  the  source  of  all  the  pre- 
cious commodities  of  the  East.  The 
caravans  in  all  ages,  from  Minea  in  the 
interior  of  Arabia,  and  from  Gerrka  on 
the  gulf  of  Persia,  from  Hadramont  on 
the  occean,  and  some  even  from  Sabea 
in  Yemen,  appear  to  have  pointed  to 
1'etra  as  a  common  centre  ;  and  from 
Petra  the  trade  seems  to  have  branched 
out  into  every  direction,  to  Egypt,  Pa- 
lestine, and  Syria,  through  Arsinoe, 
Gaza,  Tyre,  Jerusalem,  Damascus,  and 
a  variety  of  intermediate  roads  that  all 
terminated  on  the  Mediterranean.'' 
Strabo  relates,  that  the  merchandise  of 
India  and  Arabia  was  transposed  on 
camels  from  Leuke  Rome  to  Petra,  and 
thence  to  Rhinocolura  and  other  places. 
Strabo  xvi.  4,  18,  23,  24.  Under  the 
Romans  the  trade  was  still  more  pros- 
perous. The  country  was  rendered 
more  accessible,  and  the  passage  of 
merchants  facilitated  by  military  ways, 
and  by  the  establishment  of  military 
posts  to  keep  in  check  the  predatory 
hordes  of  the  neighbouring  deserts. 
One  great  road,  of  which  traces  still 
remain,  went  from  Petra  to  Damascus; 
another  went  oh"  from  this  road  west 
of  the  Dead  Sea  to  Jerusalem,  Askelon, 


B  C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


315 


and  other  parts  of  the  Mediterranean. 
Laborde,  p.  213.  Burckhardt,  374,  419. 
At  a  period  subsequent  to  the  Christian 
era  there  always  reigned  at  Petra,  ac- 
cording to  Strabo,  a  king  of  the  royal 
lineage,  with  whom  a  prince  was  asso- 
ciated in  the  government.  Strabo,  p 
779.  The  very  situation  of  this  city, 
once  so  celebrated,  as  has  been  re- 
marked above,  was  long  unknown. 
Burckhardt,  under  the  assumed  name 
of  Sheikh  Ibrahim,  in  the  year  X  —  II 
made  an  attempt  to  reach  t'etra  under 
the  pretext  that  he  had  made  a  vow  to 
sacrifice  a  goat  in  honour  of  Aaron  on 
the  summit  of  Mount  Hor  near  to 
Petra.  He  was  permitted  to  enter  the 
city,  and  to  remain  there  a  short  time, 
and  to  look  upon  the  wonders  of  that 
remarkable  place,  but  was  permitted  to 
make  no  notes  or  drawings  on  the 
spot  His  object  was  supposed  to  be 
to  obtain  treasures  which  the  Arabs  be- 
lieve to  have  been  deposited  there  in 
great  abundance,  as  all  who  visit  the 
ruins  of  ancient  cities  and  towns  in 
that  region  are  regarded  as  having 
come  there  solely  for  that  purpose.  If 
assured  that  they  have  no  such  design, 
and  if  the  Arabs  are  reminded  that 
they  have  no  means  to  remove  them,  it 
is  replied  "  that,  although  they  may 
not  remove  them  in  their  presence,  yet 
when  they  return  to  their  own  land 
they  will  have  the  power  of  command- 
ing the  treasures  to  be  conveyed  to 
them,  and  it  will  be  don?  by  magic  " 
Burckhardt,  Travels  in  Syria,  pp.  428, 
429. 

Burckhardt's  description  of  this  city, 
as  it  is  brief,  may  be  here  given  verba- 
tim. "  Two  long  days'  journey  north- 
east from  Akaba  [a  town  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  Elanitic  branch  of  the 
Red  Sea,  near  the  site  of  the  ancient 
Ezion  Geber],  is  a  brook  called  Wady 
Mousa,  and  a  valley  of  the  same  name. 
This  place  is  very  remarkable  for  its 
antiquities,  and  the  remains  of  an  an- 
cient city,  which  I  take  to  be  Petra, 
the  capital  of  Arabia  Petrea,  a  place 
which  so  far  as  I  know  no  European 
traveller  has  ever  explored.  In  the 
red  sand-stone  of  which  the  vale  con- 
sists, there   are  found  more  than  two 


hundred  and  fifty  sepulchres,  which  are 
entirely  hewn  outof  the  rock,  generally 
with  architectural  ornaments  in  the 
Grecian  style  There  is  found  there  a 
mausoleum  in  the  form  of  a  umple 
[obviously  the  same  which  Legh  and 
Lahonle  call  the  temple  of  victory},  on 
a  colossal  scale,  which  is  likewise 
hewn  out  of  the  rock,  with  all  its 
apartments,  portico,  peristylum,  &,c. 
It  is  an  extremely  fine  monument  of 
Grecian  architecture,  and  in  a  fine  state 
of  preservation.  In  the  same  place 
there  are  yet  other  mausoleums  with 
obelisks,  apparently  in  the  Egyptian 
style  ;  a  whole  amphitheatre  hewn  out 
ot  the  solid  rock,  and  the  remains  of  a 
palace  and  many  temples." 

Mr.  Bankes,  in  company  of  Mr 
Legh,  and  captains  Iiby  and  Mangles, 
have  the  merit  of  being  the  first  per 
sons  who,  as  Europeans,  succeeded  to 
any  extent  in  making  researches  in 
Petra.  Captains  Irby  and  Mangles 
spent  two  days  amongst  its  temples, 
tombs,  and  ruins,  and  have  furnished  a 
description  of  what  they  saw.  But 
the  most  full  and  satisfactory  investi- 
gation which  has  been  made  of  these 
ruins,  was  made  by  M.  de  Laborde, 
who  visited  the  city  in  1829,  and  w;is 
permitted  to  remain  there  eight  days, 
and  to  examine  it  at  leisure.  An  ac- 
count of  his  journey,  with  splendid 
plates,  was  published  in  Paris  in  1830 
and  a  translation  in  London  in  1836 
To  this  interesting  account  the  readei 
must  be  referred.  It  can  only  be  re- 
marked here,  that  Petra,  or  Sela,  wa? 
a  city  entirely  encompassed  with  lofty 
rocks,  except  in  a  single  place,  where 
was  a  deep  ravine  between  the  rocke 
which  constituted  the  principal  en- 
trance. On  the  east  and  west  it  wa? 
enclosed  with  lofty  rocks  of  from  three 
to  five  hundred  feet  in  height ;  on  the 
north  and  south  the  ascent  was  gra- 
dual from  the  city  to  the  adjacent  hills. 
The  ordinary  entrance  was  through  a 
deep  ravine,  which  has  been  until  latelj 
supposed  to  have  been  the  only  way  of 
access  to  the  city.  This  ravine  ap 
proaches  it  from  the  east,  and  is  abou 
a  mile  in  length.  In  the  nirrowes 
part  it  is  twelve  feet  in  width,  and  th» 


310 


ISAIAH. 


[i*.C\713 


2  For   it   shall   be,   that  as  a    nest,  so  the   daughters  of  Moab 
wandering  bird  cast  8out  of  the    shall  be  at  the  lords  of*Arnon. 


8  or.  a  nest  forsaken. 


k  Num.  81.  13. 


rock.s  are  on  eaeb  sidt.  about  three  hun- 
drer  feel  in  height.  On  the  northern 
aide  there  are  tombs  excavated  in  the 
rocks  nearly  the  entire  distance.  The 
Stream  which  watered  Petra  runs  along 
in  the  bottom  of  the  ravine,  going 
through  the  city,  and  descending 
through  a  ravine  to  the  west.  See 
Robinson's  Bibli.  Research,  vol.  ii.  pp. 
514,  538.  Of  tiiis  magnificent  en- 
trance, the  following  cut  will  furnish 
an  illustration.  The  city  is  wholly  un- 
inhabited, except  when  the  wandering 
Arab  makes  use  of  an  excavated  tomb 
or  palace  in  which  to  pass  the  night,  or 
a  caravan  pauses  there.  The  rock 
which  encompass  .-  it  is  a  soft  free 
stone.  The  tombs  with  which  almost 
the  entire  city  was  encompassed,  are 
cut  in  the  solid  rock,  and  are  adorned 
in  the  various  modes  of  Grecian  and 
Egyptian  architecture.  The  surface  of 
the  solid  rock  was  first  made  smooth, 
and  then  a  plan  of  the  tomb  or  temple 
was  drawn  on  the  smoothed  surface, 
and  the  workmen  began  at  the  top  and 
cut  the  various  pillars,  entablatures, 
and  capitals.  The  tomb  was  then  ex- 
cavated from  the  rock,  and  was  usually 
entered  by  a  single  door  Burckhardt 
counted  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  these 
tombs,  and  Laborde  has  described  mi- 
nutely a  large  number  of  them.  For 
a  description  of  these  splendid  monu- 
ments the  reader  must  be  referred  to 
the  work  of  Laborde,  pp.  153-193. 
Loud  Ed.  One  of  the  temples  of 
Petra  is  exhibited  in  tiie  engraving  on 
the  following  page. 

That  this  is  the  Sela  referred  to  here 
there  can  be  no  doubt ;  and  the  disco- 
very of  this  place  is  only  one  of  the 
instances  out  of  many,  in  which  the  re- 
searches of  oriental  travellers  contri- 
bute to  throw  light  on  the  geography 
of  the  Scriptures,  or  otherwise  illus- 
trate them.  For  a  description  of  this 
city,  see  Stephens's  Incidents  of  Travel 
in  Egypt,  Arabia  Petrea,  ami  the  Holy 
Laud,  vol  ii.  eh.  iv  p.  u'5,  seq  ;  the 
work  of  Laborde   referred   to   above  ; 


and  Robinson's  Biblical  Researches, 
vol.  ii.  573-580,  653-659.  H  To  the 
in 'i  it  ut  of  the  duns  liter  of  Zion.  To 
Mount  Zion  ;  i.  e.  to  Jerusalem.  Note 
eh  i.  8.  The  meaning  of  this  verse, 
therefore,  is, '  Pay  the  accustomed  tri- 
bute to  the  Jews.  Continue  to  seek 
th  ir  protection, and  acknowledge  your 
subjection  to  them,  and  you  shall  be 
safe.  They  will  yield  you  protection, 
and  these  threatened  judgments  will 
not  come  upon  you.  But  refuse,  or 
withhold  this,  and  you  will  be  over- 
thrown.' 

2.  For  it  shall  be.  It  shall  happen 
in  the  time  of  the  calamity  that  shall 
come  upon  Moab.  IT  As  a  vondmuz 
bird.  See  ch  x.  14.  The  same  idea 
is  presented  in  Prov.  xxvii.  8 : 

As  a  bird  that  wanders  from  her  nest, 

So  is  a  man  that  wandereth  from  Ins  place. 

The  idea  here  is  that  of  a  bird  driven 
away  from  her  nest,  where  the  nest  is 
destroyed,  and  the  young  fly  about 
without  any  home  or  place  of  rest.  So 
would  Moab  be  when  the  inhabitants 
were  driven  from  their  dwellings.  The 
reason  why  this  is  introduced  seems 
to  be,  to  enforce  what  the  prophet  had 
said  in  the  previous  verse — ton  duty  of 
paying  the  usual  tribute  to  the  Jews 
and  seeking  their  protection.  The 
time  is  coming,  says  the  prophet,  when 
the  Moabites  shall  be  driven  from  their 
homes,  and  when  they  will  need  that 
protection  which  they  can  obtain  by 
paying  the  usual  tribute  to  the  Jews. 
IT  The  daughters  of  Moab.  The  fe- 
males shall  be  driven  from  their  homes, 
and  shall  wander  about,  and  endeavour 
to  fiec  from  the  invasion  which  has 
come  upon  the  land.  By  the  appre- 
hension, therefore,  that  their  wives  and 
daughters  would  be  exposed  to  this 
danger,  the  prophet  calls  upon  the 
Moabites  to  secure  the  protection  of 
the  king  of  Judah.  IT  At  the  fords 
of  Anion.  Anion  was  the  northern 
boundary  of  the  land  of  Moab.  They 
would  endeavour  to  cross  that  river 
and  thus  flee  from  the  land,  and  escaD* 


tf.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


317 


the  desolations  that  were  coming  upon 
it.     The  river  Anion,  now  called  Mu- 


jeb,  flows  in  a  deep,  frightfully  wild,     a  narrow  bed,  and  forms  at  this  tim 


and    rocky    vale    of    the    same    name 
(Num.  xxi.  15.    Deut.  ii.  24,  lii   (.»)»  in 


Entrance  to  Petra. 


319 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.713 


3  Take9  counsel,  execute  jud fo- 
ment :   make  thv  shadow  as  the 


tin  boundary  between  the  provinces  of 
Belka  and  Karrak.  Seetzen.  Bridges 
were  not  common  in   the  times  here 

referred  to  ;  and  indeed  permanent 
Dlidges  among  the  ancients  were  things 
almost  unknown.  Hence  they  selected 
the  places  where  the  streams  were 
most  shallow  and  gentle  as  the  usual 
places  <>f  crossing 

.'f.  Take  counsel.  Heb  Bring  coun- 
sel ;  or  cause  it  to  come — ".srn  >  or  as 
■  is  in  the  keri,  Wan  .  '  The  Vul- 
gate renders  this  in  the  singular  num- 
ber, and  so  is  the  keri,  and  so  many 
MSS;  J.  D.  Michaelis,  Lowth,  Eicb- 
horn,Gesenius,and  Noycs  regard  verses 
3-5  as  a  supplicatory  address  of  the 
fugitive  Moahites  to  the  Jews  to  take 
them  under  their  protection,  and  as 
imploring  a  blessing  on  the  Jewish 
people  if  they  would  do  it ;  and  ver.  6 
as  the  negative  answer  of  the  Jews,  or 
as  a  refusal  to  protect  them  on  account 
ot  their  pride  But  most  commentators 
regard  it  as  addressed  to  the  Moabites 
by  the  prophet,  or  by  the  Jews,  calling 
upon  the  Moabites  to  afford  such  pro- 
tection to  the  Jews  who  might  be 
driven  from  their  homes  as  to  secure 
their  favour,  and  confirm  the  alliance 
between  them  ;  and  ver.  6  as  an  inti- 
mation of  the  prophet,  that  the  pride  of 
Moab  is  such  that  there  is  no  reason  to 
suppose  the  advice  will  be  followed.  It 
makes  no  difference  in  the  sense  here 
whether  the  verb  "  give  counsel"  be  in 
the  singular  or  the  plural  number.  If 
singular,  it  may  be  understood  as  ad- 
dressed to  Moab  itself  ^  if  plural,  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Moab.  Vitringa  sup- 
poses that  this  is  an  additional  advice 
given  to  the  Moabites  by  the  prophet, 
or  by  a  chorus  of  the  Jews,  to  exercise 
the  offices  of  kindness  and  humanity 
towards  the  Jews,  that  thus  they  might 
avoid  the  calamities  which  were  im- 
pending. The  first  counsel  was  (ver. 
1),  to  pay  the  proper  tribute  to  the 
Jewish  nation ;  this  is  (ver.  3-5)  to 
•how   to    those    Jews    who    might    be 


night  in  the  midst  of  the  noon- 
day  ;  hide  the  outcasts,  bewray 
not  him  that  wandereth. 


driven  from  their  land  kindness  and 
protection,  and  thus  preserve  the  friend- 
ship of  the  Jewish  nation.  This  is, 
probably,  the  correct  interpretation,  as 
if  he  had  said,  '  take  counsel  ;  seek 
advice  in  your  circumstances;  lie  not 
hasty}  rash,  impetuous,  unwise  ;  do  not 
cast  off  the  friendship  of  the  Jews  ;  do 
not  deal  unkindly  with  those  who  may 
Seek  a  refuge  in  your  land,  and  thus 
provoke  the  nation  to  enmity  ;  hut  let 
your  land  be  an  asylum,  and  thus  con- 
ciliate and  secure  the  friendship  of  the 
Jewish  nation,  and  thus  mercy  shall  be 
reciprocated  and  shown  to  you  by  hira 
who  shall  occupy  the  throne  of  David.' 
Ver.  5.  The  design  is,  to  induce  the 
Moabites  to  show  kindness  to  the  fugi- 
tive Jews  who  might  seek  a  refuge 
there,  that  thus  in  turn  the  Jews  might 
show  them  kindness.  But  the  prophet 
foresaw  (ver.  6)  that  Moab  was  so 
proud  that  he  would  neither  pay  the 
accustomed  tribute  to  the  Jews,  nor 
afford  them  protection  ;  and  therefore 
the  judgment  is  threatened  against 
them  which  is  finally  to  overthrow 
them.  IT  Execute  judgment.  That  is, 
do  that  which  is  equitable  and  right  ; 
which  you  would  desire  to  be  done  in 
like  circumstances.  IT  Make  thy  shad- 
ow. A  shadow  or  shade  is  often  in 
the  Scriptures  an  emblem  of  protection 
from  the  burning  heat  of  the  sun,  and 
thence  of  those  burning,  consuming 
judgments,  which  are  represented  by 
the  intense  heat  of  the  sun  Note  Isa. 
iv.  6.  Comp.  Isa.  x.w.  4,  .xx.xii  2. 
Lam.  iv.  20.  IT  As  the  night.  That 
is,  a  deep,  dense  shade,  such  as  the 
night  is,  compared  with  the  intense 
heat  of  noon.  This  idea  was  one  that 
was  very  striking  in  the  East.  No- 
thing, to  travellers  crossing  the  burning 
deserts,  could  be  more  refreshing  thar 
the  shade  of  a  far-projecting  rock,  or  of 
a  grove,  or  of  the  night.  Thus  Isaiah 
counsels  the  Moahites  to  be  to  the 
Jews — to  furnish  protection  to  tnein 
which  may  be  like  the  grateful  shade 


£.C713.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


319 


4  Let  mine  outcasts  dwell  with 
thee,  Moab  :  be  thou  a  covert  to 
them  from  the  face  of  the  spoiler: 
for  the  'extortioner  is  at  an  end, 
the  spoiler  ceaseth,  the  Oppres- 
sors are  consumed  out  of  the 
land. 

1  wringer.        2  treaders  down. 

furnished  to  the  traveller  hy  the  rock 
in  the  desert.  The  figure  here  used  is 
common  in  the  East.  Thus  it  is  said 
in  praise  of  a  nobleman :  "  Like  the 
sun,  he  warmed  in  the  cold  ;  and  when 
Sirius  shone  then  was  he  coolness  and 
shade."  Jn  the  Sunna  it  is  said  : 
"  Seven  classes  of  men  will  the  Lord 
overshadow  with  his  shade,  when  no 
shade  will  be  like  his ;  the  upright 
Imam,  the  youth,"  &.c.  If  Hide  the 
outcasts.  The  outcasts  of  Judah — 
those  of  the  Jews  who  may  be  driven 
away  from  their  own  homes,  and  who 
may  seek  protectior  in  your  land. 
Moab  is  often  represen  ed  as  a  place  of 
refuge  to  the  outcast  Hebrews.  See  the 
Analysis  to  ch.  xv.  If  Bewray  not  him 
that  icandereth.  Reveal  not — "'sjft — 
do  not  show  them  to  their  pursuer  ;  i.  e. 
give  them  concealment  and  protection. 
4.  Let  mine  outcasts.  This  may  be 
understood  as  the  language  of  Judea, 
or  of  God.  "  Mine  outcasts"  may 
mean  the  exiles  of  Judea,  or  God  may 
call  them  his.  The  sense  is  essentially 
the  same.  It  denotes  those  who  were 
fugitives,  wanderers,  exiles  from  the 
land  of  Judea,  and  who  took  refuge  in 
the  land  of  Moab  ;  and  God  claims  for 
them  protection.  IT  Dwell  with  thee. 
Not  dwell  permanently,  but  sojourn — 
1^13^ — let  them  remain  with  you  as 
exiles ;  or  let  them  find  a  refuge  in 
your  land.  IT  Be  thou  a  covert  to  them. 
A  refuge  ;  a  hiding-place  ;  a  place  of 

secrecy — T:^  sether.  II  From  the  face 
of  the  spoiler.  That  is,  the  conqueror 
from  whose  desolating  career  they 
would  seek  a  refuge  in  the  land  of 
Moab.  Who  this  spoiler  would  be,  is 
not  known.  It  would  seem  to  be  some 
nvader  who  was  carrying  desolation 
hrough  the  land  of  Judea      It  may  be 


5  And  in  mercy  shall  the 
throne  be  Established  ;  and  "'lie 
shall  sit  upon  it  in  truth  in  the 
tabernacle  of  David,  "judging 
and  seeking  judgment,  and  hast- 
ing righteousness. 

4  or,  prepared.       in  Dan.  7.  14,  27.  Micah  4.  7. 
Luke  1.  32,  33.        n  Ps.  72.  2. 

observed  however  that  Lowth,  by  set- 
ting the  points  aside,  supposes  that  this 
should  be  read,  "  Let  the  outcasts  of 
Moab  sojourn  with  thee,  0  Zion."    So 
Noyes.      But  this  seems  to  me  not  to 
suit   the   connection   and   the    design  ; 
which  is,  to  persuade  the   Moabites  to 
conciliate   the  favour  of  the   Jews  by 
affording  a  hiding-place  to  their  fugi- 
tives.    11  For  the  extortioner  is  at  an 
end.     Literally,  '  there  is  an  end,  or 
there  will  be  an  end  of  the  oppressor  ; 
or  he  will  be  wanting.'     The  Chaldee 
renders  it,  "  The  enemy  is  at  an  end." 
The  idea  here  seems  to  be,  that  the 
oppressor  in  the  land  of  Judea  would 
not  continue  there  always  ;  the  exiles 
of  the  Jews  might  soon  return  ;  and 
Judea  be  able  then  to  return  kindness 
to  Moab.     Judea  did  not  ask  that  her 
exiles    should    permanently    abide    in 
Moab,    but    asked    only   a    temporary 
refuge,  with   the    certainty    that    she 
would  be  soon  delivered  from  her  op- 
pressions, and  would  then  be  able  to 
furnish  aid  to  Moab  in  return.     1T  The 
oppressors    are    consumed.      Or,   '  the 
treader    down,'    he    that    has    trodden, 
down    the    nations   shall   soon   be    re- 
moved, and  then  in  turn  Judea  will  be 
able  to  repay  the  kindness  which  is  now 
asked  at  the  hand  of  Moab  in  permit- 
ting her  exiles  to  remain  in  their  land. 
5.  And    in   mercy.      In    benignity ; 
kindness ;    benevolence.      IT  Shall   the 
t/fniie  be  established.     The  throne  of 
th*  king  of  Judah.     That  is,  he  that 
shall  sit  upon  the  throne  of  David  shall 
be  disposed  to  repay  the  kindness  which 
is  now  sought  at  the  hand  of  Moab  ; 
and  shall  be  able  to  do  it.     IT  And  he 
shall  sit  upon  it.     The  king  of  Israel. 
H   In    truth.      In   faithfulness;  that  is, 
shall  be  true  and  faithful.    His  charac- 
ter shall  be  such  that  he  will  do  justice, 


»20 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


0  We  have  heard  of  the  pride 
of  Moab  ;  he  is  very  proud  : 
tven  of  his  haughtiness,  and  his 

and  will  furnish  protection  and  aid  to 
the  Moabites,  it'  they  now  receive  the 
fugitives  of  Israel.  IT  In  the  tabernacle 
of  David.  In  the  dwelling  place  ;  the 
palace  of  David  ;  for  so  the  word  tub- 
ernaele  or  tent,  ?'~!^  ohcl,  seems  to  be 
used  here.  It  means  temple  in  Ezek. 
xli.  1.  It  denotes  a  habitation,  or 
dwelling  place  in  general,  in  Prov.  xiv. 
11.  Ps.  lii.  7,  xci.  1U.  The  palace, 
court,  or  citadel  of  David  was  on 
Mount  Zion  ;  and  the  sense  here  is, 
that  the  king  to  whom  Israel  refers 
would  be  a  worthy  successor  of  David 
— just,  true,  faithful,  benignant,  and 
disposed  to  repay  the  favours  now 
nought  at  the  hand  of  Moab.  IT  Seek- 
ing judgment.  Anxious  to  do  right ; 
and  seeking  an  opportunity  to  recom- 
pense those  who  had  shown  any  favour 
to  the  people  of  the  Jews.  Moab, 
therefore,  if  she  would  now  afford  pro- 
tection to  the  Jews,  might  be  certain 
of  a  recompense.  IT  And  hasting  right- 
eousness. Not  tardy  and  slow  in  do- 
ing what  should  be  done — anxious  to  do 
justice  to  all.  It  is  implied  here  also, 
that  a  king  who  would  be  so  just,  and 
eo  anxious  to  do  right  to  all,  would  not 
only  be  ready  to  show  kindness  to  the 
Moabites  if  they  protected  the  fugitives 
of  Judea,but  would  also  be  disposed  to 
do  right  if  they  refused  that  protection 
— that  is,  would  be  disposed  to  inflict 
punishment  on  them.  Alike,  therefore, 
by  the  hope  of  the  protection  and  fa- 
vour of  the  king  of  the  Jews,  and  by 
the  dread  of  punishment,  the  prophet 
endeavours  to  persuade  Moab  now  to 
Becure  their  favour  by  granting  protec- 
tion to  their  exiles. 

6.  We  have  heard  of  the  pride  of 
JSIoab.  We  Jews  ;  we  have  all  heard 
of  it ;  that  is,  we  know  that  he  is  proud. 
The  evident  design  of  the  prophet  here 
is,  to  say  that  Moab  was  so  proud,  and 
was  well  known  to  be  so  haughty,  that 
he  would  reject  this  counsel  He  would 
neither  send  the  usual  tribute  to  the 
«nd  of  Judea  (ver.  1),  thus  acknow- 


prfrie,  and  his  wrath  :  but  his  lie. 
shall  not  be  so. 

7   Therefore  shall  Moab  howl 

[edging  his  dependence  on  them  ;  nor 
wbuW  he  give  protection  to  the  exiled 
Jews  as  they  should  wander  through 
his  land,  and  thus  endeavour  to  con- 
ciliate their  favour,  and  secure  their 
friendship.  As  a  consequence  of  this, 
the  prophet  proceeds  to  state  that  heavy 
judgments  would  come  upon  Moab  as 
a  nation.  IT  He  is  wry  proud.  The 
same  thing  is  stated  in  the  parallel 
place  in  Jer.  xlviii.  29.  Comp.  ver.  i  i. 
Moab  was  at  ease  :  he  was  confiden. 
in  his  security  ;  he  feared  nothing  ;  he 
sought  no  means  therefore  of  securing 
the  friendship  of  the  Jews.  U  And  his 
wrath.  As  the  result  of  pride  and 
haughtiness.  Wrath  or  indignation  is 
excited  in  a  proud  man  when  he  is 
opposed,  and  when  the  interests  of 
others  are  not  made  to  give  way  to  his. 
IT  But  his  lies  shall  not  be  so.  The 
Hebrew  phrase  "|?"^5  "  not  so"  here 
seems  to  be  used  in  the  sense  of  '  not 
right  ;'  '  not  firm,  or  established  ;'  that 
is,  his  vain  boasting,  his  false  preten- 
sions, his  lies  shall  not  be  confirmed 
or  established  ;  or  they  shall  be  vain 
and  impotent.  In  the  parallel  place 
in  Jeremiah  it  is  "  But  it  shall  not 
be  so ;  his  lies  shall  not  effect  it " 
The  word  rendered  his  lies  here,  "I1?, 
means  his  boasting,  or  vain  and  confi- 
dent speaking.  In  Isa.  xliv  25  it  is 
connected  with  the  vain  and  confident 
responses  of  diviners  and  soothsayers. 
Here  it  means  that  Moab  boasted  of  his 
strength,  and  security,  and  did  not  feel 
his  need  of  the  friendship  of  the  Jews  ; 
but  that  his  security  was  false,  and  that 
it  should  not  result  according  to  his 
expectations  That  Moab  was  proud 
is  also  stated  in  ch  xxv.  H  ;  and  thai 
he  was  disposed  to  give  vent  to  his 
pride  by  reproaching  the  people  of  God 
is  apparent  from  Zech  ii.  8: 

I  huve  heard  the  reproach  of  Moah. 

And  the  revilings  of  the  children  of  Amnion, 

Whereby  thei  have  reproached  my  people, 

And  Iwastcd  themselves  upon  their  border. 

7.    Therefore  shall    Moab   howl  for 
Moab.     One   part  of  the  nation  shall 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


321 


for  Moab  ;  every  one  shall  howl : 
for  the  foundations  of  Kir-hare- 
seth"  shall  ye  smourn ;  surely 
they  are  stricken. 


q  Kings  3  25. 


mourn  for  another  ;  they  shall  howl  or 
lament  in  alternate  responses  Jerome 
renders  it,  '.'  the  people  (shall  howl)  to 
the  city  ;  the  city  to  the  provinces,  " 
The  general  idea  is,  that  there  would 
be  an  universal  lamentation  throughout 
the  land  This  would  be  the  punish- 
ment which  would  result  from  their 
pride  in  neglecting  to  send  the  tribute 
and  seeking  the  favour  of  the  Jews  ; 
or  they  would  lament  because  the  ex- 
pectation of  finding  a  refuge  among  the 
Israelites  was  taken  away.  IT  For  the 
foundations.  On  account  of  the  found- 
ations of  Kir-hareseth,  for  they  shall  be 
overthrown  ;  that  is,  that  city  shall  be 
destroyed.     The   word   here   rendered 

foundations,  "1'^"11^?  ,  occurs  nowhere 
else  but  in  this  place  and  in  Hos.  iii.  1. 
The  LXX  render  it.  "  the  inhabitants." 
The  Chaldee,  "  men  "  Jeremiah,  in 
the  parallel  place,  renders  it  also, 
"men."  Jer.  xlviii.  31.  In  Hos.  iii. 
1,  it  is  rendered  "  flagons  of  wine" — 
and  it  has  been  supposed  by  many  that 
it  has  this  sense  here,  as  this  would 
agree  with  what  is  immediately  added 
of  the  fields  of  Heshbon,  and  the  vine 
of  Sibmah.  Rosenmiiller  renders  it  by 
"  strong  men,  or  heroes ;"  and  supposes 
that  it  means  that  the  strong  men  of 
Kir-hareselh  would  be  destroyed,  and 
that  they  would  mourn  on  that  account. 
The  probable  sense  is,  that  that  on 
which  the  city  rested,  or  was  based, 
was  to  be  destroyed.  So  Kimchi, 
Jarchi,  and  the  Syriac  understand  it. 
1  Kir-hareseth.  Literally,  wall  of  pot- 
sherds, or  of  bricks.  Aquila  renders 
it,  i-'><Y';>  dcrrpaKuiio  ;  Symmachus,  rci^ci 
dTTpaviV'.i.  This  was  a  city  of  Moab, 
but  where  it  was  situated  is  unknown. 
Vitringa  supposes  that  it  was  the  same 
bs  Kir  Moab  (ch.  xv.  1),  which,  Gese- 
nius  says,  is  not  improbable,  for  it  is 
now  mentioned  as  in  ruirs,  and  as  one 
of  the  chief  cities. 

14* 


8  For  the  fields  of  Heshbon 
languish,  and  the  vine  of  Sib- 
mah :  the  lords  of  the  heathen 
have  broken  down  the  principal 


8.  For  the  fields  of  Heshbon.  See 
Note  ch  xv.  4.  If  Languish.  They 
are  parched  up  with  drought.  The 
fields  here  evidently  mean  vineyard*, 
for  so  the  parallelism  demands.  So  in 
Deut.  xxxii   32 : 

Their  vine  is  of  the  vine  of  Soiiora, 
And  of  the  fields  of  Gomorrah. 

1f  And  the  vine  of  Sibmah.  Sibmah, 
or  Shibmah,  was  a  city  of  Reuben. 
Nam  xxxii.  38.  Josh.  xiii.  19.  Jere- 
miah in  the  parallel  place  (xlviii.  32) 
speaks  of  the  vine  of  Sibmah  also.  He 
also  says  that  the  enemies  of  Moab  had 
taken  Sibmah,  and  that  the  vine  and 
wine  had  been  destroyed.  Jer.  xlviii. 
33.  There  was  no  more  certain  mode 
of  producing  desolation  in  a  land  where 
grapes  were  extensively  cultivated  than 
to  cut  down  the  vines.  The  Turks 
constantly  practise  that  in  regard  to 
their  enemies,  and  the  result  is,  that 
wide  desolation  comes  upon  the  coun- 
tries which  they  invade.  At  this  time 
it  is  probable  that  Sibmah  belonged  to 
the  Moabites.  It  is  mentioned  here  as 
being  distins uished  for  the  luxuriant 
production  of  the  grape.  Seetzen  still 
found  the  vine  cultivated  in  that  region. 
Jerome  says,  that  between  Sibmah  and 
Heshbon  there  was  scarcely  a  distance 
of  five  hundred  paces,  half  a  Roman 
mile.  If  The  lords  of  the  heathen. 
The  princes  of  the  heathen  nations 
that  had  come  to  invade  Moab.     The 

words  "  have  broken  down,"  ^^  > 
may  be  taken  in  either  of  two  senses, 
either  to  beat,  strike,  or  break  down — 
as  in  our  version  ;  or  to  be  beaten,  or 
smitten  with  wine — i.  e.  to  become  in- 
toxicated— like  the  Greek  aivmrXii^ — 
smitten  with  wine.  The  former  is 
doubtless  the  sense  here.  IT  The  prin- 
cipal plants  thereof.  The  choice  vines 
of  it — her  sore k  ?}*p*^'q  .  See  Notes 
on  ch.  v  2.  If  They  are  come.  That 
is,  the  vines  of  Sibmah  had  spiead  oi 


322 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


plants  thereof,  they  are  come 
even  unto  Jazer,  they  wandered 
through  the  wilderness  :  her 
branches  are  8stretched  out,  they 
are  gone  over  the  sea  : 

9  Therefore    SI     will    bewail 

8  or,  plucked  up.  s  Jer.  48.  51,  &c. 

extended  themselves  even  to  Jnzer — 
indicating  their  great  luxuriance  and 
fertility.  Jazer  was  a  city  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountains  of  Gilead  which  was 
given  to  Gad,  and  afterwards  to  the 
Levites  Josh.  xxi.  39.  Jerome  says 
it  was  about  fifteen  miles  from  Hesh- 
liiui  Seetzen  found  the  ruins  of  a  city 
called  Szar,  and  another  place  called 
Szir,  from  which  a  small  stream  (Nahar 
Szir)  flows  into  the  Jordan.  Gesenius. 
That  the  shoots  of  the  vine  of  Sibmah 
reached  unto  Jazer  and  the  desert,  is  a 
beautiful  poetic  expression  for  the  ex- 
tensive spread  and  luxuriance  of  the 
vine  in  that  region,  f  They  wandered. 
The  vines  wandered  in  the  desert. 
They  found  no  twig  or  tree  to  which 
they  could  attach  themselves,  and  they 
spread  around  in  wild  luxuriancy. 
f  Through  the  wilderness.  The  wil- 
derness or  desert  of  Arabia  which  en- 
compassed Moab  H  Her  branches  are 
stretched  out.  Are  extended  far,  or 
are  very  luxuriant.  IT  They  are  gone 
over  the  sea.  Called  in  the  parallel 
place  in  Jer.  xlviii.  32,  "  the  sea  of 
Jazer," — probably  some  lake  that  had 
that  name  near  the  city  of  Jazer.  It 
may  possibly  mean  the  Dead  Sea,  but 
that  name  is  not  elsewhere  given  to 
the  Dead  Sea  in  the  Scriptures  It  has 
been  objected  by  some  to  this  statement 
that  modern  travellers  have  not  found 
any  such  place  as  the  "  Sea  of  Jazer ;" 
or  any  lake  in  the  vicinity  of  Jazer. 
But  we  may  observe  (1)  that  Seetzen 
found  a  stream  flowing  into  the  Jordan 
near  Jazer ;  and  (2)  that  it  is  possible 
that  a  pond  or  lake  may  have  once 
ihere  existed  which  may  have  been 
since,  in  the  course  of  ages,  filled  with 
Band.  It  is  known,  for  example,  that 
in  the  vicinity  of  Suez  the  ancient  nar- 
row gulf  there,  and  the  large  inland  sea 
uia-ie  by  the  Bitter  lakes,  have   been 


with  the  weeping  of  Jazer  the 
vine  of  Sibmah :  I  will  water 
thee  with  my  tears,  O  Heshbon, 
and  Elealeh  ;  for  'the  shouting 
for  thy  summer  fruits  and  for 
thy  harvest  is  fallen. 

1  or,  the  alarm  is  fallen  upon. 

choked  up  by  the  sand  of  the  desert. 
Seetzen  also  says  that  he  saw  some 
pools  near  the  source  of  the  stream 
called  Nahar  !Szir  (river  Szir).  Prof. 
Stuart,  Bibl.  Repos.  vii.  158.  The 
whole  description  of  the  vines  of  Sib- 
mah is  poetic  ;  designed,  not  to  lie  lit- 
erally understood,  but  to  denote  their 
remarkable  luxuriance  and  fertility  A 
similar  description  of  a  vine — though 
there  used  to  denote  the  Jewish  people 
— occurs  in  Ps.  lxxx    8-1 1 : 

Thou  hast  brought  a  vine  out  of  Egypt ; 
Thou  hast  cast  out  the  heathen  and  planted  it; 
Thou  prepared*!  room  before  it, 
Ami  didst  cause  it  to  take  deep  root, 

And  il  tilled  the  land. 

The  lulls  were  covered  with  the  shadow  of  it, 

And  the  boughs  thereof  were  like  the  goodly 

cedars. 
She  sent  out  her  boughs  unto  the  sea, 
And  her  branches  unto  the  river. 

9.  Therefore  I  will  bewail.  So  great 
is  the  desolation  that  I,  the  prophet 
will  lament  it,  though  it  belongs  tc 
another  nation  than  mine  own.  The 
expression  indicates  that  the  calamity 
will  be  great.  See  Note  ch  xv.  5. 
IT  Jl/;r/t  the  tveeping  of  Jazer.  That 
is,  I  will  pour  out  the  same  lamentation 
for  the  vine  of  Sibmah  which  I  do  for 
Jazer  ;  implying  that  it  would  be  deep 
and  bitter  sorrow.  See  Jer.  xlviii.  32. 
If  1  will  water  thee  with  mij  tears. 
Indicating  the  grievous  calamities  that 
were  coming  upon  those  places,  on  ac- 
count of  the  pride  of  the  nation.  They 
were  to  Isaiah  foreign  nations,  but  he 
had  a  heart  that  could  feel  for  their 
calamities.  11  For  the  shout  ins  for  thy 
summer  fruits.  The  shouting  attend- 
ing the  ingathering  of  the  harvest. 
Note  ch.  ix.  3.  The  word  used  here, 
*17"1'"?  >  denotes  properly  a  joyful  accla- 
mation, a  shout  of  joy  or  rejoicing  such 
as  was  manifested  by  the  vintager  and 
presser  of  grapes,  Jer.  xxv.  30,  xlviii. 
33  ;  or  such  as  was  made  by  the  war* 


#.C.713.j 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


323 


10  And  "gladness  is  taken 
away,  and  joy  out  of  the  plenti- 
ful held  ;  and  in  the  vineyards 
there  shall  be  no  singing,  neither 
shall  there  be  shouting :  the 
treaders  shall  tread  out  no  wine 


rior.  J?r.  li.  14.  Here  it  means,  that 
in  the  time  when  they  would  expect 
the  usual  shout  of  the  harvest.it  should 
not  >e  heard,  but  instead  thereof  there 
should  be  the  triumph  of  the  warrior. 
Literally,  "  upon  thy  summer  fruits, 
and  upon  thy  harvests  has  the  shouting 
fallen  ;"  that  is,  the  shout  of  the  war- 
rior has  fallen  upon  that  harvest  in- 
stead of  the  rejoicing  of  the  husband- 
man. So  Jeremiah  evidently  under- 
stands it,  xlviii.  32  :  "  The  spoiler  is 
fallen  upon  thy  summer-fruits,  and 
upon  thy  vintage."  Lowth  proposes 
here  a  correction  of  the  Hebrew  text, 
but  without  necessity  or  authority. 

10.  And  gladness,  &c.  The  glad- 
ness and  joy  that  was  commonly  felt  in 
the  field  producing  a  rich  and  luxuriant 
harvest.  IT  Out  of  the  plentiful  field. 
Heb.  "  from  Carmel ;"  but  Carmel 
means  a  fruitful  field  as  well  as  the 
mountain  of  that  name.  See  Note  ch. 
x.  18  IT  /  have  mode  their  vintage- 
shouting  to  cease.  That  is,  by  the  de- 
solation that  has  come  upon  the  land. 
The  vineyards  are  destroyed  ;  and  of 
course  the  shout  of  joy  in  the  vintage 
is  no  more  heard. 

11.  Wherefore  my  bowels.  This  is 
also  an  expression  of  the  deep  grief  of 
the  prophet  in  view  of  the  calamities 
which  were  coming  upon  Moab.  The 
bowels  in  the  Scriptures  are  every  where 
represented  as  the  seat  of  compassion, 
pity,  commiseration,  and  tender  mercy. 
Gen.  xiii.  30  :  "  His  bowels  did  yearn 
upon  his  brother  " — he  deeply  felt  for 
him,  he  greatly  pitied  him.  1  Kings 
iii.  26.  Ps.  xxv.  6.  Prov.  xii.  10.  Cant. 
v.  4.  Isa.  lxiii.  15.  Jer.  iv.  19,  xxxi. 
20.  Phil.  i.  8,  ii.  1.  In  classic  writers 
the  word  "  bowels  "  denotes  the  upper 
viscera  of  victims — the  heart,  the  lungs, 
the  liver,  which  were  eaten  during  or 
after  the  sacrifice.     Robinson  Lex.  on 


in   their  presses  ;  I  have   made 
their  vintage-shouting  to  cease. 

11  Wherefore  my  bowels'" 
shall  sound  like  an  harp  for 
Moab,  and  mine  inward  parts  for 
Kir-haresh. 

to  ch.  63.  15. 


the  word  air^av-xyov.  In  the  Scrip- 
tures it  denotes  the  inward  parts — evi- 
dently also  the  upper  viscera,  regarded 
is  the  seat  of  the  emotions  and  pas- 
sions. The  word  as  we  use  it — deno- 
ting the  lower  moggra — by  no  means 
expresses  the  sense  Of  the  word  in  the 
Scriptures,  and  it  is  this  change  in  the 
signification  which  renders  the  use  of 
the  very  language  of  the  Bible  unplea- 
sant or  inappropriate.  We  express  the 
idea  by  the  use  of  the  word  heart — the 
seat  of  the  affections.  IT  Shall  sound 
like  an  harp.  The  bowels  are  repre- 
sented in  the  Scriptures  as  affected  in 
various  modes  in  the  exercise  of  pity 
or  compassion.  Thus  in  Lam.  i.  20. 
Jeremiah  says,  "  my  bowels  are  trou- 
bled." See  Lam.  ii.  1.  Jer  xxxi.  20. 
Job  (ch.  xxx.  27,)  says,  "  My  bowels 
boiled,  and  rested  not ;" — there  was 
great  agitation  ;  deep  feeling.  Thus 
Jer.  iv.  19 : 

My  bowels!    My  bowels!    I  am  pained  at  nay 

very  heart. 
My  heart  maketh  a  noise  in  me. 

So  Isa.  lxiii.  15  :  "  Where  is  the  sound- 
ing of  thy  bowels  and  mercies  I"  The 
word  "  sound  "  here  means  to  make  a 
tumultuous  noise  ;  and  the  whole  ex- 
pression here  denotes  that  his  heart 
was  affected  with  the  calamities  of 
Moab  as  the  strings  of  the  harp  vibrate 
when  beaten  with  the  plectrum  or  the 
hand.  His  heart  was  deeply  pained 
and  affected  by  the  calamities  of  Moab, 
and  responded  to  those  calamities,  as 
the  strings  of  the  harp  did  to  the  blow 
of  the  plectrum.  IT  Mine  inward  parts. 
The  expressions  here,  used  are  some- 
what analogous  to  ours  of  the  beating 
of  the  heart,  to  denote  deep  emotion 
Forster  says  of  the  savages  of  the 
South  Sea  that  they  call  compassion  a 
barking  of  the  bowels.  IT  For  KiT' 
haresh.     Ver.  7. 


824 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


12  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
when  il  is  seen  that  Moab  is 
wearyv  on  the  high  place,  that 
he  shall  come  to  his  sanctuary 
to  pray  ;  but  *he  shall  not  pre- 
vail. 

y  ch.  26.  16.  z  Prov.  1.  28. 


12.  When  it  is  seen.  When  it  oc- 
curs ;  that  is,  when  Moab  actually  be- 
comes  weary.  IT  [s  iceary  on  the  high 
place.  The  high  place  denotes  the 
place  of  idolatrous  worship,  and  here 
means  the  same  as  the  temple  of  Che- 
mosh  or  his  sanctuary.  Temples  and 
altars  were  usually  constructed  on  such 
places,  and  especially  the  temples  of 
the  heathen  gods.  Moab  is  represented 
here  as  looking  to  her  gods  for  protec- 
tion. Weary,  exhausted,  worn  down 
with  calamities,  she  is  represented  as 
fleeing  from  the  desolate  towns  and 
cities,  and  taking  refuge  at  the  altar, 
and  seeking  assistance  there  This, 
says  Jerome,  is  the  final  misery.  She 
is  now  forsaken  of  those  aids  to  which 
she  had  always  trusted,  and  on  which 
she  had  relied.  Her  men  slain  ;  her 
towns  destroyed ;  her  strong  places 
broken  down  ;  her  once  fertile  fields 
languishing  and  desolate,  she  flees  to 
♦he  shrine  of  her  god,  and  finds  even 
her  god  unable  to  aid  and  defend  her. 
IT  Shall  come  to  his  sanctuary.  To 
his  principal  sanctuary  ;  or  to  the  tem- 
ple of  the  principal  god  which  they 
worshipped — the  god  Chemosh.  1  Kings 
xi.  7.  This  does  not  mean  the  temp.'e 
at  Jerusalem,  though  Kimchi  so  under 
stands  it  ;  but  the  temple  of  the  chief 
divinity  of  Moab.  Jerome  says  that 
this  temple  was  on  Mount  Nebo. 
V  Shall  not  prevail.  That  is,  her 
prayer  shall  not  be  heard. 

13.  This  is  the  word.  This  is  the 
substance  of  the  former  predictions  re- 
specting Moab.  This  has  been  the 
general  course  or  sense  of  the  prophe- 
cies respecting  Moab,  during  all  its  his- 
tory. V  Since  that  time.  Formerly  ; 
from  former  times.  There  had  been  a 
course  of  predictions  declaring  in  gene- 

ol  that  Moab  should  be  destroyed,  and 


13  This  is  the  word  that  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  concerning 
Moab  since  that  time. 

14  But  now  the  Lord  hath 
spoken,  saying,  Within  three 
years,  as  "the  years  of  an  hire- 


the  prophet  says  here  that  he  had  ex- 
pressed their  general  sense  ;  or  that 
his  predictions  accorded  with  them  all 
— for  they  all  predicted  the  complete 
overthrow  of  Moab.  He  now  says 
(ver.  14)  that  these  general  prophecies 
respecting  Moab  which  had  been  of  so 
long  standing  were  now  to  be  speedily 
accomplished.  The  prophecies  respect- 
ing Moab,  foretelling  its  future  ruiu, 
may  be  seen  in  Ex  xv.  15.  Nura  xxi. 
29,  xxiv.  17.  Ps.  lx  8,  cviii.  9.  Amos 
li.  2.  Zeph.  ii.  9.  it  may  however  be 
intended  here  that  the  former  portion 
of  this  prophecy  had  been  uttered  by 
Isaiah  himself  during  the  early  part  of 
his  prophetic  life.  He  is  supposed  to 
have  prophesied  some  sixty  or  more 
years  ;  (see  the  Introduction  §  3  ;)  and 
it  may  be  that  the  prophecy  in  the  fif- 
teenth and  the  previous  part  of  the  six- 
teenth chapter  had  been  uttered  (hiring 
the  early  part  of  his  life  without  speci- 
fying the  time  when  it  would  be  ful- 
filled ;  but  now  he  says,  that  it  would  be 
accomplished  in  three  years.  Or  it 
may  be  that  some  other  prophet  had 
uttered  the  prediction  which  he  now 
repeats  with  additions  at  the  close. 
The  fact  that  Isaiah  had  done  this  on 
some  occasions,  seems  probable  from 
the  beginning  of  ch  ii.,  which  appears 
to  be  a  quotation  from  Mic.  iv  1-3. 
See  the  Analysis  to  ch.  xv.,  and  Notes 
on  eh.  ii.  2. 

14.  But  now  the  Lord  hath  spoken. 
This  refers  to  the  particular  and  speci- 
fic prophecy  of  Isaiah  that  destruction 
should  come  upon  them  in  three  years 
Instead  of  a  general  but  indefinite  pre- 
diction of  calamity  to  the  Moabites, 
such  as  had  been  uttered  by  the  formei 
prophets,  or  by  Isaiah  himself  before, 
it  was  now  specific  and  definit<-  in  re. 
"ard  to  the  time  when  it  should  be  ful- 


tf.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


32o 


ling,  and  the  glory  of  Moab  shall 
be  contemned,  with  all  that  great 


filled.  IT  Within  three  years.  We 
have  no  means  of  ascertaining  the  exact 
fulfilment  of  this  prediction,  nor  do  we 
certainly  know  by  whom  it  was  ac- 
complished. IT  As  the  years  of  an 
hireling.  A  man  that  is  hired  has  a 
certain  time  specified  during  which  he 
is  to  labour  ;  the  years,  the  months,  the 
days  for  which  he  is  engaged  are 
agreed  on,  nor  will  he  suffer  any  addi- 
tion to  be  made  to  it.  So  the  prophet 
says  that  the  very  time  is  fixed.  It 
shall  not  be  varied.  It  will  be  adhered 
to  by  God — as  the  time  is  adhered  to 
between  a  man  who  employs  another 
and  him  who  is  hired.  And  it  means 
that  exactly  at  the  time  which  is  here 
specified  the  predicted  destruction 
should  come  upon  Moab.  IT  The  glory 
of  Moab.  That  in  which  it  glories,  or 
boasts — its  wealth,  its  armies,  its  cities, 
towns.  &c.  1f  Shall  be  contemned. 
Shall  be  esteemed  of  no  value  ;  shall 
be  destroved.  IT  And  the  remnant. 
There  shall  be  few  cities,  few  men,  and 
very  little  wealth  that  shall  escape  the 
desolation.  Comp.  ch  x.  25,  xxiv.  6. 
Jerome  says  that  "  this  prophecy  was 
delivered  after  the  death  of  Ahaz,  and 
in  the  reign  of  Hezekiah,  during  whose 
reign  the  ten  tribes  were  led  by  Senna- 
cherib, king  of  the  Assyrians,  into  cap- 
tivity. And  therefore  after  three  years 
the  Assyrians  came  and  destroyed 
Moab,  and  very  few  were  left  in  the 
land  wno  could  inhabit  the  deserted 
cities,  or  cultivate  the  desolate  fields." 
But  it  is  not  certainly  known  to  what 
particular  time  the  prophecy  refers. — 
In  regard  to  the  present  state  of  Moab, 
and  the  complete  fulfilment  of  the  pro- 
phecies respecting  it,  the  following 
works  may  be  consulted :  Newton  on 
the  Prophecies  ;  Keith  on  the  Prophe- 
cies ;  Burckhardt's  Travels  in  Syria  ; 
and  Captains  Irby  and  Mangles'  Tra- 
vels. In  regard  to  the  fulfilment  of 
these  predictions  respecting  the  de- 
struction of  Moab,  it  may  be  sufficient 
to  refer  to  the  remarks  which  I  have 
nade  on  the  particular  places  which 


multitude;  and  the  lemnant  shall 
be  very  small  and  2feeble. 


2  or,  not  many. 


are  mentioned  in  these  two  chapters 
and  to  the  writers  mentioned  above 
All  travellers  concur  in  the  general  de 
solation  of  that  country  which  was 
once  so  thickly  studded  with  towns, 
and  that  abounded  so  richly  in  flocks, 
and  produced  so  luxuriantly  the  grape. 
It  is  now  strewed  with  ruins.  All  the 
cities  of  Moab  have  disappeared.  Their 
place  is  characterized  in  the  map  of 
Volney's  Travels,  by  the  ruins  of  towns. 
Burckhardt,  who  encountered  many 
difficulties  in  so  desolate  and  danger- 
ous a  land,  thus  records  the  brief  his- 
tory of  a  few  of  them  :  "  The  ruins 
of  Eleale,  Heshbon,  Meon,  Medaba, 
Dibon,  Arver,  all  situated  on  the  north 
side  of  the  Anion,  still  subsist  to  illus- 
trate the  history  of  the  Beni  Israel." 
Life  and  Travels,  prefixed  to  the  Tra- 
vels in  Nubia,  pp.  48,  49.  "  And  it 
might  be  added,"  says  Keith,  "  that 
they  still  subsist  to  confirm  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  Jewish  Scriptures,  for  the 
desolation  of  each  of  these  cities  was 
the  theme  of  a  distinct  prediction." 
Prophecies,  p.  129  Within  the  boun- 
daries of  Moab,  Burckhardt  enume- 
rates about  fifty  ruined  cities,  many 
of  them  extensive.  In  general  they 
are  a  broken  down  and  undistinguish- 
able  mass  of  ruins.  But  in  some  in- 
stances, there  are  remains  of  temples, 
sepulchral  monuments,  traces  of  hang- 
ing gardens,  entire  columns  lying  on 
the  ground,  and  dilapidated  walls  made 
of  stones  of  large  dimensions.  See 
Travels  in  Syria,  pp.  311-456. 

In  view  of  these  two  chapters,  con- 
stituting one  prophecy,  and  the  facts  in 
regard  to  the  present  state  of  the  coun- 
try of  Moab,  we  may  observe  that  we 
have  here  clear  and  unanswerable  evi- 
dence of  the  genuineness  and  truth  of 
the  sacred  records.  That  evidence  is 
found  in  the  particularity  with  which 
places  are  mentioned  ;  and  in  the  fact 
that  impostors  would  not  specify  places, 
any  farther  than  was  unavoidable. 
Mistakes,  we  all  know,  are  liable  to  be 
made  by  those  who  attempt  to  describe 


SJ'i 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.I  13. 


the  geography  of  places  which  they 
have  not  seen  Yet  here  is  a  descrip- 
tion of  a  land  and  its  numerous  towns, 
:nade  nearly  three  thousand  years  ago, 
and  in  its  particulars  it  is  sustained 
by  all  the  travellers  in  modern  times. 
The  ruins  of  the  same  towns  are  still 
seen  ;  their  places  in  general  can  be 
designated  ;  and  there  is  a  moral  cer- 
tainty, therefore,  that  this  prophecy  was 
made  by  one  who  knew  the  locality  of 
those  places,  and  that,  therefore,  the 
prophecy  is  ancient  and  genuine.  An 
impostor  would  never  have  attempted 
such  a  description  as  this  ;  nor  could 
he  have  made  it  so  accurate  and  true. 
In  the  language  of  Prof.  Stuart  (Bib. 
Repos.  vol.  vii  pp.  108,  109,)  we  may 
Bay,  "  How  obviously  every  thing  of 
this  kind  serves  to  give  confirmation  to 
the  authority  and  credibility  of  the 
sacred  records!  Do  skeptics  undertake 
to  scoff  at  the  Bible,  and  aver  that  it  is 
the  work  of  impostors  who  lived  in 
later  ages  ?  Besides  asking  them  what 
object  impostors  could  have  in  forging 
a  book  of  such  high  and  lofty  princi- 
ples, we  may  ask — and  ask  with  an 
assurance  that  need  not  fear  the  dan- 
ger of  being  put  to  the  blush — whether 
impostors  of  later  ages  could  possibly 
.jhave  so  managed,  as  to  preserve  all  the 
localities  in  complete  order  which  the 
Scriptures  present  I  Rare  impostors 
they  must  indeed  have  been — men  pos- 
sessed of  more  knowledge  of  antiquity 
than  we  can  well  imagine  could  ever 
be  possessed  by  such  as  would  conde- 
Beend  to  an  imposition  of  such  a  cha- 
racter. In  fact  the  thing  appears  to  be 
morally  impossible,  if  one  considers  it 
in  the  light  of  antiquity,  when  so  little 
knowledge  of  a  geographical  kind  was 
in  existence,  and  when  mistakes  re- 


specting countries  and  places  with 
which  one  was  not  personally  familiar 
were  almost,  if  not  altogether,  una 
voidable. 

"  How  happens  it,  now,  that  the 
authors  of  the  Old  Testament  Scrip 
tares  should  have  possessed  such  a 
wonderful  tact  in  geography,  as  it 
would  seem  they  did,  unless  tiny  lived 
at  the  time  and  in  the  countries  of 
which  they  have  spoken  >  This  hap- 
pens not  elsewhere.  It  is  but  yester- 
day since  one  of  the  first  scientific 
writers  on  geology  in  Great  Britain 
published  to  the  world  the  declaration 
that  our  Mississippi  and  Missouri  rivers 
belong  to  the  tropics.  Respectable 
writers,  even  in  Germany,  the  land  of 
classical  attainments,  have  sometimes 
placed  Ccelo-Syria  on  the  east  of  the 
Anti-Libanus  ridge,  or  even  seemed  to 
transfer  Damascus  over  the  mountain? 
and  place  it  between  the  two  Lebanon 
ridges  in  the  valley."  No  such  mis- 
takes occur  in  the  sacred  writers.  They 
write  as  men  who  were  familiar  with 
the  geography  of  places  named  ;  they 
mention  places  with  the  utmost  fami- 
liarity ; — and  after  a  lapse  of  almost 
three  thousand  years,  evry  successive 
traveller  who  visits  Moab,  Idumea,  or 
Palestine,  does  something  to  confirn 
the  accuracy  of  Isaiah.  Towns,  bear- 
ing the  same  name,  or  the  ruins  of 
towns,  are  located  in  the  same  relative 
position  in  which  he  said  they  were  ; 
and  the  ruins  of  once  splendid  cities, 
broken  columns,  dilapidated  walls, 
trodden  down  vineyards,  and  half  de- 
molished temples,  proclaim  to  the  world 
that  those  cities  are  what  he  said  they 
would  be,  and  that  he  was  under  the 
inspiration  of  God. 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


827 


■•#-■:-, 


DAMASCUS. —  VIEW    OF    THE    PRESENT    CITY. 


ANALYSIS. 


The  prophecy  winch  comprises  vs.  1—11  of  this  chapter  professes  by  its  title  to  be  against  Damas- 
cus only.  But  it  relates  to  the  kingdom  of  Samaria  no  less  than  to  Damascus.  The  reason  is,  that 
fne  kingdoms  of  Israel  and  Damascus  were  confederated  against  the  kingdom  of  Judah.  The  design 
of  the  prophecy  nay  have  been  to  warn  the  kingdom  of  Israel  of  the  approaching  destruction  of  the 
city  of  Damascus  and  by  this  means  to  keep  them  from  forming  an  alliance  with  them  against 
Judah.  When  it  was  delivered  is  unknown.  Louth  supposes  that  it  was  immediately  after  t lie 
prophecies  in  the  viith  and  viiith  chapters,  in  the  reign  of  Ahaz,  and  this  supposition  is  not  improba- 
ble, though  it  is  not  unite  certain  He  also  supposes  thai  it  was  fulfilled  when  Damascus  was  taken 
captive  by  Tiglath  Pileser,  and  its  inhabitants  carried  to  Kir  (2  Kings  xvi.  9),  and  when  lie  overran 
also  a  treat  part  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel  and  carried  its  inhabitants  captive  to  Assyria. 

In  regard  to  the  rime  when  it  was  uttered,  there  can  be  liitle  doubt  that  it  was  when  the  alliance 
existed  between  Damascus  and  the  kingdom  ol  Ephraim  or  Samaria,  for  on  no  other  supposition  can 
it  be  accounted  for  that  the  two  kingdoms  were  united  in  the  prophecy.  See  ver.  3.  The  scope  or 
design  of  the  prophecy  is  indicated  in  the  close  (ver.  141  i  "  This  is  the  portion  of  them  that  spoil  us, 
and  the  lot  of  them  that  rob  us  ;"  and  one  design  at  least  was  to  give  an  assurance  to  the  kingdom 
of  Judah,  thai  the  alliance  between  Damascus  and  Samaria  was  not  to  be  dreaded,  but  that  the 
kingdom  of  Judah  wouid  be  safe  No  alliance  formed  against  them  would  be  successful;  no  pur- 
pose to  destroy  them  should  be  an  object  of  dread. 

The  prophecy  may  be  regarded  as  consisting  of  three  parts.  (I.)  The  prediction  of  the  divine 
judgment  against  Damascus,  vs.  l,  a.  (II.)  The  prediction  respecting  Ephraim,  the  ally  of  Da- 
mascus, and  its  fulfilment,  vs.  a— U.  (Ill  )  A  prediction  respecting  the  Assyrians,  and  the  cala- 
mities that  should  come  upon  them  as  a  nation,  vs   12—14. 

The  kingdom  of  Syria  or  Damascus  was  overthrown  i:i  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Ahaz.  It 
is  clear,  therefore,  (bat  the  prophecy  was  delivered  before  that  time  And  if  so,  its  proper  place  in 
the  collection  of  the  prophecies  of  saiah  would  have  been  immediately  after  the  ixth  chapter.  The 
reason  why  it  is  placed  here,  Lichtfoot  supposes  to  lie,  that  in  the  Tilth  and  viiith  chapters,  the 
special  design  was  to  denounce  judgment  on  the  two  kingdoms  of  Damascus  and  Ephraim  ;  but  that 
the  design  here  was  to  connect  the  prediction  of  those  judgments  with  the  surrounding  kingdoms, 
and  to  show  how  they  would  be  affected  by  it.  The  prophecy  is  therefore  placed  amidst  those 
which  relate  to  foreign  nalions  ;  or  to  kingdoms  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan. 

Damascus  was  a  celebrated  city  of  Syria,  and  was  loin:  the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Damascus. 
It  was  a  city  in  the  time  of  Abraham,  for  the  steward  in  his  house,  Eliezer,  was  said  to  be  of  Da- 
mascus. Gen  xv  2.  It  is  situated  in  a  very  fertile  plain  at  the  foot  of  Mount  AntiLibanus,  and  is 
surrounded  by  hills  It  is  watered  by  a  river  wh'ch  the  ancients  called  Cfiryserrhoas,  as  H  it  flowed 
with  gold.  This  river  was  divided  into  several  canals,  winch  were  conducted  to  various  parts  of  the 
city.  It  rose  in  the  mountains  of  Anti-Libaiius.  and  it  is  probable  that  the  branches  of  that  river 
were  anciently  called  Abana  and  Pharpar.  2  Kings  v.  12.  This  river  is  now  called  the  Barraday, 
and  the  peculiar  beauty  and  fertility  of  Damascus  is  owing  wholly  to  it.    It  rises  in  the  adjacent 


321 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. lib. 


mountains  of  Anti  I.ihnnus,  and  hy  numerous  natural  and  artificial  channels  is  made  to  spread  over 
the  plain  un  \\  Inch  t hu  city  stand.-..  It  waters  the  h  hole  extent  of  the  gardens— an  extent  ol  country 
about  nine  miles  in  diameter,  in  the  midst  of  »  Inch  the  Cil3  is  situated  -  and  «  hi  n  tins  is  dune,  the 
tvatpr  thai  is  left  flown  ofl'  n>  the  south  easl  through  the  plain,  where  amid  the  ariij  Minds  it  is  soon 
absorbed  or* evaporated,  and  the  river  disappeani  T)ie  gardens  are  planted  with  ail  Kinds  of  trees ; 
mostly  such  as  produce  fruit,  anion;;  winch  the  apricot  holds  the  ascendency,    Pomegranate. orange, 

lemon,  and  fig  trees  abound,  and  rising  above  these  are  oilier  trees  oi  hare  proportions,  intermin- 
gled with  tin  i uoi  lar,  and  sometimes  the  m iilow.    Into  e»i  o  garden  of  the  city  water  is  earned,  and 

tins  river  thus  divided  gives  to  l)ania-cu-   the  beauty  lor  w  Inch  it  has  hi  en  so  celebrated,     The  I'er- 

sian  geographers  say  that  the  plain  ol  Damascus  ispneol  the  four  paradises  ot  the  East,  and  ilia 

now  said  thai  there  is  noi  in  all  S}  ria  a  more  delightful  plure. 

From  the  time  ol  Abraham  until  David,  tin-  Scripture  says  nothing  of  Damascus.  In  his  time  it 
was  Bllbdued,  and  brought  under  his  authority,  Towards  the  end  ol  the  reign  Of  Solomon  the 
authority  ol  the  Jew  s  u  as  cast  oll'by  Uczin.  and  Damascus  became  again  independent.     Jeroboam, 

king  oi  Israel,  again  conquered  Damascus  and  brought  Syria  into  subjection  (S  Kings  xiv,  's5)  i  but 
after  his  death  the  Syrians  again  established  their  independence.    Ri  zm  bi  came  king  oi  Damascus. 

and  entered  into  an  alliance  with  l'i  k.ih,  king  ol  Israel,  -uid  unitedly  they  invaded  Judali.  and 
made  great  havoc,  in  its  territories.  See  Notes  eh.  vii.  Uorep.  2  Kind's  xvi  6.  Tiglalh-Hileser. 
however,   king  Of  Assyria,   came    to  the  assistance  of  the  king  of  Judali  and  took  Damascus,  and 

destroyed  it.  and  killed  Rezin,  and  carried  the  Syrian.-  into  captivity  beyond  the  Euphrates.  To  tins 
event  probably,  Isaiah  refers  in  the  prophecy  before  us.  He,  however,  did  not  foretell  us  utter  and 
perpetual  ruin  as  he  did  that  Ol  Babylon.  Damascus  again  recovered  from  its  calamities..  ilolu- 
femes  again  took  it.  Judith  ii.  ST.  It  is  spoken  of  as  flourishing  in  the  time  of  Ezekiel,  xxvii.  2. 
The  Humans  took  it  in  the  time,  and  by  the  agency,  of  Pornpey  the  Great,  about  sixty  years  before 
Christ.  |t  afterwards  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Arabians.  It  w&9  taken  by  the  Ottomans/  D  1517; 
and  has  since  been  in  the  possession  of"  the  Turks  &t  present  it  has  a  population  of  about  tan.ooo. 
The  name,  by  which  it  is  now  known  is  El  •-haw.  It  is  a  part  of  the  l'aschalic  of  Damascus,  which 
extends  to  the  southern  extremity  of  the  Dead  Sea.  Mohammed  Ali  of  Egypt  obtained  possession 
of  it  without  resistance  in  June  1832,  and  since  that  time  it  has  been  under  the  jurisdiction  ol  his  son 
Ibrahim  It  is  regarded  by  Musselmen  us  u  place  of  peculiar  sanctity.  According  to  them,  Mecca 
has  the  first  place,  Jerusalem  the  next,  and  Damascus  the  third. 

The  prophecy  respecting  Damascus  occupies  vs.  1—11  of  the  chapter.  The  general  sense  is,  that 
Damascus  and  its  allies  would  be  greatly  enfeebled  and  almost  destroyed.  Its  lulhlmcni  is  to  be 
referred  to  the  invasion  of  Damascus  by  Tiglatn-Pileser  ami  the  Assyrians.  The  remainder  of  the 
chapter  (vs.  12  -14)  is  a  distinct  prophecy.    See  Notes  on  ver.  12. 


1  The  cburden  of  Damascus. 
Behold,  Damascus'1  is  taken  away 
from  being  a  city,  and  it  shall  be 
a  ruinous  heap. 

C  Jer.  49.  23,  <Sc.     Arnos  1.  3—5.    Zech.  9  I, 
fulfilled.  d  2  Kings  16.  9. 


1.  The  burden  of  Damascus.  The 
oracle  indicating  calamity  or  destruc- 
tion to  Damascus.     See  Note  ch.  xiii. 

1.  It  Damascus  is  taken  away.  That 
is,  it  shall  be  destroyed.  It  was  repre- 
sented to  the  prophet  in  vision  as  de- 
stroyed. Note  ch.  LI.  H  And  it 
shall  be  a  ruinous  heap.    See  ch.  xxxv. 

2.  This  took  place  under  the  kings  of 
Assyria,  and  particularly  under  Tig- 
lath-Pileser. This  was  in  the  fourth 
year  of  Ahaz.    2  Kings  xvi   9 

2.  The  cities  of  Aroer.  By  Aroer 
here  seems  to  be  meant  a  tract  or  re- 
gion of  country  pertaining  to  Damascus, 
in  wljich  were  situated  several  cities. 
Grotius  supposes  that  it  was  a  tract  of 
country  in  Syria  which  is  called  by 
Ptolemy  Aueira,  Aveioh.  Vitringa  sup- 
poses that  one  part  of  Damascus  is 
meant  by  this,  as  Damascus  was  di- 
vided by  the  river  in  the  same  manner 
.hat  Babylon  was  There  were  several 
-ities  of  the  name  of  Aroer.     One  was 


2  The  cities  of  Aroer  are  for- 
saken ;  they  shall  be  for  flocks 
which  shall  lie  down,  and  none* 
shall  make  than  afraid. 


on  the  river  Arnon  in  the  land  of  Moab. 
Deut.  ii.  36,  iii.  12.  Josh,  xii  3.  Burck- 
hardt  found  this  city  under  the  name  of 
Araayr.  There  was  another  city  of  this 
name  further  north  over  agaiilst  Rab- 
bath- Amnion.  Josh.  xiii.  25.  There 
was  a  third  city  of  this  name  in  the 
tribe  of  Judah.  1  £am.  xxx.  28.  Of 
the  city  of  Araayr  which  Burckhardt 
visited,  nothing  is  now  remarkable  but 
its  entire  desolation  Gesenius  sup- 
poses (Comm  in  luc.)  that  the  phrase 
'the  cities  of  Aroer'  means  the  cities 
round  about  Aroer,  and  that  were  con- 
nected with  it,  similar  to  the  phrase 
•  daughters  of  a  city  '  This  city  he  sup- 
poses was  near  the  river  Arnon,  within 
the  limits  of  Moab,  and  that  the  predic- 
tion here  was  fulfilled  by  Tiglath-Pile- 
ser, when  he  carried  away  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Galilee,  Gilead,  and  other  places 
mentioned  in  2  Kings  xv.  ^9.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  it  was  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  Damascus.     1  Are  for- 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


32<J 


3  The  fortress  also  shall  cease 
from  Ephraim,  and  the  kingdom 
from  Damascus,  and  the  rem- 
nant of  Syria  :  they  shall  be  as 
the  glory  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael, saith  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

4  And  in  that  day  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  that  the  glory  of 
Jacob   shall    be  made   thin,   and 


sateen.  Are  desolate,  and  the  inhabit- 
ants have  fled.  IT  They  shall  be  for 
flucks,  &c.     See  Note  ch.  v.  17. 

3.  The  fort) ess.  The  strong  place 
of  defence  ;  the  fortified  place.  IT  Shall 
cease.  Shall  come  to  an  end  ;  shall 
cease  to  be,  for  so  the  word  r*2iy  shd- 
bdth  is  often  used.  Gen.  viii.  22.  Isa. 
xxiv.  8.  Lam.  v.  15.  IT  From  Ephraim. 
The  name  given  to  the  kingdom  of 
Israel,  or  to  the  ten  tribes,  because 
Ephraim  was  the  largest  of  the  ten, 
and  was  a  leading  tribe  in  their  coun- 
sels. Note  ch.  vii.  2.  Ephraim,  or 
the  kingdom  of  Samaria,  is  here  men- 
tioned in  connection  with  Damascus  or 
Syria,  because  they  were  confederated 
together,  and  would  be  involved  in  the 
SSxne  overthrow.  IT  And  the  remnant 
of  Syria.  That  which  is  left  of  the 
kingdom  of  Syria  after  the  capital 
Damascus  shall  be  destroyed.  T  They 
shall  be  as  the  glory  of  the  children  of 
Israel.  That  is,  as  the  defences,  or  the 
strongly  fortified  towns  and  fastnesses 
of  the  kingdom  of  Israel  shall  pass 
away  or  be  destroyed,  so  shall  it  be 
with  the  kingdom  of  Damascus.  As 
they  are  allied  with  each  other,  they 
shall  fare  alike.  The  Chaldee  reads 
this,  "  And  the  dominion  shall  cease 
from  Ephraim,  and  the  kingdom  from 
Damascus." 

4  The  glory  of  Jacob.  Jacob  is  here 
used  to  denote  the  kingdom  of  Israel, 
or  Samaria.  The  word  glory  here  de- 
nores  dignity,  power; — that  on  which 
they  relied,  and  of  which  they  boasted. 
?  Shall  be  made  thin.  Shall  be  dimin- 
isned,  as  a  body  wastes  away  by  dis- 
ease, and  becomes  feeble.  The  prophet 
Bets  forth  the  calamities  of  Ephraim  by 


-'the    fatness  of   his    flesh    shall 
wax  lean. 

5  And  Ait  shall  be  as  when 
the  harvest-man  gathereth  the 
corn,  and  reapeth  the  ears  with 
his  arm  ;  and  it  shall  be  as  he 
that  gathereth  ears  in  the  valley 
of  Rephaim. 

/  ch.  10.  16.  h  Jer.  51.  33. 


two  figures  ;  the  first  is  that  of  a  body 
that  becomes  emaciated  by  sickness, 
the  other  that  of  the  harvest  when  all 
the  fruits  are  gathered  except  a  few  in 
the  upper  branches.  Vs.  5,  (j.  1T  And 
the  fatness  of  his  flesh  shall  wax  lean. 
He  shall  become  feeble,  as  a  man  does 
by  wasting  sickness.  Chaldee,  "  The 
riches  of  his  glory  shall  be  removed." 

5.  And  it  shall  be,  &.c.  This  is  the 
other  figure  by  which  the  prophet  sets 
forth  the  calamities  that  were  coming 
upon  Ephraim — an  image  designed  to 
denote  the  fact  that  the  inhabitants 
and  wealth  of  the  land  would  be  collect- 
ed and  removed,  as  the  husbandman 
gathers  his  harvest,  and  leaves  only 
that  which  is  inaccessible  in  the  upper 
boughs  of  the  tree,  or  the  gleanings  in 
the  field.  7  As  when  the  harvest-man 
gathereth  the  corn.  The  wheat,  the 
barley,  &c.  ;  for  so  the  word  corn — 
now  applied  by  us  almost  exclusively 
to  maize — means  in  the  Scriptures. 
The  sense  in  this  passage  is  plain. 
As  the  farmer  cuts  down  and  collects 
his  grain  and  removes  it  from  the  har- 
vest field,  so  the  enemies  of  Ephraim 
would  come  and  remove  the  people 
and  their  wealth  to  a  distant  land. 
This  received  a  complete  fulfilment 
when  the  ten  tribes  were  removed  by 
the  Assyrians  to  a  distant  land.  This 
was  done  by  Tiglath-Pileser  (2  Kings 
xv.  29),  and  by  Shalmaneser  (2  Kings 
xvii.  C).  TT  And  reapeth  the  ears  with 
his  arm.  As  he  collects  the  stand- 
ing grain  with  one  arm  so  that  he 
can  cut  it  with  the  sickle  in  the  other 
hand.  The  word  rendered  "  reapeth," 
"!S|5  ,  means  here  to  collect  together  as 
a  reaper  does  the  standing  grain  in  hi* 


330 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


I  Yet  glean ing-grapes  shall 
be  left  in  it,  as  the  shaking  of  an 
olive-tree,  two  or  three  berries  in 
the  top  of  the  uppermost  bough, 
foui  or  rive  in  the  outmost  fruit- 
ful branches  thereof,  saith  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel. 

arm.     The  word  rendered  ears,  B^PBttS 

shidliolim,  means  here  rather  the  spires 
or  stalks  of  standing  grain.  H  In  the 
valley  of  Bephaim.  The  valley  of  Re- 
phaiin  is  mentioned  in  2  Sam.  v.  18, 
2:2,  xxiii.  13.  1  Chron.  xi.  15.  xiv.  9. 
The  name  means  •  the  Giants ;'  but 
why  it  was  given  to  it  is  now  unknown. 
In  passing  from  Bethlehem  to  Jerusa- 
lem, it  lies  on  the  left,  and  descends 
gradually  to  the  southwest,  until  it 
contracts  in  that  direction  into  a  deeper 
and  narrower  valley,  called  Wady  el- 
Werd,  which  unites  further  on  with 
Wady  Ahmed,  and  finds  its  way  to 
the  Mediterranean.  The  plain  extends 
nearly  to  Jerusalem,  and  is  terminated 
by  a  slight  rocky  ridge  forming  the 
brow  of  the  valley  of  Hinnom.  See 
Josephus  Ant.  vii.  4.  1.  viii.  12.  4. 
Also  Robinson's  Bibl.  Research,  i.  323, 
324.  It  seems  to  have  been  distin- 
guished for  its  fertility,  and  is  here 
used  to  denote  a  fertile  region  in 
general. 

6.  Yet  gleaning-grapes,  &c.  They 
shall  not  all  be  removed,  or  destroyed. 
A  few  shall  be  left,  as  a  man  who  is 
gathering  grapes  or  olives  will  leave  a 
few  that  are  inaccessible  on  the  topmost 
boughs,  or  the  farthest  branches.  Those 
would  be  usually  the  poorest,  and  so  it 
may  be  implied  that  those  left  in  Israel 
would  be  among  the  poorer  inhabitants 
of  the  land.  If  Two  or  three.  A  very 
few — such  as  would  be  left  in  gather- 
ing grapes,  or  in  endeavouring  to  shake 
olives  from  a  tree.  If  Four  or  five.  A 
very  few  that  would  remain  on  the 
farthest  branches,  and  that  could  not 
be  shaken  off  or  reached; 

"*.  At  that  (Jin/  shall  a  man  look  to 
his  Maker,  Instead  of  confiding  in 
their  strongly  fortified  places  and  ar- 
mies, they  shall  look  for  aid  and  pro- 


7  At  that  day  shall  a  man 
look'  to  his  Maker,  and  his  eyea 
shall  have  respect  to  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel. 

8  And  he  shall  not  look  to  the 
altars,   the   work  of  his    hands, 


tcction  to  the  God  that  made  them, 
and  who  alone  can  help  them.  Na- 
tional afflictions  and  judgments  often 
have  tht-  effect  to  turn  the  eyea  of.everi 

a  wiefeed  ;ll'd  rebellious  people  to  God. 

They  feel  their  danger  ;  they  are  con- 
vinced  of  their  guilt ;  they  see  that  no 
one  but  God  can  protect  them  ;  and 
for  ;i  time  they  are  willing,  even  by 
humiliation  and  fasting,  to  seek  the 
divine  protection.  If  His  eyes  shall 
have  respect,  &c.  He  shall  look  up 
to,  or  regard.  If  The  Holy  One  of 
Israel.  The  God  of  Israel ;  the  true 
God.  As  the  Syrians  were  allied  with 
the  kingdom  of  Samaria  or  Ephraim, 
they  were,  of  course,  acquainted  with 
the  true  God,  and  in  some  sense  ac- 
knowledged him.  In  these  times  of 
impending  calamity  they  would  be  led 
to  seek  him,  and  implore  his  aid  and 
protection.  There  is  no  reason  to  be- 
lieve, however,  that  they  would  turn 
permanently  to  him,  or  become  his  true 
worshippers. 

8.  And  he  shall  not  look  to  the  al- 
tars. That  is,  the  altars  of  the  gods 
which  the  Syrians  worshipped,  and  the 
altars  of  the  false  gods  which  had  been 
erected  in  the  land  of  Israel  or  Sama- 
ria by  its  wicked  kings,  and  particu- 
larly by  Ahaz  Ahaz  fancied  an  altar 
which  he  saw  at  Damascus  when  on  a 
visit  to  Tiglath-Pileser,  and  ordered 
Urijah  the  priest  to  construct  one  like  it 
in  Samaria,  on  which  he  subsequently 
offered  sacrifice.  2  Kings  xvi.  1U — 13. 
It  is  well  known,  also,  that  the  kings 
of  Israel  and  Judah  often  reared  altars 
to  false  gods  in  the  high  places  and  the 
groves  of  the  land.  See  2  Kings  xxi. 
3,  4,  5.  The  Ephraimites  were  parti- 
cularly guilty  in  this  respect.  Hos. 
viii.  2 :  "  Because  Ephraim  has  made 
many  altars  to  sin,  altars  shall  he  unto 


B.C. 713.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


33i 


neither  shall  respect  that  which  |  and  an  uppermost  branch,  which 
his  fingers  have  made,  either  the 
groves  or  the  3images. 

9  la  that  day  shall   his  strong 
cities  be  as  a  forsaken   bough, 

3  or,  sun  images.    Jer.  17. 13. 


him  to  sin."  f  Which  his  fingers  hare 
made.  Perhaps  indicating  that  the 
idols  which  they  worshipped  had  been 
constructed  with  special  art  and  skill. 
See  ch.  ii  8.  f  Either  the  groves. 
The  altars  of  idols  were  usually  erected 
in  groves,  and  idols  were  worshipped 
there  before  temples  were  raised.  See 
Ex.  xxxiv.  13.  Deut  vii  5,  xii.  3. 
Judges  iii.  7.  1  Kings  xiv.  23,  xviii  19. 
2  Chron.  xxxiii  3.  Comp.  Notes  ch. 
i.  29.  IT  Or  the  images  Marg.  Sun 
images.  En312n  h/idminditim.  This 
word  is  used  to  denote  idols  in  general 
in  Lev.  xxvi.  30.  2  Chron.  xxiv  -4. 
But  it  is  supposed  to  denote  properly 
images  erected  to  the  sun,  and  to  be 
derived  from  «""2n  h/idrnma,  the  sun. 
Thus  the  word  is  used  in  Job  xxx.  28. 
lsa.xxiv.23,  xxx.  2b.  Cant,  vi  10.  The 
word,  according  to  Gesenius,  is  of  Per- 
sian origin.  Comm.  in  loc.  The  sun 
was  undoubtedly  worshipped  by  the 
ancieu  .  idolaters^,  and  altars  or  images 
would  oe  erected  to  it.  See  Notes  on 
Job  xxxi.  26. 

9.  His  strong  cities.  The  cities  of 
the  united  kingdoms  of  Damascus  and 
Samaria.  Tf  Be  as  a  forsaken  bough 
There  has  been  much  difficulty  in  the 
interpretation  of  this  passage.  Lowth 
says,  "  No  one  has  ever  been  able  to 
make  any  tolerable  sense  of  these 
words  ;"  and  proposes  himself  the 
translation, 

In  that  liay  shall  his  strongly  fenced  cities  be- 
come 

Like  the  desertion  of  the  Hivites  and  the  Amor- 
ites ; 

following  in  this  the  translation  of  the 
LXX,  but  doing  violence  to  the  Hebrew 
text.  Rosenmilller  translates  it,  "  as 
the  remnant  of  a  grove  when  the  thicket 
is  cut  down,  and  when  few  trees  are 
left."  The  word  rendered  "  bough," 
0"ifl  hhortsh,  means  properly  a  thicket, 
or  thick  foliage,  a  wood  that  is  entan- 


they  left  because  of  the  childrea 
of  Israel  :  and  there  shall  be 
desolation. 

10  Because  ^thou  hast  forgot- 

p  Jer.  17.  13. 

gled,  or  intricate  (1  Sam  xxiii.  15,  16, 
lf<.  2  Chron.  xxvii.  4)  ;  and  probably 
this  is  the  idea  here.  The  phrase  may 
be  rendered,  '  as  the  leavings  or  resi- 
due of  a  grove,  copse,  or  entangled 
wood  ;'  and  the  idea  is,  that  as  a  few 
trees  might  be  left  when  the  axeman 
cuts  down  the  grove,  so  a  few  inferior 
and  smaller  towns  should  be  left  in  the 
desolation  that  would  come  upon  Da- 
mascus. IT  And  an  uppermost  branch. 
Ver.  6.  As  a  few  berries  are  left  in 
the  topmost  branch  of  the  olive,  or  the 
vine,  so  shall  a  few  cities  or  people  be 
left  in  the  general  desolation.  IT  Which 
they  left.  Which  are  left,  or  which 
the  invaders  would  leave.  IT  Because 
of  the  children  of  Israel.  Literally, 
'  from  the  face,'  i.  e.  before  the  children 
of  Israel.  Lowth  supposes  that  it  refers 
to  the  Amorites,  who  left  their  land 
before  the  Israelites,  or  gave  up  their 
land  for  them.  Vitringa  renders  it, 
"  on  account  of  the  children  of  Israel ;" 
and  supposes  that  it  means  that  a  few 
cities  were  spared  by  the  purpose  of 
God  in  the  invasion  by  Tiglath-Pileser, 
to  be  a  residence  of  the  Israelites  that 
should  remain  ;  or  that,  for  some  rea- 
son which  is  not  known,  the  Assyrians 
chose  to  spare  a  few  towns,  and  not 
wholly  to  destroy  the  country.  The 
general  idea  is  plain,  that  a  few  towns 
would  be  left,  and  that  it  would  be 
before  the  children  of  Israel,  or  in  their 
presence,  or  in  order  that  they  might 
continue  to  dwell  in  them.  Jerome 
interprets  the  whole  as  referring  to  the 
time  when  the  land  of  Judea  was  for- 
saken on  the  invasion  of  the  Romans. 
IT  And  there  shall  be  desolation.  The 
land  shall  be  desolated,  except  the  few 
cities  and  towns  that  shall  be  left,  like 
the  gleaning  of  the  olive-tree. 

10.  Because  thou,  &.c.  Because  the 
kingdom  of  Israel  or  Samaria  had  done 
it.     If  The  God  of  thy  salvation.     The 


332 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.713. 


ten  the  God  of  thy  salvation,  and 
hast  not  been  mindful  of  the 
Rock  of  thy  Strength  ;  therefore 
shalt  thou  plant  pleasant  plants, 
and  shalt  set  it  with  strange 
slips  : 


God  in  whom  alone  was  salvation  ;  or 
wlio  alone  could  protect  thee  Comp. 
Mieah  vii.  7.  Hos.  ii  15.  11  The  Rock 
of  thy  strength.  God.  A  rock  of 
strength  is  a  strongly  fortified  place  ; 
or  a  rock  which  an  enemy  could  not 
successfully  assail.  High  rocks  were 
selected  as  a  place  of  refuge  from  an 
invading  foe.  See  Notes  on  ch.  i  10, 
21.  In  allusion  to  this,  God  is  often 
called  a  Rock,  and  a  strong  tower. 
Deut.  xxxii.  4,  15,  IS,  3U,  31,  37. 
1  Sam.  ii.  2.  2  Sam.  xxii.  2,  3,  32. 
Pe.  xviii.  31,  46,  xix.  14,  xxviii.  1, 
XXX.  1,  2.  ^  Shalt  thou  plant  ]>leus- 
arrl  plants.  Plants  that  are  fitted  to 
produce  pleasure  or  delight ;  that  is, 
you  shall  cultivate  your  fields,  and  set 
them  out  with  choice  vines  and  plants 
in  hope  of  a  future  harvest,  but  you 
shall  be  disappointed.  IT  And  shall  set 
i'  with  strange  slips.  The  word  sli]>s 
means  the  cuttings  of  the  vine  that  are 
get  in  the  ground  to  grow  ;  or  the  shoot 
or  sucker  that  is  taken  off  and  set  out, 
or  put  in  the  earth  to  take  root  and 
grow,  as  is  often  done  by  farmers  and 
gardeners.  The  word  'strange'  here 
means  foreign,  those  which  are  pro- 
cured from  a  distance,  and  which  are 
therefore  esteemed  valuable  ;  plants 
selected  with  care.  This  does  not 
mean,  as  Lowth  supposes,  strange  and 
idolatrous  worship  and  the  vicious 
practices  connected  with  it ;  but  it 
means  that,  though  they  should  be  at 
great  pains  and  expense  :n  cultivating 
their  land,  yet  the  enemj  would  come 
in  and  make  it  desolate. 

11.  In  the  day,  &c.  Thou  shalt 
cultivate  it  assiduously  and  constantly. 
Thou  shalt  be  at  special  pains  that  it 
may  be  watered  and  pruned  in  order 
that  it  may  produce  abundantly.  IT  And 
.n  the  morning.     With  early  cure  and 


11  In  the  day  shalt  thou  make 
thy  plant  to  grow,  and  in  the  morn- 
ing shalt  thou  make  thy  seed  to 
Hourish;  but  the  harvest  shall 
be  6a  heap  in  the  day  of  griff 
and  of  desperate  sorrow. 

6  or,  removed  in  the  day  of  inheritance,  an 
there  shall  be  dead.y  sorrow. 

attention  —  denoting  the  pains  th*» 
would  be  bestowed  on  the  young  plai.„ 
IT  The  harvest  shall  be  a  heap.  Tb/J 
margin  reads  this,  "the  harvest  shall 
be  removed  in  the  day  of  inheritance," 
rendering  it  as  if  the  word  "^  ntdh — 
usually  meaning  a  heap — were  derived 
from  "^  nudh  to  shake,  move,  wander 
— or  as  if  it  were  to  be  removed.  Pro- 
bably the  translation  in  the  text  is  cor- 
rect ;  and  the  sense  is, '  When  from  the 
plant  which  was  so  beautiful  and  valu- 
able, and  which  you  cherished  with  so 
much  care,  you  expected  to  obtain  a 
rich  harvest,  you  had  only  sorrow  and 
inexpressible  disappointment.'  The 
tigure  used  here  is  supposed  by  Rosen- 
m  tiller  to  be  that  of  hendiadys — ?»  riu 
bvoiv — by  which  the  phrases  "  shall  be 
an  heap,"  and  "  desperate  sorrow," 
are  to  be  taken  together,  meaning 
"  the  heap  of  the  harvest  shall  be  inex- 
pressible sorrow "  H  In  the  day  of 
grief.  The  word  rendered  grief  here 
^•?ri?  means  properly  inheritance,  heir- 
ship, possession,  and  should  have  been 
so  rendered  here.  It  means  that  in 
the  day  when  they  hoped  to  possess  the 
result  of  their  planting,  or  in  the  time 
of  the  usual  harvest,  they  would  obtain 
only  grief  and  disappointment  IT  And 
desperate  sorrow.  The  word  rendered 
"  desperate,"  C'lSX  dnush,  denotes  that 
which  is  weak,  mortal,  incurable.  Job 
xxxiv.  6  Jer.  xxx.  12,  15,  xvii  l(i. 
The  sense  here  is,  that  there  would  be 
grievous  disappointment,  and  that  there 
would  be  no  remedy  for  it  ;  and  the 
idea  of  the  whole  is,  that  calamities 
were  coming  upon  the  nation  which 
would  blast  all  their  hopes,  and  destroy 
all  th-ir  prospects  The  prophecy  was 
fulfilled  in  the  invasion  by  Tiglath- 
Pileser,  and  the  army  of  the  Assyrians 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


333 


12  Wo  to  the  'multitude  of 
many  people,  which  make  a  noise 
like  the  noise  of  the  seas ;  and 
to  the  rushing  of  nations,  that 
make  a  rushing  like  the  rushing 
of  8mighty  waters  ! 

13  The  nations  shall  rush  like 
the    rushing   of    many    waters : 

7  or,  noise.  8  or,  many. 

The  twelfth  verse  commences  a  new 
prophecy  which  has  no  connection  with 
that  which  precedes  it ;  and  which  in 
itself  gives  no  certain  indication  of  the 
time  when  it  was  uttered,  or  of  the  peo- 
ple to  which  it  relates.  It  is  a  broken 
and  detached  piece,  and  is  evidently 
the  description  of  some  army  rushing  to 
conquest,  and  confident  of  success,  but 
which  was  to  be  overtaken  with  sudden 
calamity.  The  entire  description  is  so 
applicable  to  the  invasion  of  the  land 
of  Judah  by  the  army  of  Sennacherib, 
and  his  overthrow  by  the  angel  of  Je- 
hovah, that  by  the  common  consent  of 
interpreters  it  has  been  regarded  as 
referring  to  it.  See  Notes  on  ch.  x. 
But  when  it  was  spoken,  or  why  it  was 
placed  here,  is  unknown.  It  may  be 
add*-i  that  many  commentators,  and 
among  the  rest  Geseniws,  have  supposed 
that  the  following  chapter  is  a  part  of 
this  prophecy  The  general  sense  of 
the  prophecy  is,  that  numerous  hostile 
nations  would  overrun  Palestine,  but 
that  Jehovah  would  destroy  them  all. 

12.  Wo  to  the  multitude,  &c.  The 
word  "  wo,"  *m  ho,  may  be  either  an  in- 
terjection simply  directing  the  attention 
to  them,  or  it  may  be  a  word  indicating 
approaching  calamity  and  judgment. 
See  Note  ch.  v.  6.  Gesenius  supposes 
that  it  is  rather  the  language  of  com- 
rjassion  on  account  of  the  evil  which 
mey  threatened  to  bring  upon  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  like  1  Kings  xiii.  30,  "  Ah  ! 
wo,  my  brother!"  IT  The  multitude 
of  many  people.  Or,  the  tumult  of 
many  nations — a  description  of  the 
noise  attending  an  invading  army 
made  up  of  many  nations  mingled  toge- 
thci,  such  as  was  that  of  Sennacherib. 
V  Which  make  a  noise,  &c.     This  is  a 


but  'God  shall  rebuke  them,  and 
they  shall  flee  far  oft",  and 
shall  be  chased  as  the  chaff  of 
the  mountains  before  the  wind, 
and  like  9a  rolling  thing  before 
the  whirlwind. 

14  And,   behold,  at  evening- 
tide    trouble  ;     and     before    the 

/  Ps.  9.  5.  9  or,  thistle-doivn. 


beautiful  description  of  a  vast  army, 
and  of  the  shouting,  the  tumult,  the 
din,  which  attends  its  march.  The 
same  comparison  occurs  in  Jer.  vi.  23. 
Ps.  lxv.  7.  See  Ezek.  xliii.  2.  Rev.  i. 
15,  xiv.  2,  xix.  6.  IT  And  to  the  rush- 
ing of  nations.  The  rushing  of  mighty 
armies  to  conquest. 

13  God.  shall  rebuke  them.  The 
word  God  is  not  here  in  the  original, 
but  is  evidently  to  be  supplied.  The 
word  rebuke  means  that  he  would 
disarrange  their  plans,  prevent  their 
success,  and  defeat  their  purposes.  It 
shows  the  great  power  of  God,  that  he 
can  thus  by  a  rebuke — a  word — arrest 
mighty  nations,  and  discomfit  them 
when  they  are  tumultuously  hastening 
onward  in  the  confidence  of  victory 
This  discomfiture  refers  doubtless  to 
the  overthrow  of  Sennacherib  and  his 
army  by  the  pestilence.  2  Kings  xix. 
35.  See  Notes  ch.  xxxvii.36.  IT  And 
they  shall  flee  far  off  The  whole  army 
of  Sennacherib  was  not  destroyed,  but 
a  part  with  himself  returned  to  Assyria. 
2  Kings  xix.  36.  If  And  shall  be 
chased  as  the  chaff,  &c.  Denoting  the 
ease  with  which  God  would  do  it,  and 
the  certain  and  entire  discomfiture  of 
the  army.  The  figure  is  one  that  is  very 
striking  in  describing  an  army  that  is 
routed  and  that  flies  in  disorder.  Comp. 
Job  xxt.  18.  Ps.  i.  4,  xxxv.  5.  Isa.  xxix. 
5.  Hos  xiii.  3.  11  And  like  a  rolling 
thing.  Marg.  Thistle-down.  It  means 
literally  any  thing  that  rolls  ;  2???  gal- 
gal  from  5?5  g^ldl  to  roll.  It  is  ap- 
plied to  chaff,  stubble,  or  any  thing  that 
is  driven  about  by  a  whirlwind.  Ps. 
lxxxiii    14 

14.  At  evening-tide  trouble.  In  the 
time  of  evening — that  is,  in  the  night 


334 


ISAIAH. 


[£.G'.713 


morning  he  is  not.      This  is  the  l  and  the  lot  of  thrm  that  rob  us. 
portion   of  tliem"    that  spoil   us,  t,  Jer  t 3. 


11  Before  the  morning  he  ia  not,  That 
is,  he  is  destroyed.  This  is  strikingly 
deseriptive  of  the  destruction  oi  the 
anny  of  Sennacherib  on  that  fatal  riighl 
when  the  angel  of  the  Lord  slew  one 
hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand  nun. 
See  Note  on  ch.  xxxvii.  3fi.  II  This 
is  the  portion  of  litem  that  spoil  US, 
Of  those  who  would  plunder  us.      This 


is  a  general  declaration  in  regard  to 
the  enemies  of  the  Jewish,  people.  This 
is  the  lot,  the  end,  the  destiny  of  all 
who  attempt  to  destroy  them.  That 
is,  the  people  of  God  shall  he  safe  who- 
ever rises  up  against  them  ;  and  what- 
ever may  be  the  number,  or  the  power 
of  their  foes,  they  shall  be  overthrown- 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


ANALYSIS. 


"The  xviiith  chapter  of  Isaiah."  says  Bishop  Horsley,  "  is  one  of  the  most  obscure  pass-ages 
of  the  ancient  prophets.  It  has  been  considered  as  such  by  the  whole  succession  of  interpreter! 
from  Jerome  to  Bishop  Lowth."  "  The  object  of  it."  says  Bishop  Lowth,  "  the  end  and  design  of 
it;  'he  people  to  whom  ft  is  addressed;  the  history  to  which  it  belongs;  the  person  who  .sends  the 
messengers";  and  the  nation  to  whom  they  are  sent,  are  all  obscure  and  doubtful  Much  of  the  ob- 
scuriiy  Res  in  the  highly  figurative  cast  of  tin-  language,  and  in  the  ambiguity  of  some  of  the  prin- 
ftipal  words,  arising  from  the  great  variety  of  the  senses  often  comprehended  under  the  primary 
meaning  of  a  single  root." 

Lowth  supposes  that  Egypt  is  the  country  referred  to ;  that  the  prophecy  was  delivered  before 
the  return  of  Sennacherib's  expedition  to  Egypt  ;  and  that  it  was  designed  tu  give  to  the  Jews,  and 
perhaps  likewise  to  the  Egyptians,  an  intimation  of  the  destruction ol  their  great  and  powerful 
enemy.  Taylor,  the  Editor  of  Calmet's  Dictionary,  supposes  thai  it  relates  to  a  people  lying  in 
southern,  or  upper  Egypt,  or  the  country  above  the  cataracts  of  the  Nile,  i.  i  .Nubia  ;  and  that  t he 
people  to  whom  the  message  is  sent  are  those  who  were  situated  north  on  the  river  Nile,  where  i tie 
various  streams  which  go  to  form  the  Nile  become  a  single  river;  and  that  the  nation  represented 
as  "  scattered  and  peeled."  or  as  he  renders  it.  "a  people  contracted  and  deprived."  i.  e  in  their 
persons,  refers  to  the  Pigmies  as  they  are  described  by  Homer,  Strain,  and  others.  See  this  view 
drawn  out  in  the  Fragments  appended  to  Calmet's  Die  No.  eccxxii.  Koseiimuller  says  of  this 
prophecy,  that  "it  is  involved  in  so  many,  and  so  great  difficulties,  on  account  of  unusual  ex- 
pressions and  figurative  sentences,  and  the  history  of  those  times,  so  little  known  to  us.  that  it  is 
impossible  to  explain  and  unfold  it.  We  seem  to  be  reading  mere  eniemas.  in  explaining  which, 
although  many  learned  interpreters  have  taken  great  pains,  yet  scarcely,  two  can  be  found  who 
agree."  Gesenius  connects  it  witli  the  closing  verse  of  the,  previous  chapter;  and  so  does  also  Vi- 
trmga.  Gesenius  supposes  that  it  refers  to  a  nation  in  distant  Ethiopia  in  alliance  with  Israel.  To 
this,  says  he,  and  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  the  prophet  addresses  himself,  in  order  to  draw 
their  ateinion  to  the  sudden  overthrow  which  God  would  bring  upon  the  enemy,  alter  he  has  quietly 
looked  upon  their  violence  for  a  long  time  According  to  this  view,  the  prophecy  belongs  to  the 
period  immediately  preceding  the  nth  year  of  Hezekiab,  when  the  Assyrian  armies  had  already 
overrun,  or  were  about  to  overrun  Palestine  on  they  way  to  Egypt,  and  the  prophet  confidently  pre- 
dicts their  destruction.  At  tins  time,  he  remarks,  Tirhakah,  king  of  Ethiopia,  with  a  part  of  Egypt, 
had  armed  himself  against  the  Assyrians;  for  which  purpose  he  had  probably  entered  into  an  alli- 
ance with  the  Hebrews.  To  this  friend  and  ally  of  Israel,  the  prophet  gives  the  assurance  that  God 
was  about  to  destroy  completely  the  common  enemy,  the  Assyrian—  By  some,  the  land  here  referred 
to,  has  been  supposed  to  be  Egypt;  by  others  Ethiopia  in  Africa  by  Others  Judea ;  by  others  the 
Roman  empire  ;  and  others  have  supposed  that  it  refers  to  the  destruction  of  Gog  and  .Magog  in  the 
times  of  Ihe  Messiah  Vitringa  supposes  that  the  prophecy  must  be  referred  either  to  the  Egyptians 
01  the  Assyrians  ;  and  us  there  is  no  account,  he  says,  of  any  calamity  coming  upon  the  Egyptians 
like  that  which  is  described  in  vs.  4—6.  and  as  that  description  IS  applicable  to  the  destruction  of  the 
Assyrians  under  Sennacherib,  be  regards  it  as  referring  to  him.  Calvin  says  that  many  have  sap- 
posed  that  the  Troglodytes  of  upper  Egypt  are  meant  lure,  but  that  this  is  improbable,  as  they  were 
«>ot  known  to  have  formed  any  alliances  with  other  nations  He  supposes  that  some  nation  is  re- 
ferred to  in  the  vicinity  of  Egypt  and  Ethiopia,  but  what  people  he  does  not  even  conjecture 
Amidst  tins  diversity  of  opinion,  it  may  seem  rashjo  hazard  a  conjecture  in  regard  to  the  Bltuatiou 
sf  the  nation  who  «ent  the  messengers,  and  the  nation,  to  whom  they  were  sent  ;  and  it  is  obviously 
improper  'o  hazard  such  a  conjecture  without  a  careful  examination  of  the  phrases  and  words  whish 
occur  in  the  prophecy.  When  that  is  done;  when  the  characteristics  of  the  nation  have  been  fully 
determined,  then  perhaps  we  may  be  able  to  arrive  at  some  satisfactory  conclusion  i"  -egard  to  this 
very  difficult  portion  of  the  Bible.  The  prophecy  consists  of  the  following  parts :  (l  )  The  prophet 
addresses  himself  to  the  nation  here  described  as  a  "  land  shadowing  with  wings,"  and  as  sending 
wuii adorn,  in  a  manner  designed  to  coil  their  attention  to  ttie  great  events  soon  to  occur,  vs.  i   * 


B-C.li'3.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


335 


02.)  He  addresses  a.l  nations,  calling  upon  them  also  to  a.ttend  to  the  same  subject,  ver.  3.  (3.)  He 
says  mat  God  had  revtaled  to  him  that  destruction  should  come  upon  the  enemies  here  referred  to, 
und  that  Hit;  immense  host  should  be  left  to  the  beasts  of  the  earth,  and  to  the  fowls  of  the  n.oun- 
tnins,  vs.  4—6.  (4  )  The  consequence,  he  says,  of  such  events  would  be,  that  a  present  would  be 
brought  to  Jehovah  from  the  distant  nation  "  scattered  and  peeled,"  and  whose  land  the  rivers  had 
spotted,  ver.  7. 


1  Wo  to  the  land   shadowing 

X  ch.  20.  3—5.     Ezek.  30.  4—9.    Zeph.  2  12. 

1.  Wo  to  the  land  fin).  This 
word,  as  has  been  already  remarked, 
(Note  ch.  xvii.  12),  may  be  a  mere  in- 
terjection or  salutation,  and  would  be 
appropriately  rendered  by  "  Ho  .'"  Or 
it  may  be  a  word  denouncing  judgment, 
or  wrath,  as  it  is  often  used  in  this 
prophecy.  Note  ch.  v.  8.  %  Shadow- 
ins  with  wings.  0;S;3V^.  This 
is  one  of  the  most  difficult  expressions 
in  the  whole  chapter  ;  and  one  to  which 
as  yet,  probably,  no  satisfactory  mean- 
ing has  been  applied.  The  LXX  ren- 
der  it,  Uljai   yijs    irAoitiiv    irripvyts — Ah  .' 

icings  of  the  land  of  ships.  The  Chal- 
dee,  "  Wo  to  the  land  in  which  they 
come  in  ships  from  a  distant  country, 
and  whose  sails  are  spread  out  as  an 
eagle  which  flies  upon  its  wings." 
Grotius  renders  it,  "  the  land  whose 
extreme  parts  are  shaded  by  moun- 
tains." The  word  rendered  "  shadow- 
ed," ?^£?^  tziltzdl,  occurs  only  in  this 
place,  and  in  Job  xli.  7,  where  it  is 
translated  fish-spears — but  as  we  know 
nothing  of  the  form  of  those  spears, 
.hat  place  throws  no  light  on  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  here.  The  word  is 
derived  evidently  from  5?5£  tzdldl, 
which  has  three  significations.  1.  To 
be  shady,  dark,  obscure  ;  and  h^jice  its 
derivatives  are  applied  to  any  thins; 
that  makes  a  shade,  or  shadow — parti- 
cularly shady  trees,  Job  xl.  21,  22; 
the  shades  of  night,  Cant.  ii.  17,  iv.  6; 
or  any  thing  that  produces  obscurity, 
or  darkness — as  a  tree,  a  rock,  a  wing, 
&.c.  2.  It  means  to  tingle,  spoken  of 
tne  ears  (1  Sam.  iii.  11,  2  Kings  xxi. 
13)  ;  to  quivei,  spoken  of  the  lips  (Hab. 
iii.  16);  and  hence  its  derivatives  are 
applied  to  any  thing  that  makes  a 
sound  by  tinkling — an  instrument  of 
music  ;  a  cymbal  made  of  two  pieces 
of  metal  that  are  struck  together.  2 
Sara.  vi.  5.  Ps    cl.  5.  Neh.  xii.  27.  1 


with  wings,  which  is  beyond  the 
rivers*  of  Ethiopia  : 

Chron.  xv.  16,  xvi.  42,xxv.  6.  2Chron. 
v.  12  3.  It  means  to  sink.  Ex.  xv. 
10. — From  the  sense  of  making  a 
shade,  a  derivative  of  the  verb   5XjS 

tzelatzal — the  same  as  used  here  ex- 
cept the  points — is  applied  to  locusts, 
because  they  appear  in  such  swarms  as 
to  obscure  the  rays  of  the  sun,  and 
produce  an  extended  shade  or  shadow 
over  a  land  as  a  cloud  does  ;  or  be- 
cause they  make  a  rustling  with  their 
wings.  The  word  here  used,  there- 
fore, may  mean  either  shaded,  or  rust- 
ling, or  rattling  in  the  manner  of  a 
cymbal  or  other  tinkling  instrument. 
It  may  be  added  that  the  word  may 
mean  a  double  shade,  being  a  doubling 
of  the  word  -'5£  tzel,  a  shade  or  shadow, 
and  it  has  been  supposed  by  some  to 
apply  to  Ethiopia  as  lying  between  the 
tropics,  having  a  double  shadow  ;  that 
is,  so  that  the  shadow  of  objects  is  cast 
one  half  of  the  year  on  the  north  side, 
and  the  other  half  on  the  south.  The 
word  wings  is  applied  in  the  Scriptures 
to  the  following  things,  viz.  (1.)  The 
wings  of  a  fowl.  This  is  the  literal, 
and  common  signification.  (2.)  The 
skirts,  borders,  or  lower  parts  of  a  gar- 
ment— from  the  resemblance  to  wings 
1  Sam.  xxiv.  5,  11.  Num.  xv.  38. 
Zech  viii.  1,1.  Also  a  bed  covering. 
Deul.  xxxiii.  1.  (3  )  The  extremities 
or  borders  of  a  country,  or  of  the  world. 
Isa  xxiv.  16.  Jobxxxvii  3.  Ezek.  xvii. 
3,  7.  (4.)  The  wing  or  extremity  of 
an  army — as  we  use  the  word  wing 
Dan.  ix.  27.  Isa.  viii.  8.  Jer.  xlviii.  40. 
(5  )  The  expanding  rays  of  the  morn- 
ing— because  the  light  expands  or 
spreads  out  like  wings.  Ps  exxxix. 
9.  Mai  iv.  2.  (6.^  The  wind — resem- 
bling wings  in  rapid  motion.  Hos  iv. 
19.  Ps.  xviii.  10,  21,  civ.  3.  (7  )  The 
battlement  or  pinnacle  of  the  temple  — 
or    perhaps  the    porches  extended   on 


336 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.713. 


each  side  of  the  temple  like  wings. 
Dan.ix27.     Coinp  Mattb.  iv.  5.    (8  ) 

Protection — as  wings  are  a  protection 
to  young  biids  in  their  nest.  See 
Matth.  xxiii.  37.  Ps.  xci.  4,  xviii.  8, 
xxxvi.  7,  lxi.  4,  xci.  4  It  has  been 
proposed  by  some  to  apply  this  deacrip- 
tion  to  snips,  or  the  sails  of  vessels,  as 
if  a  land  was  designated  which  was 
covered  with  sails,  or  the  vines  ol  ves- 
sels. So  the  LXX,  and  the  Chaldee. 
But  there  is  no  instance  in  which  the 
word  tcings  is  so  applied  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

The  expression  here  used  may  there- 
fore be  applied  to  many  things  ;  and  it 
(s  not  easy  to  determine  its  significa- 
tion. The  general  idea  is  that  of 
something  that  abounds  in  the  land 
that  is  stretched  out  or  expanded  ;  that, 
as  it  were,  covers  it,  and  so  abounds  as 
to  make  a  shade  or  shadow  every 
where.  And  it  may  be  applied  (1)  to 
a  nation  that  abounds  with  birds  or 
fowls,  so  that  they  might  be  said  to 
shade  the  land  ;  (2)  to  a  nation  abound- 
ing with  locusts,  shading  the  land  or 
making  a  rustling  noise  ;  or  (3)  to  a  na- 
tion furnishing  protection — or  stretch- 
ins  out  its  wings,  as  it  were,  for  the 
defence  of  a  feeble  people.  So  Vi- 
tringa  interprets  this  place,  and  sup- 
poses that  it  refers  to  Egypt,  as  being 
the  nation  where  the  Hebrews  sought 
protection.  Or  (4)  to  a  country  that 
is  shaded  with  trees,  mountains,  or 
hills.  So  Grotius  supposes  it  means 
here,  and  thinks  that  it  refers  to  Ethio- 
pia, as  being  bounded  by  high  hills  or 
mountains.  (5)  It  may  mean  a  people 
distinguishea  for  navigation — abound- 
ing in  sails  of  vessels — as  if  they  were 
everywhere  spread  out  like  wings.  So 
the  LXX  and  the  Chaldee  understand 
this  ;  and  the  interpretation  has  some 
plausibility  from  the  fact  that  light  ves- 
sels are  immediately  mentioned.  (6) 
The  Editor  of  Calmet's  Dictionary  sup- 
poses that  it  refers  to  the  winged 
Cue], him  which  are  sculptured  over  the 
temple  gates  in  upper  Egypt.  They 
are  emblematic  representatives  of  the 
god  Oneph,  to  which  the  temples  are 
dedicated,  and  abound  in  upper  Egypt. 
The  symbol  of  the  wings  is  supposed  i 


to  denote  the  protection  which  the  god 
extended  over  the  land.  (7)  Gesenius 
(Commentary  on  Isaiah)  renders  it, 
"  land  rustling  with  wings,"  and  sup- 
poses that  the  word  rendered  "shadow- 
ing" denotes  the  rustling  sound  that  is 
made  by  the  clangour  of  weapons  of 
war.  Amidst  this  variety  of  interpre- 
tation, it  is  perhaps  not  possible  to  de- 
termine the  meaning  of  the  phrase. 
It  has  no  parallel  expression  to  illus- 
trate it  ;  and  its  meaning  must  be  left 
to  conjecture.  Almost  any  one  of  the 
above  significations  wrll  suit  the  con-; 
section  ;  and  it  is  not  very  material 
which  is  chosen.  The  one  that,  per- 
haps, best  suits  the  connection  is  that 
of  the  LXX  and  the  Chaldee,  which 
refers  it  to  the  multitude  of  ships  that 
expand  their  sails,  and  appear  to  fill  all 
the  waters  of  the  land  with  wings, 
f  Which  is  beyond.  "3?"? .  This 
does  not  of  necessity  mean  beyond, 
though  that  is  its  usual  signification. 
It  properly  means  from  the  passing,  the 
passages,  the  crossing  over,  of  a  river  ; 
and  may  be  rendered  what  is  on  the 
other  side  ;  or  over  against.  It  some- 
times means  on  this  side,  as  if  used 
by  one  living  on  the  other  side.  1 
Kings  iv.  24  Deut.  iv.  49.  Josh.  xiii. 
27,  in  which  places  it  has  not  the  sense 
of  beyond,  but  means  either  on  this 
side,  or  lying  alongside.  The  sense 
here  is,  probably,  that  this  country  was 
situated  not  far  from  the  livers  of  Cush 
— probably  beyond  them,  but  still  it  is 
implied  that  they  were  not  far  beyond 
them,  but  were  rather  at  their  passings 
over,  or  crossing-places ;  that  is,  near 
them.  11  The  rivers  of  Ethiopia.  Heb. 
Rivers  of  Cush  On  the  meaning  of 
the  word  Cush,  see  Note  ch.  xi.  II. 
It  is  sometimes  applicable  to  Ethiopia 
or  Nubia — that  is,  the  portion  of  Egypt 
above  the  cataracts  of  the  Nile.  Coinp. 
Jer.  xiii.  23.  '  Can  the  Ethiopian — 
the  Cushite — change  his  skin  V  See 
also  Ezek.  xxix.  1U.  This  word  does 
not  determine  with  certainty  the 
country  to  which  reference  is  made 
— for  the  country  of  Cush  may  mean 
\hat  east  of  the  Euphrates,  or  southern 
Arabia,  or  southern  Egypt.  Egypt  anil 
Cush    are,    however,   sometimes    eon- 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


337 


2  That  sendeth  ambassadors 
by  the  sea,  even  in  vessels  of 
bulrushes  upon  the  waters,  say- 
ing. Go,  ye  swift  messengers,  to 
•t  nation    'scattered  and  peeled, 

1  or,  outspread  and  polished. 

ec.ied.  Isa.  xx.  3.  2  Kings  xix.  9. 
Pa  lxviii  31.  Isa.  xliii.  3.  Nah.  iii.  9. 
C'rmip.  Dan  xi.  43.  The  probability 
from  the  use  of  this  word  is,  that  some 
part  of  upper  Egypt  is  intended.  Ethio- 
pia in  part  lies  beyond  the  most  consi- 
derable, of  the  streams  that  make  up 
the  river  Nile. 

2.  That  sendeth  ambassadors.  That 
is  accustomed  to  send  messengers. 
What  was  the  design  of  their  thus 
sending  ambassadors  does  not  appear. 
The  prophet  simply  intimates  the  fact ; 
a  fact  by  which  they  were  well  known. 
It  may  have  been  for  purposes  of 
commerce,  or  to  seek  protection.  Bo- 
chart  renders  the  word  translated  am- 
bassadors by  images,  and  supposes  that 
it  denotes  an  image  of  the  god  Osiris 
made  of  the  papyrus  ;  but  there  does 
not  seem  to  be  any  reason  for  this 
opinion.  The  word  "i"1*  tzlr,  may 
mean  an  idol  or  image,  as  in  Isa.  xlv. 
16.  Ps  xlix.  15.  But  it  usually  de- 
notes ambassadors,  or  messengers. 
Josh.  ix.  4.  Prov.  xxv.  13,  xiii.  17. 
Jer.  xlix.  14  Obad  i.  Isa.  lvii.  9. 
IT  By  the  sea.  What  sea  is  here  meant 
cannot  be  accurately  determined.  The 
word  sea — ^ — is  applied  to  various 
collections  of  water,  and  may  be  used 
in  reference  to  a  sea,  a  lake,  a  pond, 
and  even  a  large  river.  It  is  often  ap- 
plied to  the  Mediterranean — and  where 
the  phrase  Great  Sea  occurs  it  denotes 
thai.  Num.  xxxiv.  6,  7.  Deut.  xi  24. 
It  ie  applied  to  the  lake  of  Gennesareth 
or  the  sea  of  Galilee,  Num.  xxxiv.  11  ; 
to  the  Salt  Sea,  Gen.  xiv.  3  ;  to  the 
Red  Sea  often,  Ex  xiii.  1U.  Num.  xiv. 
2.*),  xxi  4,  xxxiii.  10,  et  al.  It  is  also 
applied  to  a  a  large  river,  as  e  g.  the 
Nile,  Isa.  xix.  5  Neh.-  iii.  8  ;  and  to 
(he  Euphrates,  Jer.  li.  3(i.  So  far  as 
this  word  is  concerned,  therefore,  it 
aiay  denote  either  the  Mediterranean, 
15 


to  a  people  terrible  from  their 
beginning  hitherto  :  a  nation 
2meted  out  and  trodden  down, 
whose  land  the  rivers  3have 
spoiled  ! 

j  2  of  line  line,  and  treading  underfoot,  or,  that 
tneteth  out  and  treadelh  down.       3  or,  despise. 

;  the  Red  Sea,  the  Nile,  or  the  Euphrates. 
If  the  country  spoken  of  is  Upper 
Egypt  or  Nubia,  then  we  are  naturally 
led  to  suppose  that  the  prophet  refers 
either  to  the  Nile  or  the  Red  Sea. 
II  Even  in  vessels  of  bulrushes.     The 

,  word  rendered   bulrushes,  NBJ ,  is  de- 

'  rived  from  the  verb  NE3  g  *ma,  to 
swallow,  sip,  drink  ;  and  is  given  to  a 
reed  or  bulrush,  from  its  imbibing 
water.  It  is  usually  applied  in  the 
Scriptures  to  the  Egyptian  papyrus — 
a  plant  which  grew  on  the  banks  of  the 
Nile,  and  from  which  we  have  derived 

|  our  word  paper.  "  This  plant,"  says 
Taylor  (Heb.  Con.),  "  grew  in  moist 
places  near  the  Nile,  and  was  four  or 
five  yards  in  height.  Under  the  bark 
it  consisted  wholly  of  thin  skins,  which 
being  separated  and  spread  out  were 
applied  to  various  uses.  Of  these  they 
made  boxes  and  chests,  and  even  boats, 
smearing  them  over  with  pitch  "  These 

j  laminae  or  skins  also  served  the  pur- 
pose of  paper,  and  were  used  instead 
of  parchment,  or  plates  of  lead  and 
copper,  for  writing  on.  This  plant,  the 
cyperus  papyrus  of  modem  botanists, 
mostly  grew  in  Lower  Egypt,  in  marshy 
land,  or  in  shallow  brooks  and  ponds 
formed  by  the  inundation  of  the  Nile. 
"  The  papyrus,"  says  Pliny,  "  grows  in 
the  marsh  lands  of  Egypt,  or  in  the 
stagnant  pools  left  inland  by  the  Nile, 
after  it  has  returned  to  its  bed,  which 
have  not  more  than  two  cubits  in 
depth.  The  root  of  the  plant  is  the 
thickness  of  a  man's  arm  ;  it  has  a 
triangular  stalk,  growing  not  higher 
than  ten  cubits  (fifteen  feet),  and  de- 
creasing in  breadth  towards  the  sum- 
mit, which  is  crowned  with  a  thyrsus, 
containing  no  seeds,  and  of  no  use  ex- 
cept to  deck  the  statues  of  the  gods. 
They  employ  the  roots  as  firewood, 
and  for  making  various  utensils.    Thev 


338 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. 113. 


even  construct  small  boats  of  the  plant ; 
and  out  of  the  rind,  sails,  mats,  clothes, 
bedding,    ropes  ;     they    eat     it    either 
crude  or   cooked,  swallowing  only  the 
juice  ;    and    when    they    manufacture  \ 
paper  from  it,  they  divide  the  stem  by 
means  of  a   kind   of  needle  into  thin 
plates,  or  laminae,  each  of  which  is  as 
large  as  the  plant  will  admit.     All  the 
paper    is   woven   upon    a   table,  and  is 
continually  moistened  with  Mile  water, 
which  being  thick  and  slimy,  furnishes 
an   effectual   species  of  glue.     In  the 
first  place,  they  form  upon  a  table,  per- 
fectly   horizontal,   a    layer    the    whole 
length  of  the  papyrus,  which  is  crossed 
by    another    placed    transversely,   and 
afterwards  inclosed  within  a  press    The 
different    sheets    are    then    hung  in  a 
situation  exposed  to  the  sun,  in  order 
to  dry,  and  the  process  is  finally  com- 
pleted by  joining  them  together,  begin- 
ning with  the  best.     There  are  seldom 
more  than  twenty  slips  or  stripes  pro- 
duced  from    one   stein   of  the   plant  " 
Plin.  xiii.  11,12.     Wilkinson  remarks, 
that     "  the    mode   of    making    papyri 
was  this  :   the  interior  of  the  stalks  of 
the  plant,  after  the  rind   had  been   re- 
moved, was  cut  into  thin  slices  in  the 
direction  of  their  length,  and  these  be- 
ing laid  on  a  Hat  board,  in  succession, 
similar  slices  were   placed   over  them 
at  right  angles,  and  their  surfaces  being 
cemented   together  by   a  sort  of  glue, 
and  subjected  to  the  proper  degree  of 
pressure,  and  well   dried,  the  papyrus 
was  completed."     Manners  and  Cus- 
toms of  the  Ancient  Eyptians,  iii.  148. 
The  word  here  used   is  translated  bul- 
rushes in  Ex,  ii.  3,  where  the  little  ark 
is  described   in  which  Moses  was  laid 
near  the  Nile  ;  the  rush  in  Job  viii.  11  ; 
and  rushes,  Isa.  xxxv.  7.     It  does  not 
elsewhere   occur.     That    the   ancients 
were   in   the   practice  of  making  light 
boats   or  vessels  from   the    papyrus  is 
well   known.     Thus    T.ieophrastu*  in 
the  History  of  Plants,  4,  9,  says  that 
"  the  papyrus  is  useful  for  many  things. 
For  from  this  they  make  vessels,"  or 
ships,  irAofu.     Thus  Pliny,  13,ll,s.  22, 
says,  ex  ipso    qwdem  papyro   jmvigia 
texuut —  from  the  papyrus  they  weave 
essels.'     Again,  b",  56,  s.  57 :  "  Even 


now,"  says  he,  "in  the  Britannic 
ocean  useful  vessels  are  made  of  bark  ; 
on  the  Nile  from  the  papyrus,  and 
from  reeds  and  rushes."  Plutarch  de- 
scribes lsis  going  in  search  of  the  body 
of  Osiris,  "  through  the  fenny  country, 
in  a  bark  made  of  the  papyrus — sv 
Saptii  rairvp""! ;  where  it  is  supposed 
that  persons  using  boats  of  this  de- 
scription— tv  Kaxpivois  oxafcai  itXtovrai — 
are  never  attacked  by  crocodiles  out  of 
respect  to  the  goddess."  I'lut.  de  Is. 
s  18.  Moses,  also,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered was  exposed  on  the  banks  of  the 
Nile  in  a  similar  boat  or  ark.  "  She 
took  for  him  an  .  rk  of  bulrushes,  and 
daubed  it  with  slime  and  with  pitch, 
and  put  the  child  therein."  Ex.  ii  3. 
The  same  word  occurs  here — ^5 — 
which  is  used  by  Isaiah,  and  this  fact 
shows  that  such  boats  were  known  as 
early  as  the  time  of  Moses.  Lucan 
also  mentions  boats  made  of  the  papy- 
rus at  Memphis  : 

Consrritur  bibula  Memphitis  cymlia  popyro. 

Pharsa.  iv   136. 

'  At  Memphis  boats  are  woven  together  from  tho 
marshy  pap>rus.' 

"  The  sculptures  of  Thebes,  Memphis, 
and  other  places,  abundantly  show  that 
they  were  employed  as  punts  or  canoes 
for  fishing,  in  all  parts  of  Egypt,  during 
the  inundation  of  the  Nile."  Wilkin- 
son s  Manners  and  Customs  of  the 
Ancient  Egyptians,  iii.  l^G.  In  our 
own  country,  also,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, the  natives  were  accustomed  to 
make  canoes,  or  vessels  of  the  bark  cf 
the  birch,  with  which  they  often  adven- 
tured on  even  dangerous  navigation. 
The  cirrcumstance  here  mentioned  of 
the  N^S  ,  the  papyrus,  seems  to  fix  the 
scene  of  this  prophecy  to  the  region  of 
the  Nile.  This  reed  grew  nowhere 
else  ;  and  it  is  natural,  therefore,  to 
suppose,  that  some  nation  living  near 
the  Nile  is  intended.  Taylor,  the  Edi- 
tor of  Calmet,  has  shown  that  the 
inhabitants  of  the  upper  regions  of  the 
Nile  were  accustomed  to  form  float9 
of  hollow  earthen  vessels,  and  to  weave 
them  together  with  rushes,  and  thus  to 
convey  them  to  lower  Egypt  to  market 
He  aupposes  that  by  "  vessels  of  bid- 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


339 


rushes,"  or  rush  floats,  are  meant  such 
vessels      For  a  Jescription  of  the  floats 
made  in  upper   Egypt  with  jars,  see 
Pococke's  Travels,  vol.  i  p  84,  Ed  Lon- 
don, 17-43.     "  I  first  saw  in  this  voyage 
[on  the  Nile]  the  large  floats  of  earthen 
ware  ;  they  are  about  thirty  feet  wide, 
and  sixty  long,  being  a  frame  of  palm- 
boughs    tied   together   about   four   feet 
deep,   on   which    they  put  a   layer  of  j 
large  jars  with  the  mouths  uppermost  ; 
on  these  they  make  another  floor,  and 
then  put  on  another  layer  of  jars,  and  ; 
so  a  third,  which  last  are  so  disposed 
as  to  trim  the  float,  and  leave  room  for 
the  men  to  go  between.      The  float  lies 
across  the  river,  one  end   being  lower  j 
down  than  the  other  ;  toward  the  lower 
end  on  each  side  they  have  four  long 
poles  with  which  they  row  and  direct 
the  boat,  as  well  as  forward  the  motion 
down  "       Mr.    Bruce    in    his    Travels 
mentions  vessels  made  of  the  papyrus 
in    Abyssinia.       IT     Upon   the    waters. 
The   waters  of  the    Nile,  or  the  Red 
Sea.     IT  Saying      This  word  is  not  in 
the  Hebrew,  and  the  introduction  of  it 
by  the  translators  gives  a  peculiar,  and 
probably  an  incorrect  sense  to  the  whole 
passage.     As  it  stands  here,  it  would 
seem  to  be  the  language  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  land  who  sent  the  ambas- 
sadors, usually  saying  to  their  messen 
gers  to  go  to  a  distant  nation  ;  and  this 
introduces  an  inquiry  into  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  nation  to  whom  the  am- 
bassadors are  sent,  as  if  it  were  a  dif- 
ferent people  from  those  who  are  men- 
tioned   in    ver.    1.     But  probably   the 
words  which  follow  are  to  be  regarded 
as  the  words  of  the  prophet,  or  of  God 
(ver.  4),  giving  commandment  to  those 
messengers  to  return  to  those  who  sent 
them,  and  deliver  the  message  which 
follows  :  '  You  send  messengers  to  dis- 
tant   nations    in    reed-boats    upon  the 
rivers.     Return,  says  God,  to  the  land 
which  sent    you    forth,  and  announce 
to  them  the  will  of  God.     Go  rapidly  in 
your  light  vessels,  and  bear  this  mes- 
sage, for  it  shall  speedily  be  executed, 
and  I  will  sit  calmly  and  see  it  done  ' 
Vs.  4-b'.     A  remarkably  similar  pas- 
sage, which  throws  great  light  on  this, 
occurs  in  Ezek.  xxx.  9  ■  "  In  that  day 


shall    messengers    go    forth    from    me 
(God)   in   ships  to   make   the   careless 
Ethiopians  afraid,  and  great  pain  shall 
come  upon  them  as  in  the  day  of  Egypt ; 
for  lo,  it  cometh."      IT  Go,  yc  swift  ?nes- 
sengers     Heb  light  messengers     This 
is   evidently    addressed    to    the   boats. 
Achilles   Tatius   says   that   they  were 
frequently  so  light  and  small  that  they 
would  carry  but  one  person.     Rusen- 
muller.     If  To  a  nation.     What  nation 
this  was  is  not  known.     The  obvious 
import  of  the  passage   is,  that  it  was 
some  nation  to  whom  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  send  ambassadors,  and  that  it 
is  here  added  merely  as  descriptive  of 
the  people.      Two  or  three  characteris- 
tics of  the  nation   are  mentioned  from 
which  we  may  better  learn  what  people 
are  referred  to.    IT  Scattered.     7^" "2 "3  . 
This  word  is  derived  from  T^1?   ra«- 
shdkh,   to    seize,   take,    hold    fast  ;    to 
draw  out,  extend,  or  prolong  ;  to  make 
double  or  strong  ;  to  spread  out.      The 
LXX  render  it,  cOvds  persupov,  '  a  lofty 
nation.'     The.  Chaldee,  "  a  people  suf- 
fering violence."     The  Syriac,  "  a  na- 
tion distorted  "     The  Vulgate,  "  a  peo- 
ple convulsed,  and  lacerated."      It  may 
denote  a  people  spread  out  over  a  great 
extent  of  country  ;  or  a  people  drawn 
out   in   length — i.  e.  extended    over  a 
country  of  considerable  length,  but  of 
comparatively  narrow  breadth, as  Egpyt 
is.     So  Vitringa  understands  it.     Or  it 
may   mean    a    people   strong,  valiant. 
So  Gesenius  understands  it.     This  best 
suits  the  connection,  as  being  a  people 
"  terrible  hitherto."     Perhaps  all  these 
ideas  may  be  united  by  the  supposition, 
that  the  nation  was  drawn  out  or  ex- 
tended over  a   large   region,  and  was 
therefore  a  powerful  or  mighty  people. 
The  idea  of  its  being  scattered  is  not 
in    the   text.      Taylor   renders  it,  "  a 
people  of  short  stature  ;  contracted  in 
height  ;  that  is,  dwarfs  "     But  the  idea 
in  the  text  is  not  one  that  is  descriptive 
of  individuals  but  of  the  collected  na- 
tion ;  the  people.   IT  And  peeled.    B"113, 
from  B1T3  mdrdt,  to  make  smooth,  oi 
sharpen  as  a  sword,  Ezek.  xxi.  14—32  ; 
then  to  make  smooth  the  head  of  any 
one,  to  oluck  off  his  hair,  Ezra  ix    3 


340 


ISAIAH. 


[£.C.713 


Neh.  xiii.  2.V  Isa.  4-G.  The  LXX 
render  it,  (ivon  \anv  *al  ^  alcriU ,  a  foreign 
and  wicked  people.     The  Vulgate,  "  to 

0  people  lacerated  "     The  Syriac  ren- 
ders the  whole  verse,  "  go,  swift  mes- 
sengers, to  a  people  perverse  and  torn  ; 
to   a    people    whose   strength   has  been 
long  since    taken  away  ;  a  people  de- 
filed   and    troddeD   down  ;   whose   land 
the   rivers    have   spoiled."     The   word 
here  used   is  capable  of  two  significa- 
tions.    (1.)    It   may  denote  a  people 
who  are  shaved  or  made  smooth  by  re- 
moving the  hair  Groin    the   body.      It  is 
known  to  have  been  the  custom  with 
the    Egyptians   to    make   their   bodies 
smooth  by  shaving  off  the  hair,  as  Hero- 
dotus testifies,  1 1 ,  37.     Or  (2)  it  may 
be   translated,  as  Gesenius  proposes,  a 
people   valiant,   fierce,   bold,   from   the 
sense  which  the  verb  has  to  sharpen  a 
sword,  Ezek.  xxi    15,  M>.      The  former 
is  the  most  obvious  interpretation,  and 
agrees  best  with   the    proper  meaning 
of  the  Hebrew  word  ;  the  latter  would, 
perhaps,    better   suit     the    connection. 
The  Editor  of  Calmet  supposes  that  it 
is  to  be  taken  in  the  sense  of  diminished, 
small,  dwarfish,  and  would  apply  it  to 
the  pigmies  of  Upper  Egypt.     IT   To  a 
people  terrible.  That  is,  warlike,  fierce, 
cruel.     Heb.    '  A   people  feared.'     If 
the  Egyptians  are  meant,  it  may  refer 
to  the  fact  that  they  had  always  been 
an  object   of  terror  and   alarm  to  the 
Israelites  from  their  early  oppressions 
there   before    their    deliverance    under 
Moses.  H  From  their  liegi lining  hitherto. 
Heb.  '  From  this  time,  and  formerly.' 
It  has  been  their  general  character  that 
they  were  a  fierce,  harsh, oppressive  na- 
tion     Gesenius,  however,  renders  this, 
"  to    the  formidable  nation   (ami)   fur- 
ther beyond  ;"  and  supposes  that  two 
nations  are  referred   to,  of  which  the 
most  remote  and  formidable  one,  whose 
land  is  washed  by  streams,  is  the  proper 
Ethiopian  people.    By  the  other  he  sup- 
poses is    meant   the   Egyptian  people. 
But   the  scope  of  the  whole  prophecy 
rather  requires  us  to  understand  it  of 
one   people,     f    A  nation   meted  out 
Heb.  '  of  line    line,'  *"^J3  — <]&v-qdr. 
Vitringa    renders   this,    "  a    nation   of 
.reccpt  and    precept ;"   that    is,  whose 


religion  abounded  with  rites  and  cere- 
monies, and   an   infinite    multitude  of 
precepteoT  laws  which  prescribed  them. 
.Mic  haelis  renders  it,  "a  nation   mea- 
sured by  a  line  ;"  that   is,  whose  land 
had  been  divided  by  victors.    Doderlin 
renders  it,  "  a  nation  which  uses  the 
line  ;'*  i.  e.  as  he  supposes,  which  extend- 
ed its  dominion  over  other  provinces. 
The  LXX  render  it,  i0»u{  dpifortvtoi — a 
nation    wilhout     hope;     Aquila,    cOves 
'-,,,,„, — a  nation  enduring  or  patient; 
Jonathan,   the    Chaldee,    xfJX   6033 
XT,'Q1  — a  nation  oppressed  and  afflict- 
ed.    Aben  Ezra  explains  it  as  meaning 
'  a  nation  like  a  school-boy  learning  line 
alter  line.'     Theodore  Hasaeus  endea- 
vours to  prove  that  the   reference  hero 
is  to  Egypt,  and  that  the  language  is 
taken  from  the  fact  that  the  Egyptians 
were  early  distinguished  for  surveying 
and    mensuration        This    science,   he 
supposes,    they   were    led    to   cultivate 
from   the   necessity  of  ascertaining  the 
height  of  the  Nile  at   its  annual  inun- 
dation, and   from    the  necessity  of  an 
accurate  survey  of  the  land  in  order  to 
preserve  the  knowledge  of  the  right  of 
property  in  a  country  inundated  as  this 
was.      In  support  of  this,  he  appeals  to 
Servius  (ad  Virg.  Eel.   iii    41),  where 
he  says  of  the  radius  mentioned  there, 
"  The  Radius  is  the  rod  of  the  philoso- 
phers by  which   they  denote  the  lines 
of  geometry.     This  art  was  invented 
in  the  time  when  the  Nile,  rising  beyond 
its  usual  height,  confounded  the  usual 
marks  of  boundaries,  to  the  ascertain- 
ing of  which  they   employed    philoso- 
phers who   divided  the  land  by  lines, 
whence  the  science  was  called  geome- 
try."    Comp.  Strabo,  Geog.  Lib.  xvii. 
7^7,  who  says  that   Egypt  was  divided 
into  thirty  names,  and  then  adds,"  thai 
these  were  again  subdivided   into  othei 
portions,   the   smallest  of  which   were 
farm-" — j<    Hon  put.      But   there   was  a 
necessity  for  a  very  careful  and  subtle 
division,  on  account  of  the  continual 
confusion  of  the   limits  which  the  Nile 
produced  when  it  overflowed, adding  to 
some,  taking  away  from  others,  chang- 
ing the  forms,  obliterating  the  signs,  by 
which  one  farm  was  distinguished  from 
another.      Hence  it  became  necessary 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


341 


to  re-survey  the  country  ;  and  hence, 
they  suppose,  originated  the  science 
of  geometry."  See,  als>,  Herodotus, 
Euterpe,  c.  109.  Hence  it  is  supposed 
that  Egypt  came  to  be  distinguished  by 
the  use  of  the  line — or  for  its  skill  in 
surveying,  or  in  geometry — or  a  nation 
of  the  line.  See  the  Dissertation  of 
Theodore  Hasaeus,  de  1p  "P  "^  Gente 
kav  kav,  in  Ugolin's  Thes.  Ant  Sac. 
Tom.  vii.  pp  lSb^-lot-O.  The  word 
"'P  qdr,  means  properly  a  cord,  a  line, 
particularly  a  measuring  line,  Ezek. 
xivii.  3  ~  Kings  xxi  13 :  "  1  will 
stretch  over  Jerusalem  the  measuring 
line  of  Samaria,"  i.  e  I  will  destroy  it 
like  Samaria.  Hence  the  phrase  here 
may  denote  a  people  accustomed  to 
stretch  out  such  lines  over  others  ;  that 
is,  to  lay  them  waste.  It  is  applied 
usually  to  the  line  connected  with  a 
plummet,  which  a  carpenter  uses  to 
mark  out  his  woi  k  (romp.  Job  xxxvi;i.  5. 
lsa.  xxviii.  17,  xxxiv.  11.  Zeph.  ii.  1); 
or  to  a  line  by  which  a  land  or  country 
is  measured  by  the  surveyor.  Some- 
times it  means  a  precept,  or  rule,  as 
Vitringa  has  rendered  it  here.  Comp. 
Isa.  xxviii.  10  But  the  , phrase  to 
stretch  out  a  line  ;  or  to  measure  a 
people  by  a  line,  is  commonly  applied 
to  their  destruction,  as  if  a  conqueror 
used  a  line  to  mark  out  what  he  had  to 
do.  See  this  use  of  the  word  in  2 
Kings  xxi.  13.  Isa.  xxviii  17,  xxxiv.  1 1. 
Lam.  ii.  8.  Zech.  i.  16.  This  is  proba- 
bly its  sense  here — a  nation  terrible  in 
all  its  history,  and  which  had  been  dis- 
tinguished for  stretching  lines  over 
others  ;  that  is,  for  marking  them  out 
for  destruction,  and  dividing  them  as  it 
pleased.  It  is  therefore  a  simple  de- 
scription, not  of  the  nation  as  being  it- 
self measured  out,  but  as  extending  its 
dominion  over  others.  IT  And  trodden 
down.  "O^aB  .  Marg.  '  And  tread- 
ing under  foot,  or  that  meteth  out  and 
treadeth  down.'  The  margin  here,  as 
is  frequently  the  case,  is  the  more  cor- 
ed rendering.  Here  it  does  not  mean 
that  they  were  trodden  down,  but  that 
it  was  a  characteristic  of  their  nation 
that  they  trod  down  others;  that  is, 
conquered  and  subdued  other  nations. 


Thus  the  verb  is  used  in  Isa  liii.  6, 
xiv.  26.  Jer.  xii  10.  Isa.  Ixiii.  18.  Ps. 
xliv.  6.  Some,  however,  have  sup- 
posed that  it  refers  to  the  fact  that  the 
land  was  trodden  down  by  their  feet,  or 
that  the  Egyptians  were  accustomed  to 
lead  the  waters  of  the  Nile,  when  it 
overflowed,  by  treading  places  for  it  to 
flow  in  their  fields.  But  the  formei 
is  the  more  correct  interpretation. 
1T  Whose  laud  the  rivers  have  spoiled. 
Margin,  Despise.  The  Hebrew  word 
Wa  occurs  nowhere  else.  The  Vul- 
gate renders  it  diripuerunt,  cany  aicoy. 
TheChaldee  reads  it.  "  whose  land  the 
people  plunder."  The  word  is  proba- 
bly of  the  same  signification  as  173 
bazdz,  to  plunder,  lay  waste.  So  it 
was  read  by  the  Vulgate  and  the  Chal- 
dee  ;  and  this  reading  is  found  in  four 
MSS.  The  word  is  in  the  present 
tense,  and  she  .Id  be  rendered  not 
"  hare  spoiled,"  but  spoil.  It  is  proba- 
bly used  to  denote  a  country  the  banks 
of  whose  rivers  are  washed  away  by 
the  floods.  This  description  is  parti- 
cularly applicable  to  Nubia  or  Abys- 
sinia— the  region  above  the  cataracts 
of  the  Nile,  One  has  only  to  remem- 
ber that  these  streams  continually  wash 
away  the  banks  and  bear  the  earth  to 
deposit  it  on  the  lands  of  lower  Egypt, 
to  see  that  the  prophet  had  this  region 
particularly  in  his  eye.  He  could  not 
have  meant  Egypt  proper,  because  in- 
stead of  spoiling  the  lands,  or  washing 
them  away,  the  Nile  constantly  brings 
down  a  deposit  from  the  upper  regions 
that  constitutes  its  great  fertility.  The 
rivers  that  are  here  mentioned  are 
doubtless  the  various  branches  of  the 
Nile.  See  Bruce's  Travels,  ch.  iii., 
and  Burckhardt's  Travels  in  Nubia. 
The  Nile  is  formed  by  the  junction  of 
many  streams  or  branches  rising  in 
Abyssinia — the  principal  of  which  are 
the  Atbara  ;  the  Astapus  or  Blue  River  ; 
and  the  Astaboras  or  White  River. 
The  principal  source  of  the  Nile  is  the 
Astapus  or  Blue  River  which  rises  in 
the  Lake  Coloe,  which  Bruce  supposes 
to  be  the  head  of  the  Nile.  This  river 
on  the  west,  and  the  various  branches 
of  the  Atbara  on   the  east,  nearly  en- 


842 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


3  All  ye  inhabitants  of  the 
world,  and  dwellers  en  the  earth, 
see  ye,  when  he  lifteth  up  an 
ensign0  on  the   mountains ;   and 

c  ch.  5.  26.       5  or,  regard  my  set  dwelling. 

compares  a  large  region  of  country 
called  Meeoe,  once  supposed  to  be  a 
large  island,  and  frequently  called  such. 
The  whole  description,  therefore,  leads 
us  to  the  conclusion  that  a  region  is 
mentioned  in  that  country  called  in 
general  Cash ;  that  it  was  a  people 
living  on  rivers,  and  employing  reed 
boats  or  skiffs  ;  that  they  were  a  fierce 
and  warlike  people  ;  and  that  the  coun- 
try was  one  that  was  continually  wash- 
ed by  streams,  and  whose  soil  was  car- 
ried down  by  the  floods  All  these 
circumstances  apply  to  Nubia  or  Abys- 
sinia,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  this  is  the  country  intended. 

3.  All  ye  inhabitants  of  the  world. 
These  are  to  be  regarded  as  the  words 
of  the  prophet  summoning  all  nations 
to  attend  to  that  which  was  about  to 
occur.  Grotius,  however,  and  some 
others,  suppose  that  they  are  the  words 
of  the  Ethiopians.  The  meaning  is, 
that  the  events  which  are  here  predict- 
ed would  be  of  so  public  a  nature  as  to 
attract  the  attention  of  all  the  world. 
IT  When  he.  Vitringa  supposes  that 
this  means  the  Assyrians  lifting  up  a 
standard  on  the  mountains  of  Judea. 
But  the  better  interpretation  is  that 
which  refers  it  to  the  people  of  Nubia, 
mustering  their  forces  for  war.  '  All 
nations  behold  when  that  people  collects 
an  army  ;  sounds  the  trumpet  for  war  ; 
and  arrays  its  military  forces  for  battle. 
See  then  the  judgments  that  God  will 
inflict  on  them — their  discomfiture  (vs. 
4-7),  and  their  turning  to  Jehovah, 
and  sending  an  offering  to  him  (ver. 
7).'  According  to  this  interpretation 
it  will  refer  to  the  people  making  pre- 
paration for  battle  ;  and  perhaps  it  may 
mean  that  they  were  preparing  to  join 
the  enemies  of  Judea — not  improbably 
preparing  to  join  the  forces  of  Senna- 
cherib, and  to  inviule  Judea.  For  this 
ourpose  it  may  have  been  that  the 
messengers  were  sent  to  ncgociate  tho 


when  he  bloweth  a  trumpet,  heat 

ye. 

4  For  so  the  Lord  said  unto 
me,  I  will  take  my  rest,  and  I 
will  5consider  in  my  dwelling- 
terms  of  alliance  with  Sennacherib ; 
and  the  object  of  the  prophecy  is,  to 
assure  the  Jews  that  this  people,  as 
well  as  Sennacherib,  would  be  discom- 
fited, and  that  they  would  yet  bring  an 
offering  to  God.  Ver.  7.  IT  Lijteth 
up  an  ensign.  A  military  standard. 
See  Note  ch.  v.  26.  U  And  when  he 
bloweth  a  trumpet.  Also  a  signal  for 
an  army  to  assemble.    Note  ch.  xiii.  2. 

4.  For  so  the  Lord  said  unto  inc. 
So  Jehovah  has  revealed  his  purpose, 
that  is,  to  execute  punishment  on  the 
people  who  have  been  described  in  the 
previous  verses.  Their  state  as  there 
described  is  that  of  a  fierce  people 
making  ready  for  war,  and  probably 
designing  an  alliance  with  the  enemies 
of  Judea,  and  marshalling  their  armies 
for  that  purpose.  Jehovah  here  reveals 
to  the  prophet  that  they  shall  be  dis- 
comfited, and  shows  the  manner  in 
which  it  will  be  done.  He  says  he 
will  sit  calm  while  these  preparations 
are  going  on — as  the  sun  shines  se- 
renely on  the  earth  while  the  harvest 
is  growing,  and  the  dew  falls  gently  on 
the  herb  ; — but  that  before  their  plans 
are  completed  he  will  interpose  and 
destroy  them,  as  if  one  should  appear 
suddenly  before  the  harvest  is  ripe  and 
cut  it  down.  The  design,  therefore, 
of  this  part  of  the  prophecy  is  to  com- 
fort the  Jews,  and  to  assure  them  that 
there  is  no  danger  to  them  from  the 
preparations  which  were  made  against 
them — for  Jehovah  calmly  beholds  the 
proud  rage  of  the  enemy.  11  /  wdl 
take  my  rest.  I  will  not  interpose.  I 
will  remain  calm— not  appearing  to 
oppose  them,  but  keeping  as  calm,  and 
as  still,  as  if  I  seemed  to  favour  their 
plans — as  the  sun  shines  on  the  herb, 
and  the  gentle  dew  falls  on  the  grass, 
until  the  proper  time  for  me  to  inter- 
pose and  defeat  them  shall  arise.  Vs. 
5,  6.  IT  /  will  consider.  I  will  look 
on ;  that  is,  I  will  not  now  interpose 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


343 


place    like  a   clear   heat   'upon 
herbs,  and  like  a  cloud   of  dew 


6  or,  after  rain. 


and  disarrange  their  plans  before  they 
are  complete.  We  learn  here,  (1)  that 
God  sees  the  plans  of  the  wicked  ; 
(2)  that  he  sees  them  mature  them 
without  attempting  then  to  interpose  to 
disarrange  them  ;  (3)  that  he  is  calm 
and  still  because  he  designs  that  those 
plans  shall  be  developed  ;  and  (4)  that 
the  wicked  should  not  indulge  in  any 
dreams  of  security  and  success  because 
God  does  not  interpose  to  thwart  their 
plans  while  they  are  forming  them. 
He  will  do  it  in  the  proper  lime.  M  In 
my  dwelling-place.  In  heaven.  I  will 
sit  in  heaven  and  contemplate  leisurely 
the  plans  that  are  going  forward. 
TI  Like  a  clear  heat.  A  serene,  calm, 
and  steady  sunshine,  by  which  plants 
and  herbs  are  made  to  grow.  There 
seem  to  be  two  ideas  blended  here  : 
the  first,  that  of  the  stillness  with 
which  the  sun  shines  upon  the  herbs  ; 
and  the  other,  that  of  the  fact  that  the 
sun  shines  that  the  herbs  may  grow. 
IT  Upon  herbs.  Margin,  After  rain. 
niar^S  .  The  word  "ViS  usually  sig- 
nifies light,  or  fire.  The  plural  form 
niTlX  is  used  to  denote  herbs  or  vege- 
tables in  two  places,  in  2  Kings  iv.  39, 
and  Isa.  xxvi.  19.  For  in  the  Shemitic 
languages  the  ideas  of  sprouting,  being 
grown,  growing,  &c  ,  are  connected 
with  that  of  the  shining  of  the  sun,  or 
of  light ;  that  which  grows  in  the  light  ; 
that  is,  vegetables.  But  in  the  singular 
form  the  word  is  not  thus  used,  unless 
it  be  in  this  place.  That  it  may  have 
this  signification  cannot  be  doubted  ; 
and  this  interpretation  makes  good 
sense,  and  suits  the  connection.  The 
Kabbins  gtnerally  interpret  it  as  it  is 
in  the  margin,  rain.  In  proof  of  this 
they  appeal  to  Job  xxxvi.  30,  and 
xxxvii.  11 — but  the  word  in  these  pas- 
sages more  properly  denotes  a  cloud  of 
light  or  of  lightning,  than  rain.  The 
common  interpretation  is  probably  cor- 
rect, which  regards  the  word  "HX  here 
as  the  sa:uo  as  fHl'st  h'rbs.     See  Vi- 


in  the  heat  of  harvest : 

5  For  afore  the  harvest,  when 
the  bud  is  perfect,  and  the  sour 

tringa.  The  Syriac  reads  it  "^  ?S — 
upon  the  river.  The  parallelism  seems 
to  require  the  sense  of  herb,  or  some- 
thing that  shall  answer  to  "harvest" 
in  the  corresponding  member.  U  And 
like  a  cloud  of  dew.  Such  a  dew  was 
still,  and  promoted  the  growth  of  vege- 
tables. The  idea  is  that  of  stillness 
and  rest :  where  there  is  no  storm  or 
tempest  to  dissipate  the  gently  falling 
dew.  This  is  an  emblem  of  *.he  perfect 
quietness  with  which  God  wc  uld  regard 
the  preparations  for  war  until  the  proper 
time  would  come  for  him  to  interpose. 
The  whole  passage  is  similar  to  Ps.  ii. 
4,5: 

He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh ; 
Jehovah  shall  have  them  in  derision. 
Then  shall  he  speak  unto  them  in  his  wrath, 
And  vex  them  in  his  hot  displeasure. 

The  idea  is,  that  he  would  be  as 
calm  as  the  sun  is  upon  the  herb,  or 
the  dew  upon  the  harvest  field,  until 
the  time  should  come  when  it  would 
be  proper  for  him  to  interpose,  and 
disconcert  their  counsels  When  and 
how  this  would  be  done  is  stated  in 
the  following  verses ;  and  the  whole 
passage  is  a  most  striking  illustration 
of  the  manner  with  which  God  con- 
templates the  machinations  and  evil 
designs  of  the  wicked. 

5.  For  afore  the  harvest.  This  verse 
is  evidently  figurative,  and  the  image  is 
drawn  from  that  which  is  commenced 
in  the  previous  verse.  There,  God  is 
represented  as  calmly  regarding  the 
plans  of  the  people  here  referred  to — 
as  the  sun  shines  serenely  on  the  herb, 
or  the  dew  falls  on  the  grass.  That 
figure  supposes  that  they  had  formed 
plans,  and  that  they  were  advancing 
to  maturity,  like  a  growing  harvest, 
while  God  surveyed  them  without  in- 
terposition. This  verse  continues  the 
figure,  and  affirms  that  those  plans 
shall  not  be  mature;  that  God  will 
interpose  and  defeat  them  while  they 
are  maturing — as  if  a  man  should  enter 
the  harvest  field  anc1  cut  it  down  after 


344 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  7 13. 


grape  is  ripening  in  the  flower, 
he  shall  both  cut  off  the  sprigs 
with  pruning-hooks,  and  take 
away  and  cut  down  the  branches. 
6  They  shall  be  left  together 
unto  the  fowls  of  the  mountains, 


it  had  been  sown,  or  go  into  the  vine- 
yard and  cut  down  the  vines  while  the 
green  grape  was  beginning  to  ripen. 
It  is,  therefore,  a  most  beautiful  and 
expressive  figure,  intimating  that  all 
their  plans  would  be  foiled  even  when 
they  had  the  prospect  of  a  certain  ac- 
complishment. 11  When  the  bud  is 
perfect.  The  word  bud  here,  H^B  ,  de- 
notes either  a  blossom,or  a  sprout,  shoot, 
branch.  Here  it  denotes  probably  the 
blossom  of  the  grain  ;  or  it  may  be  the 
grain  when  it  is  set.  Its  meaning  is, 
when  their  plans  are  maturing,  and 
there  is  every  hnman  prospect  that  they 
will  be  successful.  H  And  the  sour 
grope  is  ripening.  Begins  to  turn  ;  or 
is  becoming  mature.  V  In  the  flower. 
S-123 .  The  blossom.  This  should  be 
read  rather,  "  and  the  flower  is  becom- 
ing a  ripening  grape."  The  common 
version  does  not  make  sense  ;  but  with 
this  translation  the  idea  is  clear.  The 
sense  is  the  same  as  in  the  former 
phrase — when  their  plans  are  maturing. 
V  He  shall  cut  off  the  sprigs.  The 
shoots ;  the  small  limbs  on  which  the 
grape  is  hanging — as  if  a  man  should 
enter  a  vineyard,  and,  while  the  grape 
is  ripening,  should  not  only  cut  oft'  the 
grape,  but  the  small  branches  that  bore 
it — thus  preventing  it  from  bearing 
again.  The  idea  is,  not  only  that  God 
would  disconcert  their  present  plans, 
but  that  he  would  prevent  them  from 
forming  any  in  future.  Before  their 
plans  were  matured,  and  they  obtained 
the  anticipated  triumph,  he  would 
effectually  prevent  them  from  forming 
■uch  plans  again. 

6.   They  shall  be  left  together.     The 
figure  here  is  dropped,  and  the  literal 
narration  is  resumed.     The  sense  is,  I 
'hat  the  army  shall  be  slain  and   left  I 
jnburied.     Perhaps  the  branches  and  I 


and  to  the  beasts  of  the  earth  : 
and  the  fowls  shall  summer  upon 
them,  and  all  the  beasts  of  the 
earth  shall  winter  upon  them. 

7  In  that  time  shall  the  pre- 
sent-^"  be  brought  untri  the  Lord 

/Ps.  68.  31.  72   10.    C       16.  1. 

twigs  in  the  previous  verse  denoted 
military  leaders,  and  the  captains  of  the 
armies,  which  are  now  represented  as 
becoming  food  for  beasts  of  the  field 
and  for  birds  of  prey.  1  To  the  fowls 
of  the  mountains.  Their  dead  bodies 
shall  be  unburied,  and  shall  be  a  prey 
to  the  birds  that  prey  upon  flesh. 
If  And  to  the  beasts  of  the  earth.  The 
wild  animals  ;  the  beasts  of  the  forest. 
If  And  the  fowls  shall  summer  upon 
them.  Shall  pass  the  summer —  e. 
they  shall  continue  to  be  unburied. 
U  And  the  beasts  of  the  earth  shall 
winter  upon  them  They  shall  be  un- 
buried through  the  winter;  probably 
indicating  that  they  would  furnish  food 
for  the  fowls  and  the  wild  beasts  for  a 
long  time.  On  the  multitude  of  car- 
cases, these  animals  will  find  nourish- 
ment for  a  whole  year,  i.  e.  they  will 
spend  the  summer  and  the  winter  with 
them.  When  this  was  fulfilled,  it  is, 
perhaps,  not  possible  to  tell,  as  we  are 
so  little  acquainted  with  the  circum- 
stances of  the  people  in  relation  to 
whom  it  was  spoken.  If  it  related,  as 
1  suppose,  to  the  people  of  Nubia  or 
Ethiopia  forming  an  alliance  with  the 
Assyrians  for  the  purpose  of  invading 
Judea,  it  was  fulfilled  probably  when 
Sennacherib  and  his  assembled  hosts 
were  destroyed.  Whenever  it  \v;is 
fulfilled,  it  is  quite  evident  that  the 
design  of  the  prophecy  was  to  give  com- 
fort to  the  Jews — alarmed  and  agitated 
as  they  were  at  the  prospect  of  the 
preparations  which  were  made — by  the 
assurance  that  those  plans  would  fail, 
and  all  the  efforts  of  their  enemies  be 
foiled  and  disconcerted. 

7.  In  that  time.  When  their  plans 
shall  thus  be  disconcerted,  and  their 
armies  be  overthrown.  H  Shall  the 
present  be  brought,  &,c.  The  word 
present,  *&  ,  denotes    a    gift,  and    is 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


345 


of  hosts  of  a  people  scattered7  and 
peeled,  and  from  a  people  terri- 
ble, from  their  beginning  hither- 
to ;   a  nation  meted  out  and  trod- 

7  or,  outspread  arid  polished. 

found  only  in  the  phrase  to  bring  gifts, 
or  presents.  Ps.  Ixviii.  30,  lx.wi.  11 
It  means  here  evidently  a  tribute,  or 
an  offering  to  Jehovah  as  the  only  true 
God  ;  and  possibly  may  mean  that  the 
people  would  be  converted  to  him,  and 
embrace  the  true  religion.  IT  Of  a  peo- 
ple, &c.  From  a  people.  The  de- 
scription which  follows  is  the  same 
precisely  as  in  ver  2.  Numerous  repe- 
titions of  this  kind  will  be  recollected 
by  the  classic  reader  in  the  Jliad. 
IT  To  the  place  nf  the  name,  &c.  The 
place  where  Jehovah  is  worshipped  ; 
i.  e.  Jerusalem.  Comp.  Notes  ch  i.  8, 
9.  We  have  no  means  of  knowing 
with  certainty  when  or  how  this  pro- 
phecy was  fulfilled.  That  the  Jewish 
religion  spread  into  Upper  Egypt,  and 
that  the  Christian  religion  was  after- 
wards established  there,  there  can  be 
no  doubt.  The  Jews  were  scattered 
into  nearly  every  nation,  and  probably 
many  of  this  people  became  proselytes, 
and  went  with  them  to  Jerusalem  to 
worship.  See  Acts  ii.  10,  viii.  27. 
"  The  Abyssinian  annals  represent  the 
country  as  converte.l  to  Judaism  several 
centuries  before  the  Christian  era  ;  and 
it  certainly  retains  many  appearances 
bearing  the  stamp  of  that  faith.    In  the 


den  under  foot,  wnose  land  the 
rivers  have  spoiled,  to  the  place 
of  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
the  mount  Zion. 


fourth  century,  the  nation  was  convert- 
ed to  Christianity  by  the  efforts  of  Fru- 
mentius,  an  Egyptian,  who  raised  him- 
self to  high  favour  at  court  Abyssinia 
remained  impenetrable  to  the  arms  or 
the  creed  of  the  followers  Oi  Mahomet, 
and,  affording  shelter  to  the  refugees 
from  Egypt  and  Arabia,  it  became 
more  decidedly  Christian."  "  The 
Abyssinians  profess  the  same  form  of 
Christianity  with  the  Copts  of  Egypt, 
and  even  own  the  supremacy  of  the 
Patriarch  at  Cairo.  Tlfy  combine 
with  their  Christian  profession  many 
Judaical  observances,  such  as  circum- 
cision, abstinence  from  meats,  and  the 
observance  of  Saturday  as  well  as  Sun- 
day as  a  Sabbath."  Encyclopedia  of 
Geography,  vol.  ii.  pp.  585,  588.  In 
these  facts  ;  in  the  prevalence  of  the 
true  religion  there  in  former  periods, 
the  prophecy  may  be  regarded  as  hav- 
ing been  in  part  fulfilled.  Still,  as  is 
the  case  with  a  large  portion  of  the 
prophecies  of  Isaiah,  we  must  regard 
this  as  having  reference  to  a  period  of 
greater  light  and  truth  than  has  yet 
existed  there  ;  and  as  destined  to  re- 
ceive a  more  complete  fulfilment  when 
all  lands  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


ANALYSIS. 

This  prophecy  respecting  Egypt  extends  only  through  this  chapter.  Its  gene  nl  scope  and  design 
Is  plain.  It  is  intended  to  describe  the  calamities  that  would  come  upon  Egypt,  and  the  effect  which 
they  would  have  in  turning  the  people  to  Cod.  The  scene  is  laid  in  Egypt ;  and  the  to  lowing  thingi 
passed  before  the  mind  of  the  prophet  in  vision  :  (1.)  He  sees  Jehovah  coming  in  a  cloud  to  Egypt 
Ter  1.  (2)  The  effect  of  this  is  to  produce  nlarm  among  the  idols  of  that  nation,  yer.  2.  (4.)  A 
state  of  internal  commotion  and  discord  is  described  as  existing  in  Egynt ;  o  state  of  calamity  so  great 
Shat  they  would  seek  relief  from  their  idols  and  necromancers,  vs.  2.  3.  (4.)  The  consequence  of 
these  dissensions  nnd  internnl  strifes  would  be,  that  they  would  be  subdued  by  a  foreign  and  cruel 
trince  ver.  4.  Co.)  To  these  political  calamities  there  would  be  added  p/uusical  sufferings,  vs 
t— 10  The  Nile  would  be  dried  up,  and  all  tb*t  grew  on  its  banks  would  wither  (vs.  5 — 7) ;  those 
15* 


346  ISAIAH.  [B.C.  713. 

who  hnd  been  accustomed  to  fish  in  the  Nile  would  be  thrown  out  of  employment  (ver.  8)  ;  nnd  thos» 
thnt  were  engaged  in  the  manulaeture  of  linen  would  as  a  consequence  be  driven  from  employment, 
VS.  9, 10,  (ti.)  All  counsel  and  wisdom  would  lull  trom  the  nation,  nnd  the  k i n tis  nnd  priests  be  re. 
carded  us  fools,  vs.  11—16.  (7.)  The  land  of  Judah  would  become  a  terror  to  them,  ver.  17.  (8.) 
j'his  would  be  followed  by  the  conversion  of  muny  of  the  Egyptians  to  the  true  religion,  vs.  18— 'JO  ; 
JBHOVAB  would  become  their  protector  and  would  repair  the  breaches  that  bad  been  made,  and  re- 
move  the  evils  which  they  bud  experienced,  vs.  81,88,  and  a  strong  alliance  would  be  formed  between 
the  Egyptians,  the  Assyrians,  und  the  Jews,  winch  should  secure  the  divine  blessing  and  fuvour, 
vs.  23—56. 

Tnis  is  the  outline  of  the  prophecy.  In  regard  to  the  time  when  it  was  delivered,  we  have  no  cer- 
tain know  ledge,  l.owth  supposes  that  it  refer*  to  tines  succeeding  the  destruction  ot  the  army  of  Sen- 
nacherib, After  1 1  wit  event,  ho  Bays,  the  affairs  of  Egypt  were  thrown  into  confusion  ;  intestine 
broi  s  succei  tied  :  these  were  followed  by  B  tyranny  of  twelve  piinces  who  divided  the  country  between 
tiiem,  until  Ihe  distracted  affairs  settled  down  Under  the  dominion  of  Psnrpmetichus.  who  held  the 
sceptre  for  fifty-four  years.  Not  long  niter  tins,  the  country  was  invaded  and  conqucn  d  by  Nehuchad- 
ne/.ziir;  mid  then  by  the  Persians  under  Cambyses  the  son  of  Cyrus.  Alexander  the  Great  subse- 
quently invaded  and  took  the  country,  and  made  Alexandria  the  capital  of  his  empire.  Many  Jews 
were  invited  thither  by  Alexander,  and  under  the  favour  of  the  Ptolemies  they  llouridied  there;  the 
true  religion  became  prevalent,  in  the  land,  and  multitudes  of  the  Egyptians,  it  is  supposed,  werecun- 
verted  to  the  Jewish  faith.  Bishop  Newton  (Diss,  xii.  on  the  Prophecies)  supposes,  that  there  was  a 
enieraJ  reference  here  to  the  cunqoest  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  nnd  n  particular  reference  to  the  con. 
Quest  under  Cambyses  the  son  ol  Gyrus,  lie  supposes  thut  the  anarchy  described  in  ver.  2,  refers  to  tlie 
evil  wars  w  Inch  arose  between  Apries  and  Amasii  in  the  time  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  invasion,  and  the 
civil  wars  between  Tuchns,  Nectunebus,  and  the  Mendesians,  a  little  before  the  country  was  subdued 
by  i  lemis.    The  cruel  king  mentioned  in  ver.  a,  into  whose  hands  they  were  delivered,  he  supposes 

was  Nebuchadnezzar,  or  more  probably  Cambyses  and  ( (chus,  one  of  whom  put  the  yoke  on  the  neck 
«>f  the  Egyptians,  and  the  other  riveted  it  there.  The  Egyptians  say  that  Cuiiibyses,  after  he  killed 
Apis,  a  god  worshipped  in  Egypt,  was  stricken  with  madness ;  but  bis  net  ions,  savs  Pridenux,  show 
that  be  was  mad  long  before.  Ucbus  was  the  most  cruel  ofthe  kings  ofPersitt.  Tee  final  deliverance 
of  tlie  nation,  and  the  conversion  to  the  true  God,  and  the  alliance  between  Egypt,  Assyria,  and  Israel 
[vs.  18 — ill),  be  supposes,  refers  to  the  deliverance  that  would  be  introduced  by  Alexander  the  Greut, 
and  the  protection  that  would  he  shown  to  the  Jews  in  Egypt  under  the  Pto'emies. 

Yilnugu,  Geseuii.s,  (initios,  Kosemnuiler,  und  others,  suppose  thut  the  itiiiachy  described  in  ver.  2, 
relets  to  the  discord  which  arose  in  the  tune  ofthe  ott&acap^Ca  Dodekarchu,  or  the  reign  ofthe 
twelve  kings,  until  I'sainmetu  bus  prevailed  over  the  rest,  and  Hint  he  is  intended  by  the  "cruel  lord'' 
and  "  bene  king"  described  in  ver.  4.  In  other  respects  their  interpretation  of  the  prophecy  coincides, 
in  tlie  main,  with  that  proposed  by  Bishop  Newton. 

A  slight  glance  at  some  ofthe  lending  events  in  the  history  of  Egypt  may  enable  us  more  clearly  to 
determine  the  application  ofthe  different  pints  ofthe  prophecy. 

Egypt,  a  well  known  country  in  Africa,  is,  for  the  most  part,  a  great  valley  through  which  the 
Nile  pours  its  waters  from  South  to  North ,  and  is  skilled  on  the  east  and  west  by  ranges  of  moun- 
tains which  approach  br  recede  more  or  less  from  the  river  in  different  parts.  Where  the  valley  ter. 
minutes  towards  the  .North,  the  Nile  divides  itself  about  40  or  50  mil's  fiorn  the  Mediterranean  into 
several  parts,  enclosing  theterritory  called  the  Delta — so  called  because  the  various  streams  flowing 
from  the  one  river  diverge  as  they  flow  towards  the  sea,  and  thus  form  with  the  coast  a  tiiungle  in  the 
shape  of  the  Greek  letter  A  Delta.  The  southern  limit  of  Egypt  proper  is  Syene  (Ezek.  xxix.  10,  xxx. 
6),  or  Essiinu,  the  border  of  Ethiopia.  Here  the  Nile  issues  from  the  granite  recks  of  the  cataracts 
and  enters  Egypt  proper.     Tins  is  N.  !ut.  'if. 

Egypt  was  anciently  divided  into  forty-two  names  or  districts,  which  were  little  provinces  or  ciun- 
ti.s.  It  was  ulso  divided  into  Upper  and  Dower  Egypt.  Upper  Egypt  was  called  Tbebuis,  front 
Thebes  the  capital,  and  extended  south  to  the  frontier  of  Ethiopia.  Lower  Egypt  contained  princi 
pully  the  De.ta  and  the  pnrts  on  the  Mediterranean.     The  capital  was  Cairo. 

The  most  common  division,  however,  wais  into  three  parts.  Lower,  Middle,  and  Upper  Egypt.  In 
Dower  Egypt,  lying  on  the  Mediterranean,  were  the  cities  of  Pithon,  Kaamses,  lleliopohs,  &.c.  In 
tlnsdivision  also  was  the  land  of  Goshen.  In  Middle  Egypt  was  Moph,  or  Memphis,  llunes,  &c.  In 
Upper  Egypt  was  No.  Amnion,  or  Thebes,  and  Syene,  the  southern  limit  of  Egypt. 

The  uucient  history  of  Egypt  is  obscure.  It  is  agreed  on  all  hands,  however,  that  it  was  the  early 
seat  of  civilization  ;  and  that  this  civilization  was  introduced  fioni  the  .South,  nnd  especially  from 
Meioe.  The  country  in  the  earliest  times  was  possessed  by  several  kings  or  states  which  were  at 
length  united  into  one  great  kingdom.  Not  long  utter  the  denth  of  Joseph,  it  came  into  the  possession 
of  the  Hyksos  or  Shepherd  Kings,  probably  an  Arabian  Nomadic  tribe.  Alter  they  were  driven 
out,  the  whole  country  came  again  under  one  sovereign,  and  enjoyed  great  prosperity.  Th>^  first  king 
ol  the  19th  dynasty,  as  it  is  called  by  Manetho,  was  the  celebrated  Sesostris,  about  150<  years  B.  C. 
His  successors  were  all  cullsl  by  the  general  name  of  Pharaoh,  i.  e.  kings.  The  first  who  is  mentioned 
by  his  nroper  name  is  Sbishak  (I  Kings  xiv.  :2  >,  26),  supposed  to  be  the  Se-onchosis  of  Mun-tho,  who 
reigned  about  iKO  years  11.  C.  Genseuius  says,  that  m  the  tune  ol  the  Jewish  king  Hezekinh,  there 
reigned  at  the  mme  time  in  Egypt  three  Dynasties;  an  iEthiopic  (probably  over  Upper  Egypt),  a 
Saitish,  and  a  Tunitish  Dynasty— of  which  at  last  sprung  the  Dodekorchy,  an  I  whose  dominion  ulti- 
mately lost  itself  ill  the  single  reign  of  Psummetichiis.  The  ^Ethiopic  continued  forty  years,  and  eon. 
•isted  of  three  kings — Subaco,  Sevechus.and  Turakos  orTearko — ol  which  the  two  last  are  m  intSon. 
ed  in  tbo  Uible,  Sevecbus  under  the  name  of  So,  N"lO  probably  X^D  Sevechus— as  the  ally  of  Hosen 


Intro  to  ch.  xix.  Different  accounts  are  given  ofthe  state  of  things  by  Herodotus,  and  by  Diodorus. 
The  account  by  Diodorus,  which  is  the  most  probable,  is,  that  a  state  ot  anarchy  prevailed  in  Egypt 
for  two  w  hole  years  ;  and  that  the  troubles  nnd  commotions  suggested  to  the  cbiet  men  of  the  country 
the  extiediency  of  assuming  the  reins  of  government,  and  restoring  order  to  the  state.  U  tth  this  view. 
twelve  of  the  most  influential  men  were  chosen  to  preside  with  regal  power.  Each  hud  a  uurticulai 
province  allotted  to  him,  in  which  his  authority  was  permanent;  and  though  independent  ot  one 
another,  they  bound  themselves  with  mutual  ouths  to  concord  and  fidelity. 


B.C.  713.1 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


347 


During  fifteen  years  their  relations  were  maintained  with  entire  Kirmony  :  but  duri  ig  that  time 
Psnmnv  tichus,  wpose  province  extended  to  the  Mediterranean,  had  availed  himself  of  his  advantages. 
and  had  maintained  extensive  commercial  intercourse  with  the  Phenicians  and  Greeks,  and  had 
amassed  considerable  wealth.  Of  this  his  colleagues  became  jealous,  and  supposing  that  he  meant 
to  secure  the  government  of  the  whole  country,  they  resolved  to  deprive  him  ol  his  province.  They 
therefore  prepared  to  attack  him,  and  he  was  thrown  upon  the  necessity  of  self  defence.  Apprised 
of  their  designs,  he  sent  to  Arabia,  Caria  and  Ionia,  for  aid,  and  having  secured  a  large  h  xly  of  troops, 
he  put  himse  fat  their  head,  and  gave  battle  to  his  foes  nt  Momemphis,  and  completely  defeated  them, 
.Irove  them  from  the  kingdom,  and  look  possession  of  an  undivided  throne.  Diod.  i.  Hti.  The 
account  of  Herodotus  may  be  seen  in  his  history,  li.  li.  154.  Psammetichus  turned  his  attention  to  the 
internal  administration  of  the  country,  and  endeavoured  to  ingratiate  himself  with  the  priesthood 
and  the  people  by  erecting  splendid  monuments,  and  beautifying  the  sacred  edifices.  There  was  a 
•trong  jealousy,  however,  excited  by  the  fact  that  he  was  indebted  for  his  crown  to  foreign  troops, 
and  from  the  fact  that  foreigners  were  preferred  to  office  over  the  native  citizens.  Diod.  i.  (77.  A 
urge  part  of  his  troops — to  the  number,  according  to  Uiodorus,  of  240,000 — abandoned  his  service  at 
jne  time,  and  moved  oft' in  a  body  to  Ethiopia,  and  entered  the  service  of  the  monarch  of  that  country. 
Jis  reign  appears  to  have  been  a  military  despotism,  and  though  liberal  in  its  policy  towards  foreign 
rnvernmeuts,  yet  the  seventy  of  his  government  at  home,  and  the  injustice  which  the  Kgvotians  sup. 
y  seil  he  showed  to  them  in  relying  on  foreigners,  and  preferring  them,  justified  the  appellation  IP 
ver.  4,  that  he  was  a  "  cruel  lord." 

Egypt  was  afterwards  conquered  by  Cambyses,  and  became  a  province  of  the  Persian  empire  about 
625  li.  0.  Tims  it  continued  until  it  was  conquered  by  Alexander  the  Great,  ,'1">0  H.  C,  after  whose 
death  it  formed,  together  with  Syria,  Palestine,  Lybia,  &c,  the  kingdom  of  the  Ptolemies.  After  the 
battle  of  Actinni  30 B.  C.  it  became  a  Roman  province.  In  A.  D.  H40  it  was  conquered  by  the  Arabs, 
and  since  that  time  it  has  passed  from  the  hands  of  the  Caliphs  into  the  hands  of  the  Turks,  and  since 
A.  I).  1517  if  has  been  regarded  as  a  province  of  the  Turkish  empire.  This  is  an  outline  of  the  princ.i- 
pal  events  of  the  Egyptian  history.  The  events  predicted  in  this  chapter  will  be  stated  in  their  order  in 
the  comments  on  the  particular  verses.  The  two  leading  points  which  will  guide  our  interpretation 
will  be,  that  Psammetichus  is  intended  in  ver.  4,  and  that  the  effects  of  Alexander's  conquest  of  Egypt 
are  denoted  from  ver.  18  to  the  end  of  the  chapter.  Keeping  these  two  points  in  view  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  chapter  will  be  easy.  On  the  histo:y  ol  Egypt,  and  the  commotions  and  revolutions  there, 
the  reader  may  consult  Wilkinson's  '  Manners  and  Customs  of  the  Ancient  Egyptians,'  vol.  i.,  partic- 
ularly pp.  143-180. 


1  The  burden  of  Egypt.*  Be- 
hold,   the    Lord  rideth'    upon    a 

i  Jer.  46.     Erak.  29  and  30.        I  Ps.  18.  10.  104.  3. 

1.  The  burden  of  Egypt.  This  is 
the  title  to  the  prophecy.  For  the 
meaning  of  the  word  burden,  see  Note 
ch  xiii.  1.  The  word  Egypt  in  the 
original  is  0^~2£2  Mitzrdim  ;  and  it 
was  so  called  after  Mizraim  the  second 
son  of  Ham,  and  grandson  of  Noah. 
Sometimes  it  is  called  Mazor  ;  2  Kings 
xix.  24,  Isa  xix.  6,  xxxvii.  25,  Micah 
vii.  12  ;  where,  however,  our  English 
version  has  rendered  the  word  by  be- 
sieged-place,  or  fortress.  The  ancient 
name  of  the  country  among  the  inhab- 
itants themselves  was  Ckimi  or  Chami 
(Xijp).  The  Egyptian  word  signified 
black,  and  the  name  was  probably 
given  from  the  black  deposit  made  by 
the  slime  of  the  Nile.  "  Mizraim,  or 
Misrim,  the  name  given  to  tgypt  in 
the  Scriptu  es,  is  in  the  plural  form, 
and  is  the  Hebrew  mode  of  expressing 
the  '  two  regions  of  Egypt'  (so  com- 
monly met  with  in  the  hieroglyphics), 
or  the  'two  Misr,'  a  name  still  used  by 
the  Arabs,  who  call  all  Egypt,  as  well 
as  Cairo,  Musr,  or  Misr."  Wilkinson's 
Mann,  and  Cust.  of  Anc.  Egypt,  i.  2. 
The  origin  of  the  name  Egypt  is  un- 


swift  cloud,  and  shall  come  into 
Egypt ;  and  the  idols"1  of  Egypt 

m  Ex.  12.  12.    Jer.  43.  12. 

known.  Egyptus  is  said  by  some  to 
have  been  an  ancient  king  of  this 
country.  II  Behold,  the  Lord.  This 
is  a  bold  introduction.  Jehovah  is 
seen  advancing  to  Egypt  for  the  pur- 
pose of  confounding  its  idols,  and  in- 
flicting punishment.  The  leading  idea 
which  the  prophet  wishes  probably  to 
present  is,  that  national  calamities — 
anarchy,  commotion,  revolution,  as 
well  as  physical  sufferings — are  under 
the  government  and  direction  of  Jeho- 
vah. H  liidelh  upon  a  swift  cloud. 
Jehovah  is  often  thus  represented  as 
riding  on  a  cloud,  especially  when  he 
comes  for  purposes  of  vengeance  or 
punishment  : 

And  he  rode  upon  a  cherub  and  did  fly, 
Yea,  he  did  fly  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind. 
Ps.  xviii.  io. 

Who  maketh  the  clouds  his  chariot, 
Who  walketh  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind. 
Ps.  civ.  i. 

"  I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and  behold, 
one  like  the  Son  of  Man  came  with  the 
clouds  of  heaven."  Dan.  vii.  13.  So 
the  Saviour  is  represented  as  coming 
to  judgment  in  the  clouds  of  heaven. 
Matth.  xxiv.  30.     Comp.  the  sublim« 


848 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  7  lb 


shall  be  moved  at  his  presence, 
and  the  heart  of  Egypt  shall  melt 
in  the  midst  of  it. 

2  And  I  will  'set  the  Egypt- 
ians against  the  Egyptians  ■  and 
they  shall  fight  every  one  against 

1  mingle. 

description  in  Hab.  iii  3-10.  f  And 
the  idols  of  Egypt.  It  is  well  known 
that  Eirypt  was  celebrated  for  its  idola- 
try. They  worshipped  chiefly  the  hea- 
venly bodies  ;  but  they  worshipped  also 
all  kinds  of  animals,  probably  as  living 
symbols  of  their  gods.  H  Shell  lie 
moved.  That  is,  shall  tremble,  be  agi- 
tated, alarmed  ;  or  shall  be  removed 
from  their  place,  and  overthrown.  The 
word  will  bear  either  construction .  Vi- 
tringa  inclines  to  the  latter.  IT  And 
the  heart  of  Egypt.  The  strength  ; 
the  courage  ;  the  vigour.  Wc  use  the 
word  heart  in  the  same  sense  now, 
when  we  speak  of  a  stout  heart ;  a 
courageous  heart,  &c.  H  Shall  melt. 
The  word  here  used  denotes  to  dis- 
solve ;  and  is  applied  to  the  heart  when 
its  courage  fails — probably  from  the 
sensation  of  weakness  or  fainting 
The  fact  alluded  to  here  was  probably 
the  disheartening  circumstances  that 
attended  the  civil  commotions  in  Egypt, 
when  the  people  felt  themselves  op- 
pressed by  cruel  rulers.  See  the  Ana- 
lysis of  the  chapter. 

2.  And  I  will  set.  iJn2D20  ■  This 
word,  from  *]?^  ,  means  properly  to 
cover,  to  spread  over  ;  to  hide,  con- 
ceal ;  to  protect.  Another  signification 
of  the  verb  is  to  weave  ;  to  intermingle. 
It  may  mean  here,  "  I  will  arm  the 
Egyptians  against  each  other"  (Gese- 
nius) ;  or,  as  in  our  version,  '  I  will 
mingle,  confound,  or  throv  them  into 
discoid  and  strife  '  The  LXX  render  it, 
hrsysp9fl<<ovr«<,  '  They  shall  be  excited  ; 
or  raised  up.'  Symmachus,  cv/i  '.<a  H. 
Syriac  and  Chaldee,  '  I  will  excite.' 
The  sense  is,  that  there  would  be  dis- 
cord and  civil  war,  and  this  is  traced  to 
the  agency  or  overruling  providence  of 
God — meaning  that,  he  would  permit, 
and  overrule  it.  Comp.  Notes  on  Isa. 
jlv.  7 :  "  I  make  peao.  and   1  create 


his  brother,  a:sa  every  one  against 
his  neighbour;  city  against  city, 
and  kingdom  against  kingdom. 

3  And  the  spirit  of  Egypt 
shall  'fail  °in  the  midst  ihenof; 
and  I  will   'destroy   the   counsel 

2  be.  emptied.       o  Ezek.  22.  14.      3  stoallow  up. 

evil  ;  I,  Jehovah,  do  oil  these  things." 
Amos  iii.  (j  :  "  Shall  there  be  evil  in  a 
city  and  Jehovah  hath  not  done  it  ?" 
The  civil  war  here  referred  to  was 
probably  that  which  arose  between  the 
twelve  kings  in  the  time  of  the  Dodekar- 
chy  (see  the  Analysis  to  the  chapter), 
and  which  resulted  in  the  single  domi- 
nion of  Psainmetichus.  Bishop  Newton 
(on  the  Prophecies  xii.)  supposes,  how- 
ever, that  the  prophet  refers  to  the  civil 
wars  between  Apries  and  Amasis  at 
the  time  cfthe  invasion  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar. But  it  agrees  much  better  with 
the  former  discord  than  with  this.  The 
description  which  follows  is  that  of 
anarchy  or  civil  strife,  where  many 
parties  are  formed,  and  would  naturally 
lead  to  the  supposition  that  there  were 
more  than  two  engaged.  If  And  king' 
do  in  against  kingdom.  Septuagint, 
vi'ijioi  f:ri  v&f)<i>v — name  against  nomes. 
Egypt  was  formerly  divided  into  forty- 
two  nomes  or  districts.  The  version 
by  the  LXX  was  made  in  Egypt,  and 
the  translators  would  naturally  employ 
the  terms  which  were  in  common  use. 
Still  the  event  referred  to  was  probably 
not  that  of  one  noun-  contending  aga  nst 
another,  but  a  civil  war  in  which  one 
dynasty  would  be  excited  against  an- 
other (Geseitih»)  or  when  there  would 
be  anarchy  and  strife  amongst  the  dif- 
ferent members  of  the  Dodekarchy. 
See  the  Analysis  of  the  chapter 

3.  And  the  spirit  of  E^y/it  See 
ver.  1.  They  shall  be  exhausted  with 
their  long  internal  contentions  and 
strifes;  and  seeing  no  prospect  of  de- 
liverance, and  anxious  that  the  turmoils 
should  end,  they  shall  seek  counsel  and 
refuge  in  their  gods  and  necroinaucera 
— but  in  vain.  11  Shall  fail.  ■"■^J  . 
Marg.  "  Be  emptied.''  The  word  means 
literally  to  pour  out,  empty,  depopulate. 
Here  it  means  that  they  would  btcoiuo 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


349 


thereof;  and  they  shall  seek?  to 
the  idols,  and  to  the  charmers, 
and  to  them  that  have  familiar 
spirits,  and  to  the  wizards. 

disheartened  and  discouraged.  IT  And 
1  will  destroy.  Marg.  as  the  Heb. 
"  [  will  swallow  up."  So  the  word  is 
used  in  Ps.  cvii.  27,  "  all  their  wisdom 
is  destroyed,"  Heb.  swallowed  up. 
fi  And  they  shall  seek  to  the  idols. 
According  to  Herodotus  (ii.  152), 
Psammetichus  had  consulted  (he  oracle 
of  Latona  at  Butos,  and  received  for 
answer  that  the  sea  should  avenge  his 
cause  by  producing  brazen  men.  Some 
time  after,  a  body  of  Ionians  and  Carians 
were  compelled  by  stress  of  weather  to 
touch  at  Egypt,  and  landed  there,  clad 
in  brazen  armour.  Some  Egyptians, 
alarmed  at  their  appearance,  came  to 
Psammetichus,  and  described  them  as 
brazen  men  who  had  risen  from  the 
sea  and  were  plundering  the  country. 
He  instantly  supposed  that  this  was 
the  accomplishment  of  the  oracle,  and 
entered  into  an  alliance  with  the  stran- 
gers, and  by  their  aid  was  enabled  to 
obtain  the  victory  over  his  foes.  Comp. 
the  different  account  of  Diodorus  in 
the  Analysis  of  this  chapter.  The 
whole  history  of  Egypt  shows  how 
much  they  were  accustomed  to  consult 
their  idols.  See  Herodotus,  ii.  54, 
eeq  ,  82,  83,  139.  152.  Herodotus  says 
(ii.  83),  that  the  art  of  divination  in 
Egypt  was  confined  to  certain  of  their 
deities.  There  were  in  that  country 
the  oracles  of  Hercules,  of  Apollo,  of 
Mars,  of  Diana,  and  of  Jupiter  ;  but 
the  oracle  of  Latona  in  Butos  was  held 
in  greater  veneration  than  any  of  the 
rest.  IT  And  to  the  charmers.  En^?X  . 
This  word  occurs  nowhere  else.  The 
root  OI3X  in  Arabic  means  to  mutter, 
to  make  a  gentle  noise  ;  and  this  word 
profeably  denotes  conjurers,  diviners. 
See  Note  on  ch.  viii.  19.  The  LXX 
render  it,"  their  idols."  IT  And  to  them 
that  have  familiar  spirits.  Note  ch. 
viii.  19.  The  LXX  render  this  "  those 
who  speak  from  the  ground."  IT  And 
*o  the  wizard*.  LXX,  Ventriloquists 
— iyyacTpijiidovi.     The    Hebrew  word 


4  And  the  Egyptians  will  I 
4give  over  into  the  h-and  of  a  cruei 
lord  ;r    and   a  fierce   king   shall 

p  ch.  8.  19.  47.  12.       4  or,  shut  vp.      r  ch.  20.  4. 

means  a  wise  man ;  a  soothsayer,  a 
magician — Q",?3?'?'?  from  2H*  to  know. 
See  Lev.  xix  31,  xx.  6.  Deut.  xviii. 
11.  This  false  science  abounded  in 
Egypt,  and  in  most  oriental  countries. 
4.  And  the  Egyptians.  The  Egyp- 
tian nation  ;  the  entire  people,  though 
divided  into  factions  and  contending 
with  each  other.  %  Will  1  give  over. 
Marg.  Shut  up.  The  Hebrew  word 
"'SO  usually  has  the  sense  of  shutting 
up,  or  closing.  Here  it  means  that 
these  contentions  w  uld  be  closed  or 
concluded  by  their  being  delivered  to 
the  dominion  of  a  single  master.  The 
LXX  render  it  irapaAwaio,  I  will  surren- 
der. IT  Into  the  hands  of  a  cruel  lord. 
Heb.  lords  of  cruelty,  or  severity  The 
word  rendered  "  lord,"  meaning  mas- 
ter, is  in  the  Hebrew  in  the  plural 
number,  E^-IX .  It  is,  however,  ge- 
nerally supposed  that  it  is  pluralis 
excellentia;  —  denoting  majesty  and 
dignity,  and  applicable  to  a  single 
monarch.  The  connection  requires 
this,  for  the  state  here  described  would 
be  different  from  that  where  many  rule, 
and  it  seems  to  suppose  that  one  should 
succeed  to  the  many  who  had  been 
contending  In  the  parallel  member, 
also,  a  name  in  the  singular  number  is 
used,  "  a  fierce  king  ;" — and  as  this 
evidently  denotes  the  same,  it  follows 
that  the  word  here  is  used  to  denote  a 
single  monarch.  The  plural  form  is 
often  thus  used  in  the  Hebrew.  See 
Ps.  vii.  10.  Hos.  xii.  1.  Ezek.  xxix.  3. 
God  here  claims  jurisdiction  over  the 
nation,  and  says  that  he  will  do  it — a 
most  striking  illustration  of  the  power 
which  he  asserts  over  contending  peo- 
ple to  deliver  them  to  whomsoever  he 
will.  Bishop  Newton  supposes  that 
this  was  Nebuchadnezzar,  or  more 
properly  Cambyses,  by  whom  Egypt 
was  made  subject  to  the  authority  of 
Persia,  and  who  was  eminently  a  cruel 
man,  a  madman.  But  the  more  pro- 
bable interpretation  is  that  which  r« 


350 


ISAIAH. 


[£.C.7ia 


rule  over  them,  saith  the  Lord, 
the  Lord  of  hosts. 

5   And    the    waters    shall    fail 


fers  it  to  Psammetichus.  Twelve  kings 
were  in  contention,  of  whom  he  was 
cue.  He  called  in  the  aid  of  the  Arab- 
inns,  and  the  pirates  of  Caria  and  Ionia. 
Herod  ii.  152.  See  the  Analysis  of 
the  chapter.  Diod.  i.  tifl.  This  was 
in  the  twentieth  year  of  the  reign  of 
Manasseh.  Psanmietichus  reigned  fifty- 
four  years  and  was  succeeded  by  Ne- 
chus  his  son,  called  in  Scripture  Pha- 
raoh Necho.and  often  mentioned  under 
that  name.  Psammetichus  during  a 
considerable  part  of  his  reign  was  en- 
gaged in  vars  with  Assyria  and  Pales- 
tine. He  if  here  called  a  "  cruel  lord  ;" 
that  is,  an  oppressive  monarch,  proba- 
bly because  he  secured  the  kingdom 
by  bringing  in  to  his  aid  foreign  mer- 
cenaries— robbers  and  pirates — and 
because  his  wars  made  his  government 
oppressive  and  burdensome.  IT  A  fierce 
king.  Heb.  A  king  of  strength.; — a 
description  particularly  applicable  to 
one  who,  like  Psammetichus,  had  sub- 
dued eleven  rivals,  and  who  had  ob- 
tained the  kingdom  by  conquest. 

5.  And  the  waters  shall  fail.  Here 
commences  a  description  ot  the  phy- 
sical calamities  that  would  come  upon 
the  land,  which  continues  to  ver.  1U. 
The  previous  verses  contained  an  ac- 
count of  the  national  calamities  by 
civil  wars.  It  may  be  observed  that 
discord,  anarchy,  and  civil  wars,  are 
often  connected  with  physical  calami- 
ties ;  as  famine,  drought,  pestilence. 
God  has  the  elements,  as  well  as  the 
hearts  of  men,  under  his  control  ;  and 
when  he  chastises  a  nation,  he  often 
mingles  anarchy,  famine,  discord,  and 
the  pestilence  together.  Often,  too, 
civil  wars  have  a  tendency  to  produce 
these  calamities  They  annihilate  in- 
dustry; arrest  enterprise  ;  break  up 
plans  of  commerce  ;  and  divert  the  at- 
tenlion  of  men  from  the  cultivation  of 
the  soil.  This  might  have  been  in 
part  the  case  in  Egypt  ;  but  it  would 
Beem  also  that  God,  by  direct  agency, 
intended  to  afflict   them   oy  drying  up 


from  the  sea,  anrl  the  river  shall 
be  wasted  and  dried  up. 


their  streams  in  a  remarkable  manner. 
H  From  the  sea  The  parallelism  here, 
as  well  as  the  whole  scope  of  the  pas- 
sage, requires  us  to  understand  this  of 
the  Nile.  The  word  C^  is  sometimes 
used  to  denote  a  large  rivet  See  Note* 
ch.  xi.  15,  xviii.  2.  The  N  le  is  often 
called  a  sea.  Thus  Pliny,  Nat.  His. 
ii.  35,  says,  "  The  water  of  the  Nile 
resembles  the  sea."  Thus  Seneca, 
Quasst  Nat.  v.  2,  says,  "  By  conti- 
nued accessions  of  water,  it  stagnates 
(atagnat)  into  the  appearance  of  a 
broad  and  turbid  sea  "  Comp.  Herod. 
ii.  J)7.  Diod.  i.  12,  96.  "  To  this  day 
in  Egypt,  the  Nile  is  named  el-Dahr, 
'  the  sea,'  as  its  most  common  appel- 
lation "  "  Our  Egyptian  servant,"  says 
Dr.  Robinson,  "  who  spoke  English, 
always  called  it  'the  sea.'"  Biblical 
Researches,  i.  542  f  And  the  river. 
The  Nile.  IT  Shall  be  wasted.  This 
does  not  mean  entirely,  but  its  waters 
would  fail  so  as  to  injure  the  country. 
It  would  not  overflow  in  its  accustomed 
manner,  and  the  consequence  would  be, 
that  the  land  would  be  desolate.  It  is 
well  known  that  Egypt  derives  its  great 
fertility  entirely  from  the  overflowing  of 
the  Nile.  So  important  is  this,  that  a 
public  record  is  made  at  Cairo  of  the 
daily  rise  of  the  water.  When  the 
Nile  rises  to  a  less  height  than  twelve 
cubits,  a  famine  is  the  inevitable  con- 
sequence, for  then  the  water  does  not 
overflow  the  land.  When  it  rises  to  a 
greater  height  than  sixteen  cubits  a 
famine  is  almost  as  certain — for  then 
the  superabundant  waters  are  not 
drained  off  soon  enough  to  allow  them 
to  sow  the  seed.  The  height  of  the 
inundation,  therefore,  that  is  necessary 
in  order  to  ensure  a  harvest,  is  from 
twelve  to  sixteen  cubits.  The  annual 
overflow  is  in  the  month  of  August. 
The  prophet  here  means  that  the  Nile 
would  not  rise  to  the  height  th*t  was 
desirable — or  the  waters  should  fail — 
and  that  the  consequence  would  be  a 
famine. 


B.C. IIS.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


351 


6  And  they  shall  turn  the  riv- 
ers fur  away,  and  the  brooks*  of 
defence  shall  be  emptied  and 
dried  up  :  the  reeds  and  flags 
shall  wither. 

7  The    paper    reeds    by    the 

6.  And  they  shall  turn  the  rivers  far 
away.  WJ*3Tlti1 — probably  from  I~I3T  , 
to  have  an  offensive  smell ;  to  be  ran- 
cid, or  putrid.  The  word  in  this  form  ! 
occurs  nowhere  else.  It  is  in  the  Hiphil 
conjugation,  and  is  probably  a  form  ! 
made  from  a  mixture  with  the  Chaldee. 
The  sense  is  not  doubtful.  It  means  t 
'the  rivers  shall  become  putrid — or' 
have  an  oifensive  smell  ;' — that  is,  shall 
become  stagnant,  and  send  forth  un- 
wholesome miasmata  producing  sick-  [ 
ness — as  stagnant  waters  often  do.  ; 
The  Vulgate  renders  it,  "  and  the  rivers 
shall  fail."  The  LXX,  "  and  the  Egyp- 
tians shall  drink  the  waters  from  the 
sea,  but  the  river  shall  fail,  and  be 
dried  up,  and  the  rivers  shall  fail, 
and  the  streams  (6tapvj(Bi)  of  the  river 
and  all  the  assembling  (avvay<byif)  of 
waters  shall  be  dried  up."  IT  And 
the  brooks  of  defence.  Heb.  '  The 
rivers  of  "iilt^  matzor."  The  word 
"H2£'0  often  means  straitness,  afflic- 
tion ;  then  a  siege,  a  wall,  a  bulwark, 
a  fortification.  But  probably  it  here 
means  Egypt,  or  the  same  as  n^njta 
Mitzraim.  Comp.  ch.  xxxvii.  25. 
2  Kings  xxx.  24.  Mark  vii.  12.  Per- 
haps the  Hebrews  may  have  thought 
of  Egypt  as  a  strongly  fortified  place, 
and  thus  have  given  the  name  to  it  ;  or 
possibly  this  may  have  been  a  modifica- 
tion of  the  name  Mitzraim  IT  The 
reeds  and  flags.  Which  grew  on  the 
banks  of  the  Nile — the  papyrus,  &c. 
See  Note  ch.  xviii.  2. 

7.  The  paper  reeds.  HI"1?  aroth. 
This  is  not  the  word  which  occurs  in 
ch.  xviii.  2,  and  which  it  is  supposed 
means  there  the  papyrus.  See  Note 
•on  that  place.  Interpreters  have  been 
divided  in  regard  to  the  meaning  of  the 
word  here.  Gesenius  derives  it  from 
fHS  drd,  to  bj  naked,  open,  bare  ;  and 


brooks,  by  the  mouth  of  the 
brooks,  and  every  thing  sown  by 
the  brooks,  shall  wither,  be  driv 
en  away,  and  5be  no  more. 

8  The  fishers  also  shall  mourn, 


s  2  Kin(*9  19.  24. 


5  shall  not  hi. 


supposes  that  it  means  an  open  place., 
a  place  naked  of  wood,  and  that  it  here 
denotes  the  pastures  on  the  banks  of 
the  Nile.  So  Rosenmuller  interprets 
it  of  the  green  pastures  on  the  banks  of 
the  Nile  ;  and  the  Hebrew  commenta- 
tors generally  so  understand  it.  The 
Vulgate  renders  it,  "  and  the  bed  (alve- 
us),of  the  river  shall  be  dried  up  from  the 
fountain."  So  the  Chaldee,  "  and  their 
streams  shall  be  desolate."  It  probably 
denotes,  not  paper-reeds,  but  the  green 
pastures  that  were  beside  the  brooks  or 
along  the  banks  of  the  Nile.  IT  By 
the  brooks.  By  the  "  brooks"  here  in 
the  plural  number  (Heb.  rivers  ^T^?) 
the  prophet  probably  means  the  arti- 
ficial canals  which  were  cut  in  every 
direction  from  the  Nile  for  the  purpose 
of  conveying  the  waters  to  various  parts 
of  the  land.  IT  By  the  mouth  of  the 
brooks.  At  the  mouth  of  the  canals  ; 
or  where  they  emptied  into  the  Nile. 
Such  meadows,  being  near  the  Nile, 
and  most  sure  of  a  supply  of  water, 
would  be  more  valuable  than  those 
which  were  remote,  and  are  therefore 
particularly  specified.  If  Shall  wither, 
&c.  That  is,  there  shall  be  utter  and 
entire  desolation.  If  the  Nile  ceased 
to  overflow  ;  if  the  streams,  reservoirs, 
and  canals,  could  not  be  filled,  this 
would  follow  as  a  matter  of  course. 
Every  thing  would  dry  up 

8.  The  fishers  also.  In  this  verse, 
and  the  two  following,  the  prophet 
describes  the  calamities  that  would 
come  upon  various  classes  of  the  in- 
habitants, as  the  consequence  of  the 
failing  of  the  waters  of  the  Nile.  The 
first  class  which  he  mentions  are  the 
fishermen.  Egypt  is  mentioned  (Num. 
xi.  5),  as  producing  great  quantities  of 
fish.  "  We  remember  the  fish  which 
we  did  eat  in  Egypt  freely."  "  The 
Nile,"  says  Diodorus  (.Lib.  i.),"  abounds 


352 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


and  all  they  that  cast  angle  into 
Hie  brooks  shall  lament,  and  they 
that  spread  nets  upon  the  waters 
shall  languish. 


with  incredible  numbers  of  all  sorts  of 
fish."  The  same  was  true  of  the  ar- 
tificial canals,  and  lakes,  and  reservoirs 
of  water.  Ver.  10.  Herodotus  (ii.  93) 
says  that  large  quantities  of  fish  were 
produced  in  the  Nile.  "  At  the  season 
of  spawning,"  says  he,  "  they  move  in 
vast  multitudes  towards  the  sea. — As 
Boon  as  that  season  is  over  they  leave 
the  sea,  return  up  the  river,  and  en- 
deavour to  regain  their  accustomed 
haunts  " — As  a  specimen  of  his  cre- 
dulity, however,  and  also  of  the  atten- 
tion which  he  bestowed  on  natural 
history,  the  reader  may  consult  the 
passage  here  referred  to  in  regard  to 
the  mode  of  their  propagation. — He 
also  says  that  it  is  observed  of  the  fish 
that  are  taken  in  their  passage  to  the 
sea,  that  they  have  "  the  left  part  of 
their  heads  depressed  "  Of  those  that 
are  taken  on  their  return  the  right  side 
of  the  head  is  found  to  be  depressed. 
This  he  accounts  for  by  observing,  that 
"  the  cause  of  this  is  obvious  :  as  they 
pass  to  the  sea  they  rub  themselves  on 
the  banks  on  the  left  side  ;  as  they  re- 
turn they  keep  closely  to  the  same 
bank,  and  in  both  instances  press 
against  it,  that  they  may  not  be  obliged 
to  deviate  from  their  course  by  the 
current  of  the  stream."  Speaking  of 
the  Lake  Moeris,  Herodotus  says  that 
*'  for  six  months  the  lake  empties  itself 
into  the  Nile,  and  the  remaining  six, 
the  Nile  supplies  the  lake.  During  the 
six  months  in  which  the  waters  ebb, 
the  fishing  which  is  here  carried  on 
furnishes  the  royal  treasury  with  a 
talent  of  silver  (about  $>8">6,)  every 
day."  B.  ii.  149.  "  The  silver  which 
the  fishery  of  this  lake  produced  was 
appropriated  to  find  the  queen  with 
clothes  and  perfumes."  Diodor  i  52. 
The  lake  Moeris  is  now  farmed  for  30 
purses  (about  $900)  annually.  Mi- 
chaud  says  that  the  lake  Menzaleh  now 
yields  an  annual  revenue  of  800  purses," 
»bout  $25,000.  "  The  great  abundance 


9  Moreover  they  that  work  ir 
fine'0  (lax,  and  they  that  weave 
'net-works,  shall  be  confounded. 

w  1  Kinps  10.  29.  7  or,  white-works. 

ot  fish  produced  in  the  Nile  was  an  in- 
valuable provision  of  nature,  in  a  coun- 
try which  had  neither  extended  pasture 
grounds,  nor  large  herds  of  cattle,  and 
where  corn  was  the  principal  production. 
When  the  Nile  inundated  the  country, 
and  filled  the  lakes  and  canals  with  its 
overflowing  waters,  these  precious  nitts 
were  extended  to  the  most  remote 
villages  in  the  interior  of  the  valley, 
and  the  plentiful  supply  of  fish  which 
they  obtained  was  an  additional  benefit 
conferred  upon  them  at  this  season  of 
the  year."  Wilkinson's  Man.  and  Cua. 
of  An.  Egypt,  vol.  iii  62,63.  Hence 
the  greatness  of  the  calamity  here  re- 
ferred to  by  the  prophet  when  the  lakes 
and  canals  should  be  dried  up.  The 
whole  country  would  feel  it.  It  And 
all  they  that  cast  anglp.  Two  kinds 
of  fishermen  are  mentioned — those  who 
used  a  hook,  and  those  who  used  the 
net.  The  former  would  fish  mainly  in 
the  brooks  or  canals  that  were  cut  from 
the  Nile  to  water  their  lands.  For  the 
various  methods  of  fishing,  illustrated 
by  drawings,  the  reader  may  consult 
Wilkinson's  Manners  and  Customs  of 
the  Ancient  Egyptians,  vol.  ii  21,  iii. 
p.  53,  seq. 

9.  Moreover.  In  addition  to  the 
calamities  that  will  come  upon  the 
fishermen,  the  drying  up  of  the  river 
will  affect  all  who  are  supported  by  that 
which  the  overflowing  of  its  waters 
produced.  IT  They  that  work  in  fine 
flax.  Egypt  was  celebrated  anciently 
for  producing  flax  in  large  quantities, 
and  of  a  superior  quality.  See  1  Kings 
x.  28.  Ex  ix.  31.  The  fine  linen  of 
Egypt  which  was  manufactured  from 
this  is  celebrated  in  Scripture.  Prov 
vii.  16.  Ezek.  xxvii.  7.  The  Egyptiam 
had  early  carried  the  art  of  manufactur- 
ing linen  to  a  great  degree  of  perfection; 
As  early  as  the  exode  of  the  Hebrews, 
we  find  that  the  art  was  known  by 
which  stuffs  made  of  linen  or  other 
materials  were  curiously  worked   und 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


353 


embroidered.  "  And  thou  shalt  make 
an  hanging  for  the  door  of  the  tent  of 
blue,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  aaA  fine- 
twined  linen,  loroug/it  with  needle- 
icork."  Ex.  xxvi.  36.  Comp.  ch.  xxvii. 
l6  xxxvi.  37.  So  E/.ekiel  xxvii.  7: 
"  Fine  linen,  with  broidered  work  from 
."Vypt."  So  also  Martial  refers  to  em- 
bioidery  with  the  needle  in  Egypt : 

Haec  tibi  Memphitis  tellus  dat  munera;   victa 

est 
Pectine  Niliaco  jam  Babylonis  acus. 

Martial  xiv.  Epigr.  50. 

In  regard  to  the  fineness  of  the  linen 
which  was  produced  and  wrought  in 
Egypt,  we  may  introduce  a  statement 
made  by  Pliny  when  speaking  of  the 
nets  which  were  made  there.  "  So 
delicate,"  says  he,  "  were  some  of  them, 
that  they  would  pass  through  a  man's 
ring,  and  a  single  person  could  cany  a 
sufficient  number  of  them  to  surround 
a  whole  wood.  Julius  Lupus,  who 
died  while  governor  of  Egypt,  had 
some  of  those  nets,  each  string  of  which 
consisted  of  150  threads;  a  fact  per- 
fectly surprising  to  those  who  are  not 
aware  that  the  Rhodians  preserve  to 
this  day,  in  the  temple  of  Minerva,  the 
remains  of  a  linen  corslet,  presented  to 
them  by  Amasis,  king  of  Egypt,  whose 
threads  are  composed  each  of  365 
fibres."  Pliny  xix.  1.  Herodotus  also 
mentions  this  corslet  (B.  iii.  47),  and 
also  another  presented  by  Amasis  to 
the  Lacedemonians,  which  had  been 
carried  off  by  the  Samians.  "  It  was 
of  linen,  ornamented  with  numerous 
figures  of  animals,  worked  in  gold  and 
cotton.  Each  thread  of  the  corslet  was 
worthy  of  admiration.  For  though  very 
fine,  every  one  was  composed  of  360 
other  threads,  all  distinct  ;  the  quality 
being  similar  to  that  dedicated  to  Mi- 
nerva at  Lindu3,by  the  same  monarch." 
Pliny  (xix.  c.  1)  mentions  four  kinds 
of  linen  that  were  particularly  celebra- 
ted in  Egypt— the  Tanitic,  the  Pelusiac, 
Jie  Butine,  and  the  Tentyritic.  He 
also  says  that  the  quantity  of  flax 
cultivated  in  Egypt  was  accounted  for, 
Ly  their  exporting  linen  to  Arabia  and 
India. — It  is  now  known,  also,  that  the 
cloth  used  for  enveloping  the  dead,  and 
^hich  is  now  found  in  abundance  on 


the  mummies,  was  linen.  This  fac 
was  long  doubted,  and  it  was  until 
recently  supposed  by  many  that  the 
cloth  was  made  of  cotton.  This  fact 
that  it  is  linen  was  settled  beyond  dis- 
pute by  some  accurate  experiments 
made  by  Dr.  Ure,  Mr.  Bauer,  and  Mr. 
Thompson,  with  the  aid  of  powerful 
microscopes.  It  was  found  that  linen 
fibres  uniformly  present  a  cylindrical 
form,  transparent,  and  articulated,  or 
jointed  like  a  cane,  while  the  fibres 
of  cotton  have  the  appearance  of  a  flat 
ribbon,  with  a  hem  or  border  at  the 
edge.  In  the  mummy  cloths  it  was 
found  without  exception  that  I  he  fibres 
were  linen.  Vast  quantities  of  linen 
must,  therefore,  have  been  used — The 
linen  of  the  mummy  cloths  is  generally 
coarse.  The  warp  usually  contains 
about  90  threads  in  the  inch  ;  the  woof 
about  44. — Occasionally,  however,  very 
fine  linen  cloth  is  found,  showing  the 
skill  with  which  the  manufacture  was 
executed.  Mr.  Wilkinson  observes, 
that  a  piece  of  linen  in  his  possession 
from  Egypt  had  540  (or  270  double) 
threads  in  one  inch  in  the  warp.  Some 
of  the  cambric  which  is  now  manufac- 
tured has  but  160  threads  in  the  inch  in 
the  warp,  and  140  in  the  woof.  It  is 
to  be  remembered,  also,  that  the  linen 
in  Egypt  was  spun  by  hand,  and  with- 
out the  aid  of  machinery.  See  on  this 
whole  subject,  Wilkinsor.'s  Manners 
and  Customs  of  the  Ancient  Egyptians, 
vol.  iii.  pp.  113-142.  Ed.  Loud.  1837. 
The  word  rendered  "fine"  here  denotes, 
according  to  Gesenius,  combed,  or 
hntchelled.  The  word  fine,  however, 
expresses  the  idea  with  sufficient  ac- 
curacy. Fine  linen  was  used  for  cloth- 
ing ;  but  was  so  expensive  that  it  was 
worn  chiefly  by  the  rich  and  by  princes. 
Luke  xvi.  19.  If  They  that,  weave  net- 
works. Marg.  White-works.  Accord- 
ing to  Gesenius  the  word  "^in  means 
white  linen — that  which  is  fully  bleach- 
ed. The  word  ^in  means  a  hole,  or 
cavern ;  but  is  not  applied  to  cloth. 
The  parallelism  seems  rather  to  require 
that  the  word  should  mean  "  white"  or 
that  which  would  correspond  to  "  fine," 
or  valuable  ;  and  it  is  not  known  that 


554 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713' 


10  And  they  shall  be  broken 
in  the  purposes8  thereof,  all  that 

the  Egyptians  had  the  art  of  working 
lace  from  linen.  Saadias  supposes  that 
iit'tfi  are  meant,  as  being  made  with 
holes  or  meshes  ;  but  it  is  evident  that 
a  finer  work  is  intended  than  that. 
H  shall  be  confounded.  Heb.  Shall  be 
ashamed.  That  is,  they  shall  be  thrown 
out  of  employment,  and  not  know  what 
to  do. 

10.  And  they  shall  be  broken.  There 
has  been  a  great  variety  of  opinion  in 
regard  to  the  interpretation  of  this 
verse,  and  much  difficulty  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  Hebrew  words.  The 
Vulgate  renders  it,  "  and  its  wet  places 
Bhal:  £iil  ;  all  who  make  ponds  to  take 
fish.'  The  LXX,  "  and  all  who  make 
beer  ffCflov)  shall  lament,  and  shall 
afflict  their  souls  "  This  $vdov  was  a 
sort  of  malt  liquor  made  of  fruits  by 
fermentation,  and  was  used  in  Egypt  in 
the  place  of  wine,  as  the  grape  did  not 
flourish  there.  Jerome  on  this  place 
says,  that  this  was  much  used  also  in 
Dalmatia  and  Pannonia,  and  was  com- 
monly called  Sabaium.  The  Chaldee 
renders  this,  "  and  the  place  where  they 
weave  cloth  shall  be  trodden  down,  and 
the  place  where  they  make  fish-ponds, 
and  where  they  collect  waters,  each  one 
for  his  own  lite."  This  variety  of  read- 
ing arises  chiefly  from  the  different 
modes  of  pointing  the  Hebrew  words. 
The  word  rendered  "  broken"  DnX3ni2 

■    T   \     | 

means  trodden  down,  from  X3^  to 
tread,  or  trample  down,  and  agrees  in 
the  Hebrew  with  the  word  rendered 
"  purposes," — '  the  purposes  shall  be 
trodden  down.'  The  word  "  purposes," 
fvrrvj  is  found  only  in  the  plural, 
and  :s  translated  in  Ps.  xi.  3,  founda- 
tions, from  rP\a  foundation  or  pillar. 
According  to  this,  it  would  mean  that 
all  the  pillars  or  foundations,  i.  e. 
probably  all  the  nobles  of  Egypt,  would 
be  trodden  down.  But  this  does  not 
well  suit  the  connection.  Others  de- 
rive it  from  i"1^  shatha,  to  drink ; 
and  suppose  that  it  means  that  which 
is  prepared  for  drink  shall  be  trodden 


make  sluices  and  ponds  9for  fish 

8  foundations.  9  of  living  things. 

down  or  destroyed.  Others  suppose 
that  it  is  derived  from  •"•HO  shdthd 
to  weave,  and  that  it  refers  to  the 
places  where  they  wove  the  cloth,  i.  e. 
their  looms ;  or  to  the  places  where 
they  made  their  nets.  And  others 
suppose  that  it  is  not  the  places  where 
they  wove  which  are  intended,  but  the 
weavers  ihi  insilves.  Forerius  supposes 
it  to  be  derived  from  ^HHJ  shut  hath,  to 
place,  lay ,  and  that  it  refers  to  the 
banks,  or  dykes  that  were  made  to  re- 
tain the  waters  in  the  canals,  and  that 
these  would  be  trodden  down.  This, 
it  seems  to  me,  is  the  most  probable 
interpretation,  as  it  suits  the  connection 
and  agrees  with  the  derivation  of  the 
word.  But  the  meaning  cannot  be 
certainly  ascertained.  IT  All  that  make 
sluices.  There  has  been  quite  as  great 
a  variety  in  the  interpretation  of  this 
passage  as  in  the  former.  The  word 
rendered  sluices,  ",5,^J  our  translators 
understand  in  the  sense  of  places  where 
the  water  would  be  retained  for  fish 
ponds — made  by  artificial  banks  con- 
fining the  waters  that  overflow  from 
the  Nile.  This  sense  they  have  given 
to  the  word,  as  if  it  were  derived  from 
"OD  sdkhdr,  to  shut  up,  to  enclose. 
The  LXX  read  it  as  if  it  meant  the 
Hebrew  "O'lJ  shtkhdr,  or  strong  drink  ; 
and  so  also  the  Syriac  renders  it — as  if 
from  "l?,*J  shdkhdr,  to  drink.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  by  a  difference  of 
pointing  it  may  have  this  signification. 
But  the  most  probable  interpretation, 
perhaps,  is  that  which  derives  it  from 
"I3U  sdkhdr,  to  hire,  and  means  that 
they  made  those  places  for  reward,  or 
for  gain.  They  thus  toiled  for  hire  ; 
and  the  prophet  says,  that  they  who 
thus  made  enclosures  for  fish  in  order 
to  make  a  livelihood,  would  be  trodden 
down — that  is,  they  would  fail  of  their 
purposes.  H  Ponds  for  fish.  The  word 
rendered  fsh,  E3B3  u£phesh,  denotes 
properly  any  living  thing  (see  the  mar- 
gin), but  if  the  usual  interpretation  ia 
given  of  this  verse,  it  is  evident  that  fish 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


S55 


11  Surely  the  princes  of  Zoan* 
are  fools,  the  counsel  of  the  wise 
counsellors  of  Pharaoh  is  hecome 
brutish :  how  say  ye  unto  Pha- 
raoh, I  am  the  son  of  the  wise, 
the  son  of  ancient  kings  ! 

12  Where*/  are  they?  where 

X  Numbers  13.  12.  ij  1  Cor.  1.  20. 

are  intended.  The  description,  there- 
fore, in  this  entire  passage,  from  verse 
fifth  to  verse  tenth,  is  designed  to  denote 
the  calamities  which  would  come  upon 
P-gypt  from  the  failure  of  the  waters  of 
the  Nile  ;  and  the  slightest  knowledge 
of  the  importance  of  the  Nile  to  that 
country  will  show  that  all  these  calami- 
ties would  follow  from  such  a  failure. 

11.  Surely  the  princes.  The  follow- 
ing verws  to  ver.  16  are  designed  to 
descrioe  further  the  calamities  that 
were  coming  upon  Egypt  by  a  want  of 
wisdom  in  their  rulers.  They  would 
be  unable  to  devise  means  to  meet  the 
impending  calamities,  and  would  actu- 
ally increase  the  national  misery  by 
their  unwise  counsels.  The  word 
"  princes"  here  is  taken  evidently  for 
the  rulers  or  counsellors  of  state.  H  Of 
Zoan.  The  Vulgate,  LXX,  and  Chal- 
dee,  render  this  Tunis.  Zoan  was 
doubtless  the  Tanis  of  the  Greeks 
(Herod,  ii.  166),  and  was  a  city  of 
Lower  Egypt,  built  according  to  Moses 
(Nam.  xiii.  22)  seven  years  after  He- 
bron. It  is  mentioned  in  Ps  lxxviii. 
12.  Isa  xix.  11, 13,  xxx.  4.  Ezek.  xxx. 
14.  It  was  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Tanitic  mouth  of  the  Nile,  and  gave 
name  to  it.  Its  ruins  still  exist,  and 
there  are  seen  there  at  present  nume- 
rous blocks  of  granite,  seven  obelisks 
of  granite,  and  a  statue  of  Isis.  It 
was  the  capital  of  the  Dynasty  of  the 
Tanitish  kings  until  the  time  of  Psam- 
metichus  ;  it  was  at  this  place  princi- 
pally that  the  miracles  wrought  by 
Moses  were  performed.  "  Marvellous 
things  did  he  in  the  sight  of  their  fa- 
thers in  the  land  of  Egypt  ;  in  the  field 
of  Zoan."  Ps.  lxxviii.  12.  Its  ruins 
are  still  called  San,  a  slight  change  of 
the  word  Zoan.  The  Ostium  Taniti- 
cum  is  now  the  Omm.  Faredje.    V  Are 


are  thy  wise  men  ?  anil  let  them 
tell  thee  now,  and  let  them  know 
what*  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath 
purposed  upon  Egypt. 

13  The  princes  of  Zoan  are 
become  fools,"  the  princes  of 
Noph6  are  deceived  ;  they  have 

z  ch.  44.  7,  8.       a  Rom.  1.  22.       b  Jer.  2.  16. 

fools.  They  are  unable  to  meet  by 
their  counsels  the  impending  calami- 
ties. Perhaps  their  folly  was  evinced 
by  their  fluttering  their  sovereign,  and 
by  exciting  him  to  plans  that  tended  to 
the  ruin,  rather  than  the  welfare  of  the 
kingdom.  Ii  The  wise  counsellors  of 
Pharaoh.  Pharaoh  was  the  common 
name  of  the  kings  of  Egypt  in  the 
same  way  as  Ctssar  became  afterwards 
the  common  name  of  the  Roman  em- 
perors— and  the  king  who  is  here  in- 
tended by  Pharaoh  is  probably  Psam- 
metichus.  See  Note  on  ver.  4.  If  How 
say  ye,  &c.  Why  do  you  /latter  the 
monarch  ?  Why  remind  him  of  his 
ancestry  ?  Why  attempt  to  inflate  him 
with  the  conception  of  his  own  wis- 
dom ?  This  was,  and  is,  the  common 
practice  of  courtiers  ;  and  in  this  way 
kings  are  often  led  to  measures  most 
ruinous  to  their  subjects. 

12.  Where  are  they  ?  This  whole 
verse  is  an  appeal  by  the  prophet  to 
the  king  of  Egypt  respecting  the  coun- 
sellors and  soothsayers  of  his  kingdom. 
The  sense  is,  '  a  time  of  distress  and 
danger  is  evidently  coming  upon  Egypt. 
They  pretend,  to  be  wise  ;  and  there  is 
now  occasion  for  all  their  wisdom,  and 
opportunity  to  evince  it.  Let  them 
show  it.  Let  them  declare  what  is 
coming  upon  the  nation,  and  take 
proper  measures  to  meet  and  remove 
it  ;  and  they  will  then  demonstrate 
that  it  would  be  proper  for  Pharaoh  to 
repose  confidence  in  them.'  But  if 
they  could  not  do  this,  then  he  should 
not  suffer  himself  to  be  deluded,  and 
his  kingdom  ruined,  by  their  counsels. 

13.  The  princes  of  Zoan.  Note  ver. 
11.  This  repetition  is  intensive  and 
emphatic,  and  shows  the  deep  convic- 
tion of  the  prophet  of  their  folly.     Tie 

I  design  is  to  show  that  all  the  counsel- 


356 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


also  seduced  Egypt,  even  slhey 
that  are  the  stay  of  the  tribes 
thereof. 

14  The  dLoRD  hath  mingled 
a  •'perverse  spirit  in  the  midst 
thereof:  and  they  have    caused 

3  the  corntrs,  or,  governors. 

lors  on  which  the  Egyptians  depended 
were  fools.  H  The  princes  of  Noph. 
The  Vulgate,  the  LXX,  and  the  Chal- 
dee,  render  this  Memphis,  and  there  is 
no  doubt  that  this  is  the  city  intended. 
The  name  Memphis  may  have  easily 
arisen  from  Noph  It  was  written  also 
Jin////,  and  hence  Memphis.  It  is  called 
Menouf  by  the  Copts  and  Arabians 
According  to  i'lutarch,  the  name  Mem- 
phis means  the  port  of  the  good.  The 
situation  of  Memphis  has  been  a  sub- 
ject of  considerable  dispute,  and  has 
afforded  matter  for  long  and  laborious 
investigation.  Sicard  and  Shaw  fix  its 
site  at  Djezeh  or  Ghizeh,  opposite  to  old 
Cairo.  I'ococke,  D'Anville,  Niebuhr, 
and  other  writers  and  travellers,  place 
Memphis  more  in  the  direction  of  Mi- 
traheny,  about  fifteen  miles  further 
south,  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  at  the 
entrance  of  the  plain  of  the  mummies, 
at  the  north  of  which  the  pyramids  are 
placed.  It  was  the  residence  of  the 
ancient  kings  of  Egypt  until  the  time 
of  the  Ptolemies,  who  commonly  re- 
sided at  Alexandria.  Memphis  retain- 
ed its  splendour  until  it  was  conquered 
by  the  Arabians,  about  A.  D.  641. 
At  the  supposed  site  of  Memphis  south 
of  Ghizeh,  there  are  large  mounds  of 
rubbish,  a  colossal  statue  sunk  in  the 
ground,  and  a  few  fragments  of  granite, 
which  remain  to  test  the  existence 
of  this  renowned  capital.  In  Strabo's 
time,  although  partly  in  ruins,  it  was 
yet  a  populous  city,  second  only  to 
Alexandria.  The  total  disappearance 
of  the  ancient  edifices  of  Memphis  is 
easily  accounted  for  by  the  circum- 
stance, that  the  materials  were  em- 
ployed for  the  building  of  adjacent 
cities.  Fostil  rose  out  of  the  ruins, 
and  when  that  city  was  again  deserted, 
thes'-  ruins  migrated  again  to  the  more 
uiodtrn  Cairo.     See  Robinson's  Bibli. 


Egypt  to  err  in  every  work  there- 
\  of,  as  a  drunken  man  staggereth 
I  in  his  vomit. 

15  Neither  shall  there  be  any 

work  for  Egypt,  which  the  head 
!  or  tail,  branch  or  rush,  may  do. 

d  1  Kings  22.  22,  23.      4  spirit  of  perversenens. 

Research  i.  40.  f  They  hare  also 
seduced  Egypt.  That  is,  they  have  by 
their  counsels  caused  it  to  err,  and 
have  led  it  into  its  present  embarrass- 
ment. V  The  stay,  &.c.  Heb.  njS 
pinna — the  corner;  i.  e.  those  who 
should  have  been  the  support.  So  the 
word  is  used  to  denote  the  head  or 
leader  of  a  people  in  Ps.  cxviii.  22, 
Isa.  xxviii.  16,  Zech.  x.  4,  1  Sam. 
xiv.  38,  Judges  xx.  2,  14. 

14.  The  Lord  hath  mingled.  The 
word  "O^  mavdkh,  to  mingle,  is  used 
commonly  to  denote  the  act  of  mixing 
spices  with  wine  to  make  it  more  in- 
toxicating. Prov.  ix.  2,  5.  Isa.  v.  22. 
Here  it  means,  that  Jehovah  has 
poured  out  into  the  midst  of  them  a 
spirit  of  giddiness;  that  is,  has  pro- 
duced consternation  among  them.  Na- 
tional commotions  and  calamities  are 
often  thus  traced  to  the  overruling  pro- 
vidence of  God.  See  Note  ver.  2. 
Comp.  ch.  x.  5,  6.  ^  A  perverse  spirit. 
Heb.  A  spirit  of  perverseness.  The 
word  rendered  perverse  is  derived  from 
WS  ,  to  be  crooked  or  perverted.  Here 
it  means,  that  their  counsels  were  un- 
wise, and  such  as  tended  to  error  and 
ruin.  If  To  err  as  a  drunken  man, 
&c.  This  is  a  very  striking  figure. 
The  whole  nation  was  reeling  to  and 
fro,  and  unsettled  in  their  counsels,  as 
a  man  is  who  is  so  intoxicated  as  to 
reel  and  to  vomit.  Nothing  could  more 
strikingly  express  (1)  the  fact  of  their 
perverted  counsels  and  plans,  and  (2) 
God's  deep  abhorrence  of  the  course 
which  they  were  pursuing. 

15.  Neither  shall  there  be  any  work. 
The  sense  is,  that  there  shall  be  such 
discord  that  no  man,  whether  a  prince 
a  politician,  or  a  priest,  shall  be  able  to 
give  any  advice,  or  form  any  plan  for 
the  national  safety  and  security,   which 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


357 


16  In  that  day  shall  Egypt  be 
like*  unto  women  ;  and  it  shall 
be  afraid  and  fear,  because  of  the 
shaking  of  the  hand  of  ttie  Lord 
of  hosts,  which  he  shaketh  over  it. 

17  And    the    land    of  Judah 

e  Jer.  51.  30.    Nahum  3.  13. 

shall  be  successful.  I  Which  the  head 
or  tail.  High  or  low  ;  strong  or  weak ; 
those  in  office  and  those  out  of  office  ; 
all  shall  be  dispirited  and  confounded. 
RosenmUller  understands  by  the  head 
here,  the  political  orders  of  the  nation, 
and  by  the  tail  the  sacerdotal  ranks. 
But  the  meaning  more  probably  is,  the 
highest  and  the  lowest  ranks — all  the 
politicians,  and  priests,  and  princes,  on 
the  one  hand,  as  the  prophet  had  just 
stated  (vs.  11-15)  ;  and  all  the  artifi- 
cers, fishermen,  &c,  on  the  other,  as  he 
had  stated  (vs  8—10).  This  verse, 
therefore,  is  a  summing  up  of  all  he 
had  said  about  the  calamities  that  were 
coming  upon  them.  IT  Branch  or  rush. 
See  these  words  explained  in  the  Note 
on  ch.  ix   14 

16.  In  that  day  shall  Egypt  be  like 
unto  women.  Timid  ;  fearful ;  alarmed. 
The  Hebrews  often,  by  this  comparison, 
express  great  fear  and  consternation. 
Jer.  li.  30.  Nahum  iii.  13.  IT  Because 
of  the  shaking  of  the  hand.  The 
shaking  of  the  hand  is  an  indication 
of  threatening  or  punishment.  Note 
ch.  x.  32,  xi.  15. 

17.  And  the  land  of  Judah.  The 
fear  and  consternation  of  Egypt  shall 
be  increased  when  they  learn  what 
events  are  occurring  there,  and  what 
Jehovah  has  purposed  in  regard  to  it. 
f  Shall  be  a  terror.  This  cannot  be 
understood  to  mean  that  they  were  in 
danger  from  an  invasion  by  the  Jews, 
for  at  that  time  they  were  not  at  war, 
and  Judah  had  no  power  to  overrun 
Egypt.  Jarchi  and  Kimchi  suppose 
that  the  passage  mians  that  the  Egyp- 
tians would  hear  what  had  occurred  to 
the  army  ot  Sennacherib  on  its  over- 
throw, and  that  they  would  be  alarmed 
as  if  a  similar  fate  was  about  to  come 
upon    thera.     But    the  more   probable 


shall  be  a  terror  unto  Egypt : 
every  one  that  maketh  mention 
thereof  shall  be  afraid  in  himself, 
because  of  the  counsel  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  which  he  hath 
determined  against  it. 

18  In  that  day  shall  five  cities 

interpretation  is  that  which  refers  it  to 
the  invasion  of  Juda-h  by  Sennacherib. 
The  Egyptians  would  know  of  that. 
Indeed  the  leading  design  of  Senna- 
cherib was  to  invade  Egypt,  and  Judah 
and  Jerusalem  were  to  be  destroyed 
only  in  the  way  to  Egypt.  And  when 
the  Egyptians  heard  of  the  great  prepa- 
rations of  Sennacherib,  and  of  his  ad- 
vance upon  Judah,  (see  ch.  x.  28-31), 
and  knew  that  his  design  was  to  invade 
them,  "  the  land  of  Judah  "  would  be 
"  a  terror,"  because  they  apprehended 
that  he  would  make  a  rapid  descent 
upon  them  Vitringa,  however,  sup- 
poses that  the  sense  is,  that  the  Egyp- 
tians in  their  calamities  would  remem- 
ber the  prophecies  of  Jeremiah  and 
others,  of  which  they  had  heard,  re- 
specting their  punishment  ;  that  they 
would  remember  that  the  prophecies 
respecting  Judah  had  been  fulfilled,  and 
that  thus  Judah  would  be  a  terror  to 
them  because  those  predictions  had 
come  out  of  Judah.  This  is  plausible, 
and  it  may  be  the  correct  explanation. 
If  Which  he  hath  determined  againsi 
it.  Either  against  Judah,  or  Egypt. 
The  Hebrew  will  bear  either.  It  may 
mean  that  they  were  alarmed  at  the 
counsel  which  had  been  formed  by 
Jehovah  against  Judah,  and  which  was 
apparently  about  to  be  executed  by  the 
invasion  of  Sennacherib,  and  that  thus 
they  feared  an  invasion  themselves,  or 
that  they  learned  that  a  purpose  of  de- 
struction was  formed  by  Tehovah 
against  themselves,  and  that  Judah  be- 
came thus  an  object  of  terror  because 
the  prophecies  which  were  spoken  there 
were  certain  of  being  fulfilled.  The  lat- 
ter is  the  interpretation  given  by  Vi- 
tringa,and  perhaps  is  the  most  probable. 
lb.  In  that  day.  The  word  "  day" 
is  used  in  Scripture  in  a  large  signifi. 


858 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  718 


cation  as  including  the  whole  period 
under  consideration,  or  the  whole  time 
that  is  embraced  in  the  scope  of  a  pro- 
phecy.    In  this  chapter  it  is   used  in 
this  sense  ;  and  evidently  means   that 
ihe    event    here    foretold    would    take 
place  somewhere  in  the  period   that   is 
embraced  in  the  design  of  the  prophecy. 
That   is,  the    event    recorded    in   this 
verse    would    occur    in    the    series    of 
events  that  the  prophet  saw  respecting 
Egypt.      See  ch    iv.  1.      The  sense  is, 
that   somewhere   in   the   general    time 
here  designated   (vs.  4-17),  the  event 
here  described  would  take  place.   There 
wculd  be  an  extensive  fear  of  Jehovah, 
and  an  extensive  embracing  of  the  true 
religion,  in  the  land  of  Egypt.     IT  Shall 
Jive,   cities.     The  number  Jive  here  is 
evidently  used  to  denote  an  indefinite 
number,  in  the  same  way  as  seven  is 
often  used  in  the  Scriptures.     See  Lev. 
xxvi    8.     It  means,  that  several  cities 
in  Egypt  would  use  that  language,  one 
of  which    only    is    specified.      il   The 
language  of  Canaan.      Marg.   Lip  of 
Canaan.      So    the    Hebrew ;    but    the 
word  often  means  language.     The  lan- 
guage of  Canaan  evidently  means  the 
Hebrew    language  ;    and    it    is    called 
"  the  language  of  Canaan"  either  be- 
cause  it  was  spoken   by  the   original 
inhabitants  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  or 
more  probably  because  it  was  used  by 
the   Hebrews  who  occupied  Canaan  as 
the   promised    land  ;   and  then  it  will 
mean  the  language  spoken  in  the  land 
of  Canaan.     The  phrase  here  used  is 
employed  probably  to  denote  that  they 
would  be  converted  to  the  Jewish  reli- 
gion ;  or  that  the  religion  of  the  Jews 
would    flourish   there.     A   similar  ex- 
pression, to  denote  conversion  to  the 
true  God,  occurs  in  Zeph.  iii.  9 :  "  For 
there   I  will  turn  to  the  people  a  pure 
language,  that  they  may  call  upon  the 
name   of  the   Lord  to  serve  him  with 
one    consent."     fl  And   swear    to   the 
Lord   of  hosts.     That   is,    they    shall 
devote  themselves  to  him  ;  or  they  shall 
bind  themselves  to  his  service  by  sol- 


in  the  land  of  Egypt  speak  8the  I  to  the  LoitD  of  hosts  :  •one  shall 
languages'  of  Canaan,  and  swear    be  called)  The  city  of  destruction, 

8  lip.  g  Zeph.  3.  9.  9  or,  Uerei,  or,  the  sun. 

emn   covenant.     Comp.   Deut.   x.   20. 
Is.  xlv.  20,  where  conversion  to   God, 
and    a    purpose    to   serve   him,   is   ex- 
pressed in  the  same  manner  by  swear- 
ing to  him,  i.  e.  by  solemnly  devoting 
themselves  to  his  service.     1?  One  shall 
be  colled.     The  name  of  one   of  them 
shall  be,  &.c.      Why  one  particularly  is 
designated  is  not  known,     f   The  city 
of    destruction.      There    has    been    a 
great  variety  of  interpretation   in    re- 
gard to  this  expression.     'Ihe  margin 
renders    it,    "  or    Heres,    or   the  sun." 
The  Vulgate,  "  the  city  of  the  sun  ;" 
evidently    meaning    Heliopolis.      The 
LXX,  "  The  city  Asedek,"  iatiU.     The 
Chaklee,   "  the    city    of  the   house   of 
the   sun    (P^ti   F13)    which    is   to  be 
destroyed."     The  Syriac,  "  the  city  of 
flerrs  "      The  common  reading  of  the 
Hebrew  text  is,  0*Tr1fJ  "PS  ,  'h  Hires. 
This   reading   is  found   in   most    -MS. 
editions  and  versions.     The  word  0"}<"! 
heres    commonly    means    destruction, 
though  it  may  also  mean   deliverance  ; 
and  Gesenius  supposes  the  name  was 
to  be  given  to  it  because  it  was  to  be  a 
delivered  city  ;  i.  e.  it  would  be  the  city 
to  which  "  the  saviour,"  mentioned  in 
ver.   2U,   would   come,  and    which   he 
would  make  his  capital.     Ikenius  con- 
tends   that   the    word    Heres  is   taken 
from  the  Arabic,  and  that  the  name  is 
the  same  as  Leonlopolis,  the  city  of  the 
lion,  a    city   in    Egypt.     But    besides 
other  objections  which  may  be  made  to 
this  interpretation,  the  signification  of 
lion  is  not   given  to  the  word  in  the 
Hebrew  language.    The  common  read- 
ing is  that  which  occurs  in  the  text — 
the  city  of  Heres.    But  another  reading 
°"!Dn  is  found  in  sixteen  MSS.  and 
has  been  copied  in  the  Complutensian 
Polyglott.     This   word,  Onn   Hheres 
properly  means  the  sun,  and  tlie  pnrase 
means  the  city  of  the  sun  ;  i.  e.  Helio- 
polis.    Onias,  who    was    disappointed 
in  obtaining  the  high-priesthood  (B.  C 
149)  on  the  death  of  his  uncle  Mene. 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


350 


laus,  fled  into  Egypt  and  ingratiated 
himself  into  the  favour  of  Ptolemy  Phi- 
lometer  and  Cleopatra,  and  was   ad- 
vanced to  the  highest  rank  in  the  army 
and  the  court,  and  made  use  of  his  in- 
fluence to  obtain  permission  to  build  a 
temple  in  Egypt  like  that  at  Jerusalem, 
with  a  grant  that  he  and  his  descend- 
ants  should  always   have   a    right    to 
officiate  in  it  as  high-priests.    In  order 
to  obtain  this,  he  alleged  that  it  would 
be   for  the  interest  of  Egypt,   by   in- 
ducing many  Jews  to  come  and  reside 
there,    and    that    their    going    annu- 
ally to  Jerusalem  to  attend  the   great 
feasts  would  expose  them  to  alienation 
from  the  Egyptians,  to  join  the  Syrian 
interest.     See  Prideaux's  Connections, 
under  the   year  149    B.  C.     Josephus 
expressly  tells  us  (Ant.  B.  xiii   ch.  iii. 
§  1,  2,  3),  that  in  order  to  obtain  this 
favour,    he    urged    that   it    had    been 
predicted  by  Isaiah  six  hundred  years 
before,  and  that  in  consequence  of  this, 
Ptolemy    granted    him    permission    to 
build  the  temple,  and  that  it  was  built  at 
Leontopolis.    It  resembled  that  at  Jeru- 
salem,but  was  smallerand  less  splendid. 
It  was  within  the  Nomos  or  prefecture 
of  Heliopolis,  at  the  distance  of  twenty- 
four  miles  from  Memphis.     Onias  pre- 
tended that  the  very  place  was  foretold 
Dy  Isaiah,  and  this  would  seem  to  sup- 
pose that  the  ancient  reading  was  that 
of  "the   city  of  the   sun."     He  urged 
this  prediction  in  order  to  reconcile  the 
Jews  to   the  idea    of   another  temple 
besides   that   at  Jerusalem,  because   a 
temple  erected  in  Egypt   would  be  an 
object  of  disapprobation  to  the  Jews  in 
Palestine.     Perhaps  for  the  same  rea- 
son the    translation    of  Isaiah  in    the 
Septuagint   renders  this,  "  the  city  of 
Asedek"  daeAe*,  as  if  the  original  were 
Mfe-'IS  tzeddkd — the  city  of  righteous- 
ness— i.  e.  a  city  where  righteousness 
dwells  ;  or  a  city  which  was  approved 
by  God.     But  this  is  manifestly  a  cor- 
ruption of  the  Hebrew  text.     It  may  be 
proper  to  remark  that  the  change  in  the 
Hebrew   between    the    word  rendered 
destruction,  S"!^  hires,  and   the  word 
''sun,"  O^n  hheres,  is  a   change  of  a 
single  letter  where  one  might  be  easily 


mistaken  for  the  other ;  the  change  of 
f"1  into  H.     This  might   have   occurred 
by  the  error  of  a  transcriber,  though  the 
circumstances  would  lead  us  to  think  it 
not  improbable  that  it  may  have  been 
made   designedly,  but  by  whom  is  un- 
known.    It  may  have   been  originally 
as    Onias    pretended,    and    have  been 
subsequently  altered    by   the   Jews   to 
counteract  the  authority  which  he  urged 
for   building  a   temple  in   Egypt ;  but 
there  is  no  certain  evidence  of  it      The 
evidence  from  MSS.  is  greatly  in  favour 
of  the  reading    as   in    our   translation 
^"ll    hires  ,  and  this  may  be  render- 
ed either  destruction,  or  more  probably, 
according  to  Gewnius,  deliverance,  so 
called  from  the  deliverance  that  would 
be  brought  to  it  by  the   promised  sa- 
viour. Ver.  20.     It  may  be  added,  that 
there  is  no  evidence  that  Isaiah  meant 
to  designate  the  city  where  Onias  built 
the   temple,  but  merely  to  predict  that 
many  cities   in  Egypt   would   be  con- 
verted, one  of  which  would  be  the  one 
here  designated.   Onias  took  advantage 
of  this,  and   made  an  artful  use  of  it, 
but  it  was  manifestly  not  the  design  of 
Isaiah.     Which  is  the   true  reading  of 
the  passage  it  is  impossible  now  to  de- 
termine ;  nor  is  it  important.     I  think 
the  most  probable  interpretation  is  that 
which  supposes   that   Isaiah  meant   to 
refer  to  a  city  saved  from  destruction, 
as  mentioned   in   ver.  20,  and  that  he 
did  not  design    to  designate   any  par- 
ticular  city   by   name. — The   city   of 
Heliopolis  was  situated  on  the  Pelusian 
branch   of  the   Nile,  about   five   miles 
below  the   point  of  the  ancient  Delta. 
It  was  deserted  in  the  time  of  Strabo. 
And    this     geographer    mentions    its 
mounds  of  ruin,  but  the   houses  were 
shown  in    which    Eudoxus  and  Plate 
had  studied.     The  place  was  celebrated 
for  its  learning  and  its  temple  dedicated 
1  to  the  sun.     There  are  now  no  ruins  of 
!  ancient  buildings,  unless   the  mounds 
can   be   regarded  as  such ;  the    walls, 
however,  can  still  be  traced,  and  there 
is  an  entire  obelisk  still  standing.  This 
obelisk  is  of  red  granite,  about  seventy 
feet  high,  and  from  its  great  antiquity 
has  excited  much  attention  among  the 


360 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


19   In  that  day  shall   there  be 
an  altar  to  the  Lord  in  the  midst 


learned.  In  the  neighbouring  villages 
there  fire  many  fragments  which  have 
been  evidently  transferred  from  ihis 
city  Dr.  Robinson,  who  visited  n, 
says,  that  "  the,  site  is  about  two  hours 
N.  N .  E.  from  Cairo.  The  way  thither 
passes  along  the  edge  of  the  desert, 
which  is  continually  making  encroach- 
meuts,  so  soon  as  there  ceases  to  be  a 
supply  of  water  for  the  surface  df. the 
mound. — The  site  of  Heliopolis  is  mark- 
ed by  low  mounds,  inclosing  a  space 
about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  length, 
by  half  a   mile   in   breadth,  which  was 


of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  a  pillar* 
at  the  border  thereoFto  the  Lord. 

h  Gen.  28.  18.    Ex.  24.  4. 

once  occupied  by  houses,  and  partly  by 
the  celebrated  temple  of  the  sun.  This 
area  is  now  a  ploughed  field,  a  garden 
of  herbs  ;  and  the  solitary  obelisk  which 
rises  in  the  midst  is  the  sole  remnant 
ol  the  splendour  of  the  place. — Near  bv 
it  is  a  very  old  sycamore",  its  trunk 
straggling  and  gnarled,  under  which 
legendary  tradition  relates  that  the 
holy  family  once  rested."  Bibli  Re- 
search, i.  3<i,  37.  The  annexed  cut, 
from  the  Pictorial  Bible,  will  give  an 
idea  of  the  present  appearance  of  He- 
liopolis. 


PLAIN    AND    OBELISK    OF    HELIOPOLIS. 


19.   In  Ihnt   dan    shall   there    tie   an  altar  was   to  be  erected    for  sacrifices. 

*//•;;-.      An  altar  is i  properly  a-  place  oil  Hut   the   word   altar  is   often  used  in 

which  sacrifices  are  offered.     Accord-  j  another   sense    to    denote    a  place  of 

ng  to   the    Mosaic   law  but   one  great  |  memorial:    or  a  place  of    worship  in 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


otH 


20  And  it  shall  be  for  a  sign* 
and  for  a  witness  unto  the  Lord 
of  hosts  in  the   land  of  Egypt : 

k  Josh.  4.  20. 

general     Josh.  xxii.  22,  23,  24,  25,  26. 

It  is  clear  that  Isaiah  did  not  intend 
that  this  should  be  taken  literally,  or 
that  there  should  be  a  rival  temple  and 
altar  erected  in  Egypt,  but  his  descrip- 
tion is  evidently  taken  in  part  from  the 
account  of  the  religion  of  the  patriarchs 
who  erected  altars  and  pillars  and 
monuments  to  mark  the  places  of  the 
worship  of  the  true  God.  The  parallel- 
ism here  where  pillars  are  mentioned, 
shows  in  what  sense  the  word  altar  is 
used  It  means  that  the  worship  of  the 
true  God  would  be  established  in  Egypt, 
and  that  certain  places  should  be  set 
apart  to  his  service.  Altars  were 
among  the  first  places  reared  as  con- 
nected with  the  worship  of  God.  Sec 
Gen.  viii.  20,  xii.  7,  xxxv.  1.  Ex.  xvii. 
15.  If  To  the  Lord.  To  Jehovah — 
the  true  God.  IT  And  a  pillar.  That 
is,  a  memorial  to  God.  Thus  Jacob  set 
up  the  stone  on  which  he  had  lain  "  for 
a  pillar,"  and  poured  oil  on  it.  Gen. 
xxviii.  ]8.  Again  (Gen.  xxxv.  14),  he 
set  up  a  pillar  to  mark  the  place  where 
God  met  him  and  talked  with  him. 
Comp.  Gen.  xxxi.  13.  Lev.  xxvi.  1. 
Deut.  xvi.  22  The  word  "  pillar," 
when  thus  used,  denotes  a  stone,  or 
column  of  wood  erected  as  a  monument 
or  memorial ;  and  especially  a  memorial 
of  some  manifestation  of  God  or  of  his 
favour.  Before  temples  were  known, 
such  pillars  would  naturally  be  erected  ; 
and  the  description  here  means  simply 
that  Jehovah  would  be  worshipped  in 
Egypt.  IT  At  the  border  thereof.  Not 
in  one  place  merely,  but  in  all  parts  of 
Egypt.  It  is  not  improbable  that  the 
name  of  Jehovah,  or  some  rude  desig- 
nation of  the  nature  of  his  worship, 
would  be  inscribed  on  such  pillars.  It 
is  known  that  the  Egyptians  were  ac- 
customed to  rear  pillars,  monuments, 
obelisks,  &.c.  to  commemorate  great 
even's,  and  that  the  names  and  deeds 
of  illustrious  persons  were  engraven  on 
them  ;  and  the  prophet  here  says,  that 
euch  monuments  should  be  reared  to 
1G 


for  they  shall  cry  unto  the  Lord 
because  of  the  oppressors,  and 
he    shall   send  them  a  saviour, 


Jehovah.  In  regard  to  the  fulfilment 
of  this  prophecy,  there  can  be  no  ques- 
tion. After  the  time  of  Alexander  the 
Great  large  numbers  of  Jews  were 
settled  in  Egypt.  Tbev  were  favoured 
by  the  Ptolemies,  and  they  became  so 
numerous  that  it  was  deemed  necessary 
that  their  Scriptures  should  be  trans- 
lated into  Greek  for  their  use.  and  ac- 
cordingly the  translation  called  the 
Septuagint  was  made.  See  the  Intio- 
duction,  §  8,1,  (1.) 

20.  And  it  shall  be  for  a  sign.    The 
altar,  and  the  pillar.     This  shows  that 
the  altar  was  not  to  be  for  sacrifice,  but 
was  a  memorial,  or  designed  to  desig- 
nate a  place  of  worship      IT  They  shall 
cry  to  the  Lord  because  of  the  oppres- 
sors.    That   is,   oppressed    and    borne 
down  under  the  exactions  of  their  rulers, 
they  shall   seek  deliverance   from   the 
:  true  God — one  instance  among  many 
of  the  effect  of  affliction  and  oppression 
in   leading  men   to   embrace  the   true 
!  religion.     11  And  he  shall  send  them  a 
,  saviour.      Who  this  saviour  would  be, 
I  has  been  a  subject  on  which  there  has 
i  been    a    great    difference    of    opinion. 
Grotius  supposes  that  it  would  be  the 
!  angel  by  which  the  army  of  Sennache- 
i  rib    would    be    destroyed.      Gesenius 
thinks  it  was  Psammetichus.who  would 
deliver  them  from   the  tyranny  of  the 
eleven  kings  who  were  contending  with 
each  other,  or  that,  since  in  ver.  4  he 
;  is  called  a  '  severe  lord,'   it  is  probable 
|  that  the   promise  here  is  to  be  under- 
]  stood    of    a    delivering    or    protecting 
j  angel.     But    it   is    evident    that   some 
person  is  here  denoted  who  would  be 
i  sent  subsequently  to  the  national  judg- 
ments which  are  here  designated.    Dr. 
;  Gill  supposes  that  by  the  saviour  here 
is  meant  the  Messiah  ;  but   this  inter- 
pretation does  not  suit  the  connection, 
for   it   is  evident    that  the  event  here 
predicted  was  to  take  place  before  the 
coming  of  Christ     Vitringa  and  Bishop 
Newton  suppose  with  more  probability 
that   Alexander  the  Great   is   here   re- 


362 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


and  a  great  one,  and  he  shall 
deliver  them. 

21  And   the    Lokd   shall    be 

ferred  to,  who  took  possession  of  Egypt 
after  his  conquest  in  the  East,  and  who 
might  he  called  a  saviour,  inasmuch  as 
he  delivered  them  from  the  reign  of 
the  oppressive  ki'^s  who  had  tyran- 
nized there,  and  inasmuch  as  his  reign 
and  the  reigns  of  those  who  succeeded 
him  in  Egypt,  would  be  much  more 
mild  than  that  of  the  former  kings  of 
that  country.  That  Alexander  the 
Great  was  regarded  by  the  Egyptians 
as  a  saviour  or  deliverer  is  apparent 
from  history.  Upon  his  coming  to 
Egypt  the  people  submitted  to  him 
cheerfully,  out  of  hatred  to  the  Persians, 
bo  that  he  became  master  of  the  coun- 
try without  any  opposition.  Diod  Sic. 
L.  17.  c.  49  ;  Arrian  L.  3,  c  1  ;  Quint. 
Curtius  L.  4.  c  7, 8,  as  quoted  by  New- 
ton. He  treated  them  with  much  kind- 
ness ;  built  the  city  of  Alexandria, 
calling  it  after  his  own  name,  design- 
ing to  make  it  the  capital  of  his  em- 
pire ;  and  under  him  and  the  Ptolemies 
who  succeeded  him  trade  revived,  com- 
merce flourished,  learning  was  patron- 
ized, and  peace  and  plenty  blessed  the 
land.  Among  other  things,  Alexander 
transplanted  many  Jews  into  Alexan- 
dria, and  granted  them  many  privileges 
equal  to  the  Macedonians  themselves. 
Joseph  Jew.  Wars,  B.  ii.  ch.  xviii.  §  7. 
Against  Apion,  B.  ii.  §  4.  "  The  ar- 
rival of  Alexander,"  says  Wilkinson, 
(Manners  and  Customs  of  the  Ancient 
Egyptians,  vol.  i.  213,  214,)  "was 
greeted  with  universal  satisfaction. 
Their  hatred  of  the  Persians,  and  their 
frequent  alliances  with  the  Greeks, 
who  had  fought  under  the  same  ban- 
ners against  a  common  enemy,  natu- 
rally taught  the  Egyptians  to  welcome 
the  Macedonian  army  with  the  strong- 
est demonstrations  of  friendship,  and 
to  consider  their  coming  as  a  direct 
interposition  of  the  gods  ;  and  so  wise 
and  considerate  was  the  conduct  of  the 
early  Ptolemies,  that  they  almost  ceased 
to  regret  the  period  when  they  were 
governed,    by    their    native    princes." 


known  to  Egypt,  and  the  Egyp- 
tians shall  know  the  Lord  in  that 
day,  and  shall  do"  sacrifice  and 

n  Mai   1.  11. 

Under  the  Ptolemie9,  large  numbers  of 
the  Jews  settled  in  Egypt.  For  their 
use,  as  has  been  remarked,  the  Old 
Testament  was  translated  into  Greek, 
and  a  temple  was  built  by  Onias  under 
the  sixth  Ptolemy.  Philo  represents 
the  number  of  the  Jews  in  Egypt  in 
his  time  at  not  less  than  one  million. 
They  were  settled  in  nearly  all  parts 
of  Egypt  ;  but  particularly  in  H'diopo- 
lis  or  the  city  of  the  Sun,  in  Riigdot, 
in  Tahpanes,  in  Noph  or  Memphis,  in 
Pathros  or  Thebais  (Jer.  xliv.  1) — per- 
haps the  five  cities  referred  to  in  ver. 
18.  V  And  a  great  one.  3"^V  A 
mighty  one  ;  a  powerful  saviour.  The 
name  "great"  has  been  commonly 
assigned  to  Alexander.  The  LXX 
render  this  "judging  (•.pivow)  he  shal 
save  them  ;"  evidently  regarding  2*1 
as  derived  from  s^n  to  manage  a 
cause,  or  to  judge.  Lowth  renders  it 
•'  a  vindicator."  The  word  means 
great,  mighty ;  and  is  repeatedly  ap- 
plied to  a  prince,  chief,  or  captain. 
2  Kings  xxv.  8.  Dan.  i.  3  Esth.  i.  8. 
Dan.  v.  11,  ii.  4b. 

21.  And  the  Lord  shall  be  known  to 
Egypt.  Shall  be  worshipped  and  hon- 
oured by  the  Jews  who  shall  dwell 
there,  and  by  those  who  shall  be  pro- 
selyted to  their  religion.  ^  And  the 
Egyptians  shall  know  the  Lord.  That 
many  of  the  Egyptians  would  be  con- 
verted to  the  Jewish  religion  there  can 
be  no  doubt.  This  was  the  result  in 
a!l  countries  where  the  Jews  had  a 
residence.  Comp.  Notes  Acts  ii.  9-1 1. 
f  And  shall  do  sacrifice.  Shall  offer 
sacrifices  to  Jehovah.  They  would 
naturally  go  to  Jerusalem  as  often  as 
practicable,  and  unite  with  the  Jews 
there  in  the  customary  rites  of  their 
religion.  IT  And  oblation.  The  word 
nn?T0  minhha — oblation — denotes  any 
offering  that  is  not  a  bloody  sacrifice— 
a  thank-offering  ;  an  offering  of  in- 
cense, flour,  grain,  &c.  See  Notes  ch. 
i.  13.     The  sense  is,  that  they  should 


B.C. IIS.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


363 


oblation  ;  yea,  they  shall  vow  a 
vow  unto  the  Lord,  and  perform 
it. 

22  And  the  Lord  shall  smite 
Egypt ;  he  shall  smite  and  heal 
it :  and  they  shall  return  even  to 
the  Lord,  and  he  shall  be  en- 
treated of  them,  and  shall  heal 
them. 

23  In  that  day  shall  there  be 


be  true  worshippers  of  God.  H  They 
shall  vow  a  vow,  &c.  They  shall  be 
sincere  and  true  worshippers  of  God. 
The  large  numbers  of  the  Jews  that 
dwelt  there ;  the  fact  that  many  of 
them  doubtless  were  sincere  ;  the  cir- 
cumstances recorded  (Acts  ii  9—11), 
that  Jews  were  in  Jerusalem  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost ;  and  the  fact  that  the 
true  religion  was  carried  to  Egypt,  and 
the  Christian  religion  established  there, 
ail  show  how  fully  this  prediction  was 
fulfilled. 

22.  And  the  Lord  shall  smite  Esypt. 
That  is,  in  the  manner  described  in  the 
previous  part  of  this  prophecy  (ver.  2— 
10).  And  heal  it.  Or  restore  it — to 
more  than  its  former  splendour  and 
prosperity — as  described  in  the  previous 
verses  (vs.  18-20).  He  shall  send  it 
a  saviour  ;  he  shall  open  new  sources 
of  prosperity  ;  and  he  shall  cause  the 
true  religion  to  flourish  there.  These 
advantages  would  be  more  than  a  com- 
pensation for  all  the  calamities  that  he 
would  bring  upon  it.  TT  And  they  shall 
return,  &c.  These  calamities  shall  be 
the  means  of  their  conversion  to  Jeho- 
vah. 

23.  There  shall  be  a  highway.  A 
communication  ;  that  is,  there  shall  be 
an  alliance  between  Egypt  and  Assy- 
ria as  constituting  parts  of  one  empire, 
and  as  united  in  the  service  of  the  true 
God.  The  same  figure  of  a  highway 
is  found  in  ch.  xi.  16.  See  Note  on 
that  place.  The  truth  was,  that  Alex- 
ander, by  his  conquests,  subjected  As- 
syria and  Egypt,  and  they  constituted 
parts  of  his  empire,  and  were  united 
*nder  him.    It  was  trua  also  that  there 


a  ^highway  out  of  Egypt  to  Ax 
syria ;  and  the  Assyrian  shall 
come  into  Egypt,  and  the  Egyp- 
tian into  Assyria  ;  and  the  Egyp. 
tians  shall  serve  with  the  Assy- 
rians. 

24  In  that  day  shall  Israel  be 
be  the  third  with  Eiiypt  and  with 
Assyria,  even  a  blessing  in  the 
midst  of  the  land. 

q  ch.  11   16 

were  large  numbers  of  Jews  in  both 
these  countries,  and  that  they  were 
united  in  the  service  of  the  true  God. 
They  worshipped  him  in  those  coun- 
tries ;  and  they  met  at  Jerusalem  at 
the  great  feasts,  and  thus  Judah,  As- 
syria, and  Egypt,  were  united  in  his 
worship.  H  And  the  Assyrian  shall 
come  into  Egypt.  There  shall  be  free 
and  uninterrupted  intercourse  between 
the  two  nations,  as  parts  of  the  same 
empire.  H  And  the  Egyptians  shall 
serve  with  the  Assyrians.  In  the  same 
armies  ;  under  the  same  leader.  This 
was  the  case  under  Alexander  the 
Great.  Or  the  word  serve  may  mean 
that  they  would  serve  God  unitedly. 
So  Lowth  and  Noyes  render  it. 

24.  In  that  day  shall  Israel  be  the 
third.  That  is,  the  three  shall  be 
united  as  one  people.  Instead  of  being 
rival,  hostile,  and  contending  king- 
doms, they  shall  be  united  and  friend- 
ly ;  and  instead  of  having  different  and 
jarring  religions,  they  shall  all  worship 
the  same  God.  The  prophecy  rather 
refers  to  the  spread  of  the  true  religion, 
and  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  than 
to  a  political  or  civil  alliance.  1T  Even 
a  blessing.  It  shall  be  a  source  of 
blessing,  because  from  Judea  the  true 
religion  would  extend  into  the  other 
lands.  IT  In  the  midst  of  the  land. 
That  is,  the  united  land — composed 
of  the  three  nations  now  joined  in  al- 
liance. Judea  was  situated  in  the 
midst  of  this  united  land,  or  occupied 
a  central  position  between  the  two.  It 
was  also  true  that  it  occupied  a  cen- 
tral position  in  regard  to  the  whole 
earth,  and  that  from  it,  as  a  radiating 


364 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.713. 


25  Whom  the  Loud  of  hosts 
shall  bless,  saying,  Blessed  be 
Egypt  my   people/  and  Assyria 

point,  the  true   religion  was   dissemi- 
nated throughout  all  nations. 

2o.  Wlwm  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall 
bless.  That  is,  which  united  country 
he  shall  acknowledge  as  truly  worship- 
ping hun,  and  on  which  he  shall  be- 
stow his  favours  as  his  favoured  people. 
II  Assyria  the  work  of  my  hands.  This 
is  synonymous  with  the  expression 
•  my  people.'  It  means  that  the  ar- 
rangements by  which  the  true  religion 
would  be  established  among  them, 
were  the  work  of  God.  Conversion  to 
God  is  every  where  in  the  Scriptures 
spoken  of  as  his  work,  or  creation.  See 
Eph  ii.  10:  "For  we  are  his  work- 
manship ;  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto 
good  works"  Comp.  2  Cor.  v.  17.  Ps. 
c.  3.     Tf  Israel  mine  inheritance.    The 


the  work"  of  my  hands,  and   Is- 
rael mine  inheritance. 


t  1  Pet.  2.  10. 


u  Eph.  2.  10. 


land  and  people  which  is  peculiarly  my 
own — a  name  not  unfrequently  given 
to  Israel.  For  a  learned  examination 
of  the  various  hypotheses  in  regard  to 
the  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy,  see 
Vitringa.  He  himself  applies  it  to  the 
times  succeeding  Alexander  the  Great. 
Alexander  he  regards  as  the  "  saviour" 
mentioned  in  ver.  2U  ;  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  true  religion  referred 
to  by  the  prophet  as  that  which  would 
take  place  under  the  Ptolemies.  Vi- 
tringa has  proved — what  indeed  is 
known  to  all  who  have  the  slightest 
knowledge  of  history — that  there  were 
large  numbers  of  Jews  under  the  Pto- 
lemies in  Egypt,  and  that  multitudes 
became  proselytes  to  the  Jewish  faith. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


ANALYSIS. 


This  prophecy  occupies  this  single  chapter.  Its  design  and  scope  it  is  not  difficult  to  understand 
The  time  when  it  was  delivered  is  designated  in  ver.  1.  and  was  manifestly  in  the  reign  of  Hezekiah. 
The  Assyrian  empire  had  extended  its  conquests  over  Syria,  Damascus,  and  Ephraim  or  Humana. 
2  Kings  xviii.  9—12.  The  king  of  Assyria  had  sent  Tartan  to  take  possession  of  Ashdod  or  Azolus, 
the  maritime  key  of  Palestine,  and  there  was  evident  danger  that  the  Assyrians  would  overtlnow 
the  government  of  Judah.  and  secure  also  the  conquest  of  Egypt  In  these  circumstances  ol  danger, 
the  main  reliance  of  Judah  was  on  the  aid  which  they  hoped  to  derive  Ironi  Egypt  and  Ethiopia 
(ver  Ii),  as  being  alone  aide  to  repel  the  Assyrians.  They  relied  rather  on  that  aid  than  OH  (-u  I.  To 
recall  them  Irom  this,  and  to  show  them  the  vanity  of  such  a  dependence,  and  to  lead  them  to  rely 
on  God  Isaiah  was  sent  to  them  to  be  a  sign  ;  or  to  indicate  by  a  symbolical  acliou  what  would  be 
the  fate  ol  the  Egyptians  on  whom  they  were  placing  their  reliance,  ver  4.  By  showing  the  Jt-ws 
what  would  he  the  destiny  of  Egypt,  he  designed  to  withdraw  them  from  resting  on  their  assistance, 
and  to  turn  them  to  God  for  protection  and  aid. 


I  In  the  year"  that  Tartan 
came   unto   Ashdod,  (when  Sar- 

V  2  Kings  18.  17. 

1.  In  the  year  that  Tartan  came  un- 
to Adhdod.  Tartan  was  one  of  the 
generals  of  Sennacherib.  Ashdod,  call- 
ed by  the  Greeks  Azotus,  was  a  sea- 
port on  the  .Mediterranean  between 
Askejon  and  Ekron,  and  not  far  from 
Gaza.   Reland.  Palaa.  Lib.  iii.     It  was 


gon  the  king  of  Assyria  sent 
him,)  and  fought  against  Ashdcd 
and  took  it  ; 

one  of  the  five  cities  of  the  Philistines, 
assigned  to  the  tribe  of  Judah,  but 
never  conquered  by  them.  Josh.  xiii. 
8,  xv.  4C,  47.  The  temple  of  Dagon 
stood  here  ;  and  liitiier  the  ark  of  God 
was  brought  after  the  fatal  battle  of 
Ebenezer.     1  Sam.  v.  I,  seti.      It   sus 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


305 


2  At  the  same  time  spake  the 
Lor  j  'by  Isaiah  the  son  of  Amoz, 
saying,  Go,  and  loose  the  sauk- 

6  by  the  hand  of. 

tained  many  sieges,  and  was  regarded 
as  an  important  place  in  respect  to 
Palestine,  and  also  to  Egypt.  It  was 
taken  by  Tartan,  and  remained  in  the 
possession  of  the  Assyrians  until  it  was 
besieged  by  Psammetichus  the  Egyp- 
tian king,  who  took  it  after  a  siege  of 
twenty-nine  years.  Herod,  ii.  157.  It 
was  about  thirty  miles  from  Gaza.  It 
is  now  a  small  village,  and  is  called 
Esdud.  It  was  besieged  and  taken  by 
Tartan  as  preparatory  to  the  conquest 
of  Kgypt ;  and  if  the  king  who  is  here 
called  Sargort  was  Sennacherib,  it  is 
probable  that  it  was  taken  before  he 
threatened  Jerusalem,  f  Sargun  the 
king  of  Assyria.  Who  this  Sargon 
was,  is  not  certainly  known.  Some 
have  supposed  that  it  was  Sennacherib  ; 
others  that  it  was  Shalmaneser  the 
father  of  Sennacherib,  and  others  that 
it  was  Esar-Haddon  the  successor  of 
Sennacherib.  Michaelis.  RosenmUller 
and  Gesenius  suppose  that  it  was  a 
king  who  reigned  between  Shalmaneser 
and  Sennacherib.  Tartan  is  known  to 
have  been  a  general  of  Sennacherib 
(2  Kings  xviii.  17),  and  it  is  natural 
iO  suppose  that  he  is  here  intended. 
Jerome  says  that  Sennacherib  had 
seven  names,  and  Kimchi  says  that  he 
had  eight ;  and  it  is  not  improbable  that 
Sargon  was  one  of  those  names.  Ori- 
ental princes  often  had  several  names  ; 
and  hence  the  difficulty  of  identifying 
them.    See  Vitringa  on  this  place. 

2.  By  Isaiah.  Marg.  "  By  the  hand 
of  Isaiah."  So  the  Hebrew.  That  is, 
by  the  instrumentality  of  Isaiah.  He 
sent  him  to  make  known  the  fate  of 
the  Egyptians,  and  the  folly  of  trusting 
ill  them  on  this  occasion.  TT  Go,  and 
loose  the  sackcloth.  For  the  meaning 
of  the  word  sackcloth,  see  Note.ch  iii. 
24.  It  was  commonly  worn  as  an 
emblem  of  mourning.  But  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  it  was  worn  also 
">y  the  prophets,  and  was  regarded, 
11  some  degree,  aa   th-ur  appropriate 


cloth  from  off  thy  loins,  and  put 
off  thy  shoe  from  thy  foot.  And 
he  did  so,  walking  naked  and 
barefoot. 

dress.  It  was  made  usually  of  the 
coarse  hair  of  the  goat,  and  was  worn 
as  a  zone  or  girdle  around  the  loins. 
That  this  was  the  dress  of  Elijah  is 
apparent  from  2  Kings  i.  8 :  "  He  was 
an  hairy  man,  and  girt  with  a  girdle  of 
leather;"  that  is,  he  was  clothed  in  a 
garment  made  of  hair.  The  same  was 
true  of  John  the  Baptist.  iVIatth.  iii.  4. 
That  the  prophets  wore  "  a  rough  gar- 
ment" is  apparent  also  from  Zech.  xiii. 
4:  "  Neither  shall  they  (the  false  pro- 
phets) wear  a  rough  garment  (Heb.  a 
garment  of  hair)  to  deceive  ;"  i.  e.  the 
false  prophets  shall  not  assume  the 
dress  of  the  true  prophets  for  the  pur- 
pose of  deluding  the  people,  or  to  make 
them  think  that  they  are  true  pro- 
phets. It  is  evident,  therefore,  that 
this  hairy  garment  was  regarded  as  a 
dress  that  appertained  particularly  to 
the  prophets.  It  is  well  known,  also, 
that  the  ancient  Greek  philosophers 
had  a  peculiar  dress  to  distinguish 
them  from  the  common  people.  Proba- 
bly the  custom  of  wearing  hair  cloth 
among  the  monks  of  later  ages  took  its 
rise  from  this  example  of  the  prophets. 
His  removing  this  garment  was  designed 
to  be  a  sign  or  an  emblem  to  show  that 
the  Egyptians  should  be  stripped  of  all 
their  possessions,  and  carried  captive 
to  Assyria.  IT  Walking  naked.  That 
is,  walking  without  this  peculiar  pro- 
phetic garment.  Tt  does  not  mean  that 
he  was  in  a  state  of  entire  nudity  ;  for 
all  that  he  was  directed  to  do  was  to 
lay  this  garment — this  emblem  of  his 
office — aside.  The  word  naked,  more- 
over, is  used  in  the  Scriptures,  not  to 
denote  an  absolute  destitution  of  cloth- 
ing, but  that  the  outer  garment  was 
laid  aside.  See  Note  John  xxi.  7. 
Thus  it  is  said  of  Saul  (1  Sam.  xix.  24) 
that  he  "  stripped  off  his  clothes  also, 
and  prophesied  before  Samuel,  and  lay 
down  naked  all  that  day ;"  i.  e.  he 
stripped  off  his  royal  robes,  and  was 
naked    or    unclothed  in   that    respect. 


366 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


3  And  the  Lord  said,  Like  as 
my  servant  Isaiah   hath   walked 

He  removed  his  peculiar  dress  aa  a 
king,  or  military  chieftain,  and  ap- 
peared in  the  ordinary  dress.  It  can- 
not be  supposed  that  the  king  of  Israel 
would  be  seen  literally  wi.hout  rai- 
ment. So  David  is  saiu  to  have  danced 
nuked  before  the  ark,  i.  e.  with  his 
loyal  rubes  laid  aside. — How  /oh? 
Isaiah  walked  in  this  manner  has  been 
a  matter  of  doubt.  See  Note  on  v.  3. 
The  prophets  were  accustomed  to  use 
symbolical  actions  to  denote  the  events 
which  they  foretold.  See  Note  ch.  viii. 
18.  Thus  the  children  of  Isaiah,  and 
the  names  given  to  them,  were  signifi- 
cant of  important  events  ;  ch.  viii.  1,  2, 
3,  comp.  Jeremiah  xviii.  1-6,  xliii.  8, 
I)  ;  in  both  of  which  places  he  used  em- 
blematic actions  to  exhibit  the  events 
concerning  which  he  prophesied  in  a 
striking  manner.  Thus  also  the  pro- 
phets are  expressly  called  "  signs,  and 
wonders"     Zech.  iii.  8.  Ez.  xii.  6. 

3.  Like  as.  That  is, '  as  Isaiah  has 
gone  stripped  of  his  peculiar  garment 
as  a  prophet,  so  shall  the  Egyptians 
and  Ethiopians  be  stripped  of  all  that 
they  value,  and  be  carried  captive  into 
Assyria.'  IT  Hath  walked — three  years. 
A  great  deal  of  difficulty  has  been  felt 
in  the  interpretation  of  this  place,  from 
the  strong  improbability  that  Isaiah 
should  have  gone  in  this  manner  for  a 
space  of  time  so  long  as  our  translation 
e.\presses.  The  LXX  render  this,  "  as 
my  servant  Isaiah  hath  walked  naked 
and  barefoot  three  years,  three  years 
shall  be  for  signs  and  wonders  to  the 
Egyptians  and  Ethiopians."  The  phrase 
in  the  Hebrew,  "  three  years,"  may 
either  be  taken  in  connection  with  the 
preceding  part  of  the  sentence,  as  in 
our  translation,  meaning  that  he  actu- 
ally walked  so  long ;  or  it  may  be 
taken  with  that  which  follows,  and 
.hen  it  will  denote  that  he  was  a  sign 
and  wonder  with  reference  to  the  cap- 
tivity of  the  Egyptians  and  Ethiopians  ; 
and  that  by  this  symbolical  action  he, 
in  some  way,  indicated  that  they  would 
be  carried  away  captive  for  that  space 


naked  and   barefoot  three  years 
for    a   sign    and    wonder    upon 


of  time  ;  or,  as  Aben  Ezra  and  Abar- 
benel  suppose,  that  he  signified  that 
their  captivity  would  commence  after 
three  years.  Lowth  supposes  that  it 
means  that  his  walking  was  for  three 
days,  and  that  the  Hebrew  text  has 
been  corrupted.  Vitringa  also  s<<  ms 
to  suppose  that  this  is  possible,  and 
that  a  day  was  a  symbolical  sign  for  a 
year.  RosemnUller  supposes  that  this 
prophetic  action  was  continued  during 
three  years  at  intervals,  so  that  the 
subject  might  be  kept  before  the  mind 
of  the  people.  But  the  supposition  that 
this  means  that  the  symbolic  action  of 
walking  naked  and  barefoot  continued 
for  so  long  a  time  in  any  manner,  is 
highly  improbable.  (1.)  The  Hebrew 
does  not  necessarily  require  it  It  may 
mean  simply  that  his  actions  were  a 
sign  and  wonder  with  reference  to  a 
three-years'  captivity  of  the  Egyptians. 
(2.)  It  is  in  itself  improbable  that  he 
should  so  long  a  time  walk  about  Jeru- 
salem expressly  as  a  sign  and  wonder, 
when  a  much  shorter  period  would 
have  answered  the  purpose  as  well. 
(3.)  Such  a  sign  would  have  hardly 
met  the  circumstances  of  the  case. 
Ashdod  was  taken.  The  Assyrian 
king  was  advancing.  The  Jews  were 
in  consternation  and  looking  to  Egypt 
for  help  ;  and  amidst  this  agitation  and 
alarm,  there  is  the  highest  improbability 
that  Isaiah  would  be  required  to  remain 
a  sign  and  wonder  for  the  long  space 
of  three  years,  when  decided  action  was 
needed,  and  when,  unless  prevented, 
the  Jews  would  have  formed  a  speedy 
alliance  with  the  Egyptians.  1  sup- 
pose, therefore,  that  the  entire  sense 
of  the  phrase  will  be  expressed  by 
translating  it,  '  my  servant  Isaiah  hath 
walked  naked  and  barefoot,  a  three- 
years'  sign  and  wonder ;'  that  is,  a  sign 
and  indication  that  a  three-years'  ca- 
lamity would  come  upon  Egypt  an«> 
Ethiopia.  Whether  this  means  thai 
the  calamity  would  commence  in  three 
years  from  that  time,  or  that  it  should 
continue  three  years,  perhaps  we  can- 


B.C.1VS.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


361 


Egypt  and  upon  Ethiopia  ; 

4  So  shall  the  king  of  Assyria 
lead  away  the  'Egyptians  pri- 
soners, and  the  Ethiopians  cap- 
tives, young  and  old,  naked  and 
barefoot,  even  with  their  buttocks 
uncovered,  to  the  2shame  of 
Egypt. 

5  And    they    shall    be    afraid 

1  captivity  of  Egypt.  2  nakedness. 

not  determine.  Grotius  thinks  that  it 
means  that  it  would  occur  after  three 
years  ;  that  is,  that  the  war  between 
the  Assyrians  and  Ethiopians  would 
continue  during  that  time  only.  In 
what  manner  Isaiah  indicated  this,  is 
not  certainly  known.  The  conjecture 
of  Lowth  is  not  improbable,  that  it  was 
by  appearing  three  days  naked  and 
Darefoot,  and  that  each  day  denoted  a 
year.  Or  it  may  have  been  that  he 
appeared  in  this  manner  for  a  short 
period — though  but  once — and  declared 
that  this  was  the  design  or  purport  of 
the  action.  H  Upon  Egypt,  &c.  With 
reference  to  ;  or  as  a  sign  in  regard  to 
Egypt.  It  does  not  mean  that  he  was 
in  Egypt,  but  that  his  action  had 
reference  to  Egypt.  IT  And  Ethiopia. 
Heb.  UJia — Cush.  See  Note,  ch.  xi. 
*  I.  Whether  this  denotes  the  African 
Cush  or  Ethiopia,  or  whether  it  refers 
to  the  Cush  in  Arabia,  cannot  be  de- 
termined. The  latter  is  the  more 
probable  supposition,  as  it  is  scarcely 
probable  that  the  Assyrian  would  ex- 
tend his  conquests  south  of  Egypt  so 
as  to  subdue  the  African  Ethiopia. 
Probably  his  conquest  embraced  the 
Cush  that  was  situated  in  the  southern 
regions  of  Arabia. 

4.  So  shall  the  king  of  Assyria. 
The  emphasis  here  is  on  the  word  so 
As  Isaiah  has  walked  naked,  i  e. 
stripped  off  his  usual  clothing,  so  shall 
the  Egyptians  and  Ethiopians  be  led 
away  stripped  of  all  their  possessions. 
TT  The  Egyptians  prisoners,  and  the 
Ethiopians  captives.  The  Egyptians 
and  Ethiopians,  or  Cushites,  were  often 
united  in  an  alliance,  and  appear  to 


and  ashamed  of  Ethiopia  their 
expectation,  and  of  Egypt  their 
glory. 

6  And  the  inhabitant  of  this 
'isle  shall  say  in  that  day,  Be- 
hold, such6  is  our  expectation, 
whither  we  flee  for  help  to  be 
delivered  from  the  king  of  As- 
syria :  and  how  shall  we  escape  ? 

1  or,  country,  Jer.  i~.  4.         6  Job  6.  20. 


have  been  when  this  prophecy  was  de- 
livered.    Thus  Nahum  iii.  8 : 

Ethiopia  and  Egypt  were  her  strength,  and  it 

was  infinite. 
Put  and  Luuim  were  thy  helpera. 

IT  To  the  shame  of  Egypt.  It  shall  be 
a  disgrace  to  them  to  be  subdued,  and 
to  be  carried  captive  in  so  humiliating 
a  manner.  It  is  remarked  by  Belzoni 
("  Operations  and  Recent  Discoveries 
in  Egypt  and  Nubia"),  that  in  the 
figures  on  the  remains  of  their  temples, 
prisoners  are  often  represented  as  na- 
ked, or  only  in  aprons,  with  dishevelled 
hair,  and  with  their  hands  chained. 
He  also  remarks,  that  on  a  bas-relief 
on  the  recently  discovered  graves  of 
the  kings  of  Thebes,  a  multitude  of 
Egyptian  and  Ethiopian  prisoners  are 
represented — showing  that  Egypt  and 
Ethiopia  were  sometimes  allied,  alike 
in  mutual  defence  and  in  bondage. 
Comp.  Isa.  xlvii.  2,  and  Nahum  iii.  v. 
5.  And  they  shall  be  afraid.  The 
Jews,  or  the  party  or  faction  among 
the  Jews  that  were  expecting  aid  from 
allied  Ethiopia  and  Egypt.  When  they 
shall  see  them  vanquished,  they  shall 
apprehend  a  similar  danger  to  them- 
selves  ;  and  they  shall  be  ashamed  that 
they  ever  confided  in  a  people  so  little 
able  to  aid  them,  instead  of  trusting  in 
the  arm  of  God.  1T  Egypt  their  glory. 
Their  boast,  as  if  Egypt  was  able  to 
save  them.  The  word  here  rendered 
glory,  f^XSn,  means  properly  orna~ 
meat,  praise,  honour;  and  then  it  may 
mean  the  object  of  glory,  or  that  in 
which  men  boast,  or  confide.  That  ia 
its  sense  here.  Comp.  Isa.  x.  12,  xiii. 
19.  Zech.  xii.  7. 


868 


ISAIAFL 


[B.C.  713 


6.  And  the  inhabitant.     The  dwell- 
ers  generally,     f  Of   this  isle.     The 

word  "^  isle  is  used  here  in  the  sense 
of  coast,  or  maritime  country,  and  is 
evidently  applied  to  Palestine,  or  the 
land  of"  Canaan,  which  is  a  narrow 
coast  lying  on  the  Mediterranean. 
That  the  word  is  often  used  in  this 
Bense,  and  may  be  applied  to  a  mari- 
time country,  see  Notes  ch.  xiii.  22, 
xli.  1.  The  connection  here  requires  us 
to  understand  it  of  Palestine.  If  Shall 
say,   &c.     Shall   condemn    their    own 


folly  in  trusting  in  Egypt,  and  seeking 
deliverance  there.  T  And  how  shall 
we  escape  ?  They  shall  be  alarmed 
for  their  own  safety,  for  the  very  nation 
"ii  which  they  had  relied  had  beeo 
made  captive.  And  when  the  stroiiget 
had  been  subdued,  how  could  the  fee- 
ble and  dependent  escape  a  similai 
overthrow  and  captivity  ?  All  this  wai 
designed  to  show  them  the  folly  of  trust- 
ing in  the  aid  of  another  nation,  and  tc 
lead  them  to  put  confidence  in  the  God 
of  their  fathers. 


CHAPTER  XXI.  1-1U. 


ANALYSIS. 


The  prophecy  which  commences  this  chanter  occupies  the  first  ten  verses.  That  it  relt  tes  to 
Babylon  is  apparent  from  vs.  2  and  9.  The  object  is  to  foretell  the  destruction  of  that  city  uy  tha 
Mecles  and  Persians,  and  the  design  is  the  same  as  in  the  more  extended  and  minute  despription  of 
the  same  event  in  chs.  xiii  xiv.  Whither  it  was  delivered  at  the  same,  or  at  another  time,  cannot 
be  determined  from  the  prophecy.    The  purpose  however  of  the  prophecy  i,  the  same  us  there— to 

frive  consolation  to  the  Jews  who  should  he  carried  captive  to  that  city  :  to  assure  them  that  Baby- 
on  would  lie  destroyed,  and  that,  they  would  be  delivered  from  their  long  and  severe  bondage.  This 
is  indicated  in  a  brief  and  graphic  manner  in  ver.  10. 

This  oracle  or  ode  is  one  of  singular  beauty.  It  is  distinguished  for  its  brevity,  energy,  and  force  j 
for  the  variety  ami  the  rapidity  of  the  action,  and  for  the  vivid  manner  in  which  the  events  are  made 
to  pan  before  the  mind.  It  is  the  language  of  strong  excitement  and  of  alarm  ;  language  that  ex- 
presses rapid  and  important  movements  ;  and  language  appropriate  to  great  vigour  of  conception 
and  sublimity  in  description  In  the  oracle  the  prophet  supposes  himself  in  Rib)  Ion,  and  the  events 
which  are  described  are  made  to  pass  rapidly  in  vision  (see  Intro  $  7,  4)  before  him  He  first  sees 
(ver.  1'  the  dreadful  storm  coming  at  a  distance  (the  hostile  armies),  approaching  like  a  whirlwind 
and  threatening  destruction  to  every  thing  in  its  way.  He  then  (ver.  2)  hears  God's  direction  to  the 
invading  armies  ;  represents  himself  as  made  acquainted  with  the  design  of  the  vision  and  hears  trie 
command  of  God  to  Elam  (Persia)  and  Media  to  go  up  ami  commence  the  siege  Regarding  himsell 
as  among  the  exiles  in  the  midst  of  Babylon,  he  (vs.  3,  4)  describes  himself  as  dee  ly  afii  cled  in 
view  of  this  sudden  invasion,  and  of  the  calamities  that  were  coming  upon  Babylon.  In  ver.  5  he 
describes  the  state  of  the  Babylonians  They  are  represented  first,  as  preparing  we  table,  making 
ready  for  feasting  fid  revelry,  setting  the  watch  on  the  watch-tower,  and  giving  themselves  up  to 
dissipation  :  and  sec-^idly,  as  suddenly  alarmed  and  summoned  to  prepare  lor  war.  He  then  (vs.  6 — 
8)  declares  the  way  in  which  the  princes  of  Babylon  would  be  roused  from  their  revelry.  But  it  is 
described  in  a  very  remarkable  manner.  He  does  not  narrate  the  events,  but  he  represents  himself 
as  directed  to  appoint  a  watchman  (ver  6)  to  announce  what  he  should  see  Thai  watchman  «rer.'7l 
sees  two  chariots— representing  two  nations  coming  rapidly  onward  to  execute  the  orders  of  God. 
So  rapid  is  their  approach,  so  terrible  their  march,  that  the  watchman  cries  out  (ver.  9)  that  Babylon 
is  fallen,  and  will  be  inevitably  destroyed.  The  prophecy  is  then  closed  (ver.  tti)  by  an  address  to 
the  afflicted  Jews  whom  God  had  "  threshed  "  or  punished  by  sending  them  ca;  live  to  Babylon, 
and  with  the  declaration  that  this  wa»  intended  by  the  Lord  of  hosts  to  be  declared  unto  them.  The 
whole  design  of  the  prophecy,  therefore,  is  to  console  them,  and  to  repeat  the  assurance  given  in 
chs.  xin.  xiv.;  *hat  Babylon  would  be  destroyed,  and  that  they  would  be  delivered  from  bondage. 

1  The  burden  of  tlV  desert  of  south  pass  through  ;  so  it  come- 
the  sea.     As  whirlwinds  din  the 


1.  The  burden.  See  Note  ch.  xiii. 
1.  f  (0/  the  drsert.  There  have 
been  almost  as  many  interpretations 
af  this  expression  as  there  have  been 
interpreters.     Tnat  'l  means  Babylon, 


or  the  country  about  Babylon,  there 
can  be  no  doubt ;  but  the  question  why 
this  phrase  was  applied,  has  given  rise 
to  a  great  diversity  of  opinions.  The 
term  desert  ")S"l^D  \s  usually  applied  to 


B.C.  713. J 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


369 


eih  from  the  desert,  from  a  terri- 
ble land. 


a  wilderness,  or  to  a  comparatively 
barren  and  uncultivated  country — a 
place  for  flocks  and  herds  (Ps.  lxv.  13. 
Jer  ix.  9,  &c.)  ;  to  an  actual  waste,  a 
sandy  desert  (Isa.  xxxii.  15,  xxxv.  1)  ; 
and  particularly  to  the  deserts  of  Ara- 
bia, Gen.  xiv.  6,  xvi.  7,  Deut.  xi.  24. 
It  may  here  be  applied  to  Babylon 
cither  historically,  as  having  been  once 
nn  unreclaimed  desert ;  or  by  antidilu- 
tion as  descriptive  of  what  it  would  be 
after  it  should  be  destroyed  by  Cyrus, 
or  possibly  both  these  ideas  may  have 
been  combined.  That  it  was  once  a 
desert  before  it  was  reclaimed  by  Semi- 
ramis  is  the  testimony  of  all  history  ; 
that  it  is  now  a  vast  waste  is  the  united 
testimony  of  all  travellers.  There  is 
every  reason  to  think  that  a  large  part 
of  the  country  about  Babylon  was  for- 
merly overflowed  with  water  before  it 
was  reclaimed  by  dykes  ;  and  as  it  was 
naturally  a  waste,  when  the  artificial 
dykes  and  dams  should  be  removed,  it 
would  again  be  a  desert.  IT  Of  the 
sea.  E^  .  There  lias  been  also  much 
difference  of  opinion  in  regard  to  this 
word.  But  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
it  refers  to  the  Euphrates,  and  to  the 
extensive  region  of  marsh  that  was 
covered  by  its  waters.  The  name  sea, 
S^,  is  not  unfrequently  given  to  a 
large  river,  to  the  Nile,  and  to  the 
Euphrates.  See  Note  ch.  xi.  15.  Comp. 
ch.  xix.  5.  Herodotus  i.  184,  says,  that 
"  Semiramis  confined  the  Euphrates 
within  its  channel  by  raising  great 
dams  against  it  ;  for  before,  it  over- 
flowed the  whole  country  like  a  sea  " 
And  Abydenus  in  Eusebius  (Prepara. 
Evang.  B.  ix  p  457)  says,  respecting 
the  building  of  Babylon  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, that  "  it  is  reported  that  all 
this  was  covered  with  water,  and  was 
culled  a  sea — Xiycrai  til  iruVra  jitv  i| 
dnvr}*;    v6cop    tivai.    QaXaaircjv    Ka\ov[iLfrji>.,t 

Comp.  Strabo  Geog.  B.  xvi.  §  9,  10, 
and  Arrianus  de  Expedit.  Alexandri, 
L.  vii.  c.  xxi.  Cyrus  removed  these 
dykes,  re-opened  the  canals,  and  the 
16» 


2  A    ^grievous   vision    is    de~ 
clared  unto  me  ;  the  treacherous 

4  hard- 
waters  were  suffered  to  remain,  and 
again  converted  the  whole  country  into 
a  vast  marsh.  See  Notes  on  ch.  xiii., 
xiv.  11  As  whirlwinds.  That  is,  the 
army  comes  with  the  rapidity  of  a 
whirlwind.  In  ch.  viii.  8  (comp.  Hab. 
i.  11)  an  army  is  compared  to  an  over- 
flowing and  rapid  river.  H  In  the 
south.  Whirlwinds  or  tempests  are 
often  in  the  Scriptures  represented  aa 
coming  from  the  south.  Zech.  ix.  14. 
Job  xxxvii   9  : 

Out  of  the  south  roraelh  the  whirlwind, 
And  cold  out  of  the  north. 

So  Virgil : 

crebcrque  procullis 
Africus,—  iEni.ul,  i.  85. 

The  deserts  of  Arabia  were  situafed  to 
the  south  of  Babylon,  and  the  south 
winds  are  described  as  the  winds  of  the 
desert  Those  winds  are  represented 
as  being  so  violent  as  to  tear  away  the 
tents  occupied  by  a  caravan.  Pietro 
della  Valle,  Travels,  iv.  pp.  183,  191. 
In  Job  i.  19,  the  whirlwind  is  repre- 
sented as  coming  "  from  the  wilder- 
ness ;"  that  is,  from  the  desert  of  Ara- 
bia. Comp  Jer.  xiii.  24.  Hos.  xiii. 
15.  IT  So  it  comelh  from  the  desert. 
See  ch.  xiii.  4,  and  the  Note  on  that 
place.  God  is  there  represented  as 
collecting  the  army  for  the  destruction 
of  Babylon  "  on  the  mountains,"  and 
by  mountains  are  probably  denoted  the 
same  as  is  here  denoted  by  the  desert. 
The  country  of  the  Medes  is  doubtless 
intended,  which,  in  the  view  of  civilized 
and  refined  Babylon,  was  an  unculti- 
vated region,  or  a  vast  waste  or  wil- 
derness. 11  From  u  terrible  land.  A 
country  rough  and  uncultivated, abound- 
ing in  forests  or  wastes. 

2.  A  grievous  vision.  Margin  as  in 
Heb.  hard.  On  the  word  vision  see 
Note  ch.  i.  1.  The  sense  here  is,  that 
the  vision  which  the  prophet  saw  was 
one  that  indicated  great  calamity.  Vs. 
3,  4.  H  Is  declared  unto  me.  That 
is,  is  caused  to  pass  before  me,  and  its 
meaning  is  made  known  to  me.    t  The 


37C 


ISAIAH. 


dealer*  dealeth  treacherously, 
and  the  spoiler  spoileth.  Go^ 
up,  O  Elam  :  besiege,  O  Media  : 

t  ch.  33.  1.  g  ch.  13.  17.    Jcr.  49.  34. 

treacherous  dealer.  ^f^ft  .  The  per- 
fidious, unfaithful  people.  This  is  the 
usual  signification  of  the  word  ;  but  the 
connection  here  does  not  seem  to  re- 
quire the  signification  of  treachery  or 
perfidy,  but  of  violence.  The  word 
has  this  meaning  in  Hab.  ii.  5,  and  in 
Frov.  xi.  3,  6  It  refers  here  to  the 
Medea  ;  and  to  the  fact  that  oppression 
and  violence  were  now  to  be  exercised 
towards  Babylon.    Lowth  renders  this : 

'  The  plunderer  is  plundered,  and  the  destroyer 
is  destroyed," 

but  the  authority  for  so  rendering  it  is 
doubtful.  He  seems  to  suppose  that  it 
refers  to  Babylon.  The  Hebrew  evi- 
dently means,  that  there  is  to  be  plun- 
dering and  devastation,  and  that  this  is 
to  be  accomplished  by  a  nation  accus- 
tomed to  it,  and  which  is  immediately 
specified  ;  that  is,  the  united  kingdom 
of  Media  and  Persia.  The  Chaldee 
renders  it,  "  They  who  bring  violence, 
Buffer  violence  ;  and  the  plunderers  are 
plundered."  Jarchi  says,  that  the  sense 
of  the  Hebrew  text  according  to  the 
Chaldee  is,  "  Ah  !  thou  who  art  violent ! 
there  conies  another  who  will  use  thee 
with  violence ;  and  thou  plunderer, 
another  comes  who  will  plunder  thee, 
even  the  Medes  and  Persians,  who  will 
destroy  and  lay  waste  Babylon."  But 
the  Hebrew  text  will  not  bear  this  in- 
terpretation. The  sense  is,  that  deso- 
lation was  about  to  be  produced  by  a 
nation  accustomed  to  it,  and  who 
would  act  towards  Babylon  in  their 
true  character.  U  Go  vp.  This  is  an 
address  of  God  to  Media  and  Persia. 
See  Note  ch.  xiii.  17.  HO  Elam. 
This  was  the  name  of  the  country  ori- 
ginally possessed  by  the  Persians,  and 
was  so  called  from  Elain  a  son  of 
Shem.  Gen  x.  22.  It  was  east  of  the 
Euphrates,  and  comprehended  jyoperly 
the  mountainous  countries  of  Khusistan 
and  Louristan,  called  by  the  Greek 
writers  Ely  ma  is.  In  this  country  was 
Susa  or  Shushan,  mentioned  in  Dan. 


[i>  C.713 
thereof  have   ( 


all   the   sighing 
made  to  cease. 

3  Therefore  *are  my  loins  fill- 

h  ch.  !5.  6. 

viii.  2.  It  is  here  put  for  Persia  in 
general,  and  the  call  on  Elam  and 
Media  to  go  up,  was  a  call  on  the 
united  kingdom  of  the  Meiles  and  Per- 
sians. 1f  Besiege.  That  is,  besiege 
Babylon.  H  O  Media.  See  Note  ch. 
xiii.  17.  f  All  the  sighing  thereof 
have  1  made  to  cease.  This  has  been 
very  differently  interpreted  by  exposi- 
tors. Some  understand  it  (as  Rosen- 
muller,  Jerome,  and  Lowth,)  as  de- 
signed to  be  taken  in  an  active  sense  ; 
that  is,  all  the  groaning  caused  by 
Babylon  in  her  oppressions  of  others, 
and  particularly  of  God's  people,  would 
cease.  Others  refer  it  to  the  army  of 
the  Medes  and  Persians,  as  if  their 
sighing  should  be  over  ;  i.  e.  their  fa- 
tigues and  labours  in  the  conquest  of 
Babylon.  Calvin  supposes  that  it 
means  that  the  Lord  would  be  deaf  to  the 
sighs  of  Babylon  ;  that  is,  he  would 
disregard  them  and  would  bring  upon 
them  the  threatened  certain  destruc- 
tion. The  probable  meaning  is  that 
suggested  by  Jerome,  that  God  would 
bring  to  an  end  all  the  sighs  and  groans 
which  Babylon  had  caused  in  a  world 
suffering  under  her  oppressions.  Conip. 
ch.  xiv.  7,  8. 

3.  Therefore.  In  this  verse,  and  the 
following,  the  prophet  represents  him- 
self as  in  Babylon,  and  as  a  witnes9 
of  the  calamities  which  would  come 
upon  the  city.  He  describes  the 
sympathy  which  he  feels  in  her  sor- 
rows, and  represents  himself  as  deeply 
affected  by  her  calamities.  A  similar 
description  occurred  in  the  pain  which 
the  prophet  represents  himself  as  en- 
during on  account  of  the  calamities 
of  Moab.  See  Note  ch.  xv.  5,  xvi. 
11.  U  My  loins.  See  Note  ch  xvi. 
11.  i  With  pain.  The  word  here 
used,  HPn>n  denotes  properly  the 
pains  of  parturition,  and  the  whole 
figure  is  taken  from  that.  The  sense 
is,  that  the  prophet  was  filled  with  the 
most  acute  sorrow  and  anguish,  in  view 


B.C. 113.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


371 


ed  with  pains  ;  pangs  have  taken 

hold  upon  me,  as  the  pangs  of  a 

woman   that   travaileth  :    I    was 

bowed  down  at  the  hearing  of  it ; 

I  was  dismayed  at  the  seeing  of 

it. 

■     4  My  8 heart  panted,   fearful  - 

of  the  calamities  which  were  coming 
on  Babylon.  That  is,  the  sufferings 
of  Babylon  would  be  indescribably  great 
and  dreadful.  See  Nah.  ii.  11.  Ezek. 
xxx.  4,9.  IT  /  was  bowed  down.  Un- 
der the  grief  and  sorrow  produced  by 
these  calamities  f  At  the  hearing  of 
it.  The  Hebrew  may  have  this  sense, 
and  mean  that  these  things  were  made 
to  pass  before  the  eye  of  the  prophet, 
and  that  the  sight  oppressed  him,  and 
bowed  him  down.  But  more  probably 
the  E  in  the  word  ?Eiaa  is  to  be  taken 
privaiively,  and  means,  '  I  was  so 
bowed  down  or  oppressed  that  I  could 
not  see,  I  was  so  dismayed  that  /  could 
not  hear ;'  that  is,  all  his  senses  were 
taken  away  by  the  greatness  of  the 
calamity,  and  by  his  sympathetic  suf- 
ferings. A  similar  construction  occurs 
in  Ps.  lxix.  23  :  "  Let  their  eyes  be 
darkened  that  they  see  not,"  riltt'l'a 
i.  e.  from  seeing. 

4.  My  heart  panted.  Margin,  "  My 
mind  wandered."  The  Hebrew  word 
rendered  panted  (""^Pl)  means  to  wan- 
der about ;  to  stagger ;  to  be  giddy  ; 
and  is  applied  often  to  one  that  stag- 
gers by  being  intoxicated.  Applied  to 
the  heart  it  means  that  it  is  disqui- 
eted or  troubled.  The  Hebrew  word 
heart  here  is  to  be  taken  in  the  sense 
of  mind.  IT  The  night  of  my  pleasure. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  prophet 
here  refers  to  the  night  of  revelry  and 
riot  in  which  Babylon  was  taken.  The 
prophet  calls  it  the  night  of  his  pleasure, 
because  he  represents  himself  as  being 
in  Babylon  when  it  should  be  taken, 
and  therefore  uses  such  language  as  an 
inhabitant  of  Babylon  would  use.  They 
would  call  it  the  night  of  their  pleasure 
because  it  was  set  apart  to  feasting  and 
revelry.  If  Hath  he  turned  into  fear. 
God  haa  made  it  a  night  of  consterna- 


ness  affrighted  me  :  the  'night  of 
my  pleasure  hath  he  turned9  into 
fear  unto  me. 

5  Prepare  the  table,  watch  in 
the  watch-tower,  eat,  drink :  arise, 
ye  princes,  and  anoint  the  shield. 

8  or,  my  mind  wandered,    i  Dan.  5. 5,  &c.    9  put. 


tion  and  alarm.  The  prophet  here 
refers  to  the  fact  that  Babylon  would 
be  taken  by  Cyrus  during  that  night, 
and  that  consternation  and  alarm  would 
suddenly  pervade  the  affrighted  and 
guilty  city.     See  Dan.  v 

5.  Prepare  the  table.  This  verse  is 
one  of  the  most  striking  and  remarka- 
ble that  occurs  in  this  prophecy,  or  in- 
deed in  any  part  of  Isaiah.  It  is  lan- 
guage supposed  to  bespoken  in  Babylon. 
The  first  direction — perhaps  supposed 
to  be  that  of  the  king — is  to  prepare  the 
table  for  the  feast.  Then  follows  a 
direction  to  set  a  watch — to  make  the 
city  safe,  so  that  they  might  revel  with- 
out fear.  Then  a  command  to  eat  and 
drink  :  and  then  immediately  a  sudden 
order,  as  if  alarmed  at  an  unexpected 
attack,  to  arise  and  anoint  the  shield, 
and  to  prepare  for  a  defence.  The 
table  here  refers  to  a  feast ; — that  im- 
pious feast  mentioned  in  Dan.  v.  in  the 
night  in  which  Babylon  was  taken,  and 
Belshazzar  slam.  Herodotus  (i.  191), 
Xenophon  (Cyrop.  7,  5),  and  Daniel 
(v.)  all  agree  in  the  account  that  Baby- 
lon was  taken  in  the  night  in  which  the 
king  and  his  nobles  were  engaged  in 
feasting  and  revelry.  The  words  of 
Xenophon  are,  "  But  Cyrus,  when  he 
heard  that  there  was  to  be  such  a  feast 
in  Babylon,  in  which  all  the  Babyloni- 
ans would  drink  and  revel  through  the 
whole  night,  on  that  night,  as  soon  aa 
it  began  to  grow  dark,  taking  many 
men,  opened  the  dams  into  the  river  ;" 
that  is,  he  opened  the  dykes  which  had 
been  made  by  Semiramis  and  her  suc- 
cessors to  confine  the  waters  of  the 
Euphrates  to  one  channel,  and  suffered 
the  waters  of  the  Euphrates  again  to 
flow  over  the  country  so  that  he  could 
enter  Babylon  beneath  its  walls  in  the 
channel  of  the  river.  Xenophon  haa 
also  given  the  addiess  of  Cyrus  to  the 


372 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


aoldiers.  "  Now,"  says  he,  "  let  us  go 
against  them.  Many  of  them  are 
asleep  ;  many  of  them  are  intoxicated  ; 
and  all  of  them  are  unfit  for  battle 
(davvTUKToi)."  Herodotus  says  (B  i. 
191):  "It  was  a  day  of  festivity 
among  them,  and  while  the  citizens 
were  engaged  in  dance  and  merriment, 
Babylon  was,  for  the  first  time,  thus 
taken."  Compare  the  account  in  Dan- 
iel,   ch.  v.     11    Watch   in   the    watch- 


torccr.  Place  a  guard  so  that  the  city 
shall  be  secure.  Babylon  had  on  it! 
walls  many  towers,  placed  at  conveni- 
ent distances  (see  Notes  on  ch.  xiii.) 
in  which  guards  were  stationed  to  de 
fend  the  city,  and  to  give  the  alarm  or 
any  approach  of  an  enemy.  Xenophon 
has  given  a  similar  account  of  the  tak 
ing  of  the  city.  "  They  having  ar-ange^ 
their  guards,  drank  until  light."  The 
annexed  group  of  oriental  watch-towera 


6EOUP    OF    ORIENTAL    VATCH-TOWERS,  SELECTED    FROM    EXAMPLES  IN  THE  TOWNS  OF 

LOWER    EGYPT. 


is  introduced    here    for  the    purpose  of 
Ulustrating  a   general   subject  often  re- 


ferred   to    in    the    Scriptures      IT  Eat, 
drink.      Give    yourselves    to    revelry 


#.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


373 


6  For  thus  hath  the  Lord  said 
unto  me,  Go,  set  a  watchman,  let 

during  the  night.  See  Dan.  v.  IT  Arise, 
ye  princes.  This  language  indicates 
eudden  alarm.  It  is  the  language  either 
of  tl>e  prophet,  or  more  probably  of  the 
kins,  if  Babylon,  alarmed  at  the  sudden 
approach  of  the  enemy,  and  calling 
upon  his  nobles  to  arm  themselves  and 
make  a  defence.  The  army  of  Cyrus 
entered  Babylon  by  two  divisions — one 
on  the  north  where  the  water=  of  the 
Euphrates  entered  the  city,  and  the 
other  by  the  channel  of  the  Euphrates 
on  the  south.  Knowing  that  the  city 
was  given  up  to  revelry  on  that  night, 
they  had  agreed  to  imitate  the  sound 
of  the  revellers  until  they  should  as- 
semble around  the  royal  palace  in  the 
centre  of  the  city.  They  did  so.  When 
the  king  heard  the  noise,  supposing  that 
it  wag  the  sound  of  a  drunken  mob,  he 
ordered  the  gates  of  the  palace  to  be 
opened  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the 
disturbance.  When  they  were  thus 
opened  the  army  of  Cyrus  rushed  in, 
and  made  an  immediate  attack  on  all 
v/ho  were  within.  It  is  to  this  moment 
that  we  may  suppose  the  prophet  here 
refers,  when  the  king,  aroused  and 
alarmed,  would  call  on  his  nobles  to 
•urn  themselves  for  battle.  See  .lahn's 
History  of  the  Hebrew  Commonwealth, 
o.  153,  Ed.  Andover,  1828.  T  Anoint 
the  shield.  That  is,  prepare  for  battle 
Gesenius  supposes  that  this  means  to 
rub  over  the  shield  with  oil  to  make  the 
leather  more  supple  and  impenetrable? 
Comp  2  Sam.  i.  21.  The  Chaldee 
renders  it,  "  Fit,  and  polish  your  arms." 
The  LXX,  "  Prepare  shields."  Shields 
were  instruments  of  defence  prepared 
to  ward  off  the  spears  and  arrows  of  an 
enemy  in  battle.  They  were  usually 
made  of  a  rim  of  brass  or  wood,  and 
over  this  was  drawn  a  covering  of  the 
skin  of  an  ox  or  other  animal  in  the 
manner  of  a  drum-head  with  us.  Oc- 
casionally the  hide  of  a  rhinoceros  or 
an  elephant  was  used.  Burckhardt 
(Travels  in  Nubia)  says  that  the  Nu- 
bians use  the  hide  of  the  hippopotamus 
br  the  making  of  shields.     But  what- 


him  declare  what  he  seeth. 
7  And  he  saw  a  chariot  with 

ever  skin  might  be  used,  it  was  neces- 
sary occasionally  to  rub  it  over  with 
oil  lest  it  should  become  hard  and 
crack,  or  lest  it  should  become  so  rigid 
that  an  arrow  or  a  sword  would  easily 
break  through  it.  Jarchi  says,  that 
"shields  were  made  of  skin,  and  that 
they  anointed  them  with  the  oil  of 
olive."  The  sense  is, '  Prepare  your 
arms  !     Make  ready  for  battle  !' 

6.  Go,  set  a  watchman.  This  was 
said  to  Isaiah  in  the  vision.  He  repre- 
sents himself  as  in  Babylon,  and  as 
hearing  God  command  him  to  set  a 
watchman  on  the  watch-tower  who 
would  announce  what  was  to  come  to 
pass.  All  this  is  designed  merely  to 
bring  the  manner  of  the  destruction  of 
the  city  more  vividly  before  the  eye. 

7.  And  he  saw  a  chariot  with  a 
couple  of  horsemen.  This  passage  is 
very  obscure  from  the  ambiguity  of  the 
word  23"!  rekhebh,  chariot.  Gesenius 
contends  that  it  should  be  rendered 
"  cavalry"  and  that  it  refers  to  cavalry 
two  abreast  hastening  to  the  destruction 
of  the  city.  The  word  23*1  denotes 
properly  a  chariot,  or  wagon  (Judges 
v.  2"<)  ;  a  collection  of  wagons  (2Chron. 
i.  14,  viii  6,  ix.  25)  ;  and  sometimes 
refers  to  the  horses  or  men  attached  to 
a  chariot.  "  David  houghed  all  the 
chariots  "  (2  Sam.  viii.  4)  ;  that  is,  all 
the  horses  belonging  to  them.  "  David 
killed  of  the  Syrians  seven  hundred 
chariots"  (2  Sam.  x.  18);  that  is,  all 
the  men  belonging  to  seven  hundred 
chariots.  According  to  the  present 
Masoretic  pointing,  the  word  23*1  does 
not  mean,  perhaps,  any  thing  else  than 
a  chariot  strictly,  but  other  forms  of  the 
word  with  the  same  letters  denote  riders 
or  cavalry.  Thus  the  word  23"*  de- 
notes a  horseman,  2  Kings  ix.  17  ;  a 
charioteer  ordriverof  a  chariot,  1  Kings 
xxii.  34.  Jer.  li.  21.  The  verb  23*1 
means  to  ride,  and  is  usually  applied  to 
riding  on  the  backs  of  horses  or  camels ; 
and  the  sense  here  is,  thai  the  match 


o74 


ISAIAH. 


[£.G\713 


a  couple  of  horsemen,  a  chariot 
of  asses,  and  a  chariot  of  camels  ; 
and  he  hearkened  diligently  with 
heed. 

8  And  he  cried,  lA  lion  :  My 
lord,  I  stand  continually  upon 
the    watch-tower   in    mthe    day- 

I  or,  m  s  lion.  m  Hab.  2.  1. 

man  saw  a  riding,  or  persons  riding  two 
abreast  ;  that  is,  cavalry,  or  men  borne 
on  horses,  and  camels,  and  asses,  and 
hastening  to  attack  the  city.  II  With 
a  couple  of  horsemen.  The  word  couple, 
fc,?.^i  tzemedh,  means  properly  a  yoke 
or  pair ;  and  it  means  here  that  the 
cavalry  was  seen  in  pairs,  i.  e.  two 
abreast.  TT  A  chariot  of  asses.  Or 
rather,  as  above,  a  riding  on  asses — an 
approach  of  men  in  this  manner  to 
battle.  Asses  were  formerly  used  in 
war  where  horses  could  not  be  procured. 
Thus  Strabo  (xv.  2,  §  14)  says  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Caramania,  "  Many  use 
asses  for  war  in  the  want  of  horses  " 
And  Herodotus  (iv.  129)  says  expressly 
that  Darius  Hystaspes  employed  asses 
in  a  battle  with  the  Scythians.  1T  And 
a  chariot  of  camels.  A  riding  on  cam- 
els Camels  also  were  used  in  war, 
perhaps  usually  to  carry  the  baggage. 
See  Diod.  ii.  54  iii.  44.  Liv  xxxvii. 
4U.  Strabo,  xvi.  3.  They  are  used  for 
all  purposes  of  burden  in  the  East,  and 
particularly  in  Arabia. 

8.  And  he  cried,  A  lion.  Margin, 
as  a  lion.  This  is  the  correct  render- 
ing. The  particle  3  ,  as,  is  not  un- 
frequently  omitted.  See  Isa.  lxii.  5. 
Ps.  xi.  1.  That  is,  'I  see  them  ap- 
proach with  the  fierceness,  rapidity,  and 
ierror  of  a  lion.'  Comp  Rev.  x.  3. 
f  My  lord,  I  stand  continually  upon 
the  watch-tower.  This  is  the  speech 
of  the  watchman,  and  is  addressed,  not 
to  Jehovah,  but  to  him  that  appointed 
Him.  It  is  designed  to  show  the  dili- 
gence with  which  he  had  attended  to 
the  object  for  which  he  was  appointed. 
He  had  been  unceasing  in  his  obser- 
vation ;  and  the  result  was,  that  now 
at  length  he  saw  the  enemy  approach 


time,  and  I  am  set  in  my  ward 
2\vhole  nights  ; 

9  And,  behold,  here  cometh  a 
chariot  of  men,  willi  a  couple  of 
horsemen.  And  he  answered 
and  said,  Babylon?  is  fallen,  is 
fallen  ;  and  rall  the  graven  images 

2  or,  every  night.      p  Jer.  51.  8,  &c.  Rev.  14.  t 
r  Jer.  60.  2. 

like  a  lion,  and  it  was  certain  that 
Babylon  now  must  fall.  The  language 
here  used  has  a  striking  resemblance  to 
the  opening  of  the  •  Agamem-on '  of 
iEschylus  ;  being  the  speech  of  the 
watchman,  who  had  been  very  long 
upon  his  tower  looking  for  the  signal 
which  should  make  known  that  Troy 
had  fallen.     It  thus  commences: 

'  For  ever  thus  !     0  keep  me  not,  ye  gods, 
For  ever  thus,  fixed  in  the  lonely  tower 
Of  Alreus'  palace,  from  whose  height  I  gaze 
O'erwatrhed  and  weary,   ike  a  night-dog,  still 
Fixed  to  my  post;  meanwhile  the  rolling  year 
Moves  on.  and  I  my  Vakcful  vigils  keep 
By  the  cold  star  light  sheen  of  spangled  skies.' 
Hymmons,  quoted  in  the  Pictorial  Bible. 

IT  /  am  set  in  my  ward.  My  place 
where  one  keeps  watch  It  does  not 
mean  that  he  was  confined  or  impris- 
oned, but  that  he  had  kept  his  watch 
station  (XYiaifiB  from  11?tt)  to  watch, 
to  keep,  to  attend  to.)  IT  Whole  nights. 
Marg.  every  night.  It  means  that  he 
had  not  left  his  post  day  or  night. 

9.  And,  behold — a  chariot  of  men. 
This  place  shows  that  the  word  chariot, 
23"2  ,  may  denote  something  else  than 
a  wagon  or  carriage,  as  a  chariot  drawn 
by  men  cannot  be  intended.  The 
sense  can  be  expressed,  perhaps,  by  the 
word  riding,  '  I  see  a  riding  of  men 
approach  ;'  that  is,  I  see  cavalry  draw- 
ing near,  or  men  riding  and  hastening 
to  the  battle.  IT  With  a  couple  of 
horsemen.  The  word  with  is  not  in 
the  Hebrew.  The  meaning  is,  '  I  see 
a  riding  of  men,  or  cavalry  ;  and  they 
come  in  pairs,  or  two  abreast.'  A  part 
of  the  sentence  is  to  be  supplied  from 
ver.  7.  He  saw  not  only  horsemen, 
but  riders  on  asses  and  camels.  IT  And 
he  answered.  That  is,  the  watchman 
answered.  The  word  ansicer  in  the 
Scriptures  means  often  merely  to  com- 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


375 


of  her  gods  he  hath  broken  unto 
the  ground. 

10  O  my  threshing,  and  the 
3corn  of  my  floor  :  that  which  I 

mence  a  discourse  after  an  interval ;  to 
begin  to  speak.  Job  iii.  2.  Acts  v.  8. 
Dan.  ii.  2b\  1T  Babylon  is  fallen.  That 
is,  her  ruin  is  certain.  Such  a  mighty 
army  is  drawing  near,  and  they  ap- 
proach so  well  prepared  for  battle,  that 
the  ruin  of  Babylon  is  inevitable.  The 
repetition  of  this  declaration  that  "  Ba- 
bylon is  fallen,"  denotes  emphasis  and 
certainty.     Comp.  Ps.  xeii.  U  : 

For  lo,  thine  enemies,  0  Lord, 
For  lo,  thine  enemies  shall  perish. 

Ps.  xciii.  3 : 

The  floods  have  lifted  up,  0  Lord  ; 
The  floods  have  lilted  up  their  waves. 

A  similar  description  is  given  of  the 
fall  of  Babylon  in  Jer.  1.  32,  li.  8  ;  and 
John  has  copied  this  description  in  the 
account  of  the  overthrow  of  the  mysti- 
cal Babylon,  Rev.  xviii.  1,2.  Babylon 
was  distinguished  for  its  pride,  arro- 
gance, and  haughtiness.  It  became, 
therefore,  the  emblem  of  all  that  is 
haughty,  and  as  such  is  used  by  John 
in  the  Apocalypse  ;  and  as  such  it  was 
a  most  striking  emblem  of  the  pride, 
arrogance,  haughtiness,  and  oppres- 
sion which  have  always  been  evinced 
by  Papal  Rome  IT  And  all  the  graven 
images.  Babylon  was  celebrated  for 
its  idolatry,  and  perhaps  was  the  place 
where  the  worship  of  idols  commenced. 
The  principal  god  worshipped  there 
was  Belus,  or  Bel.  See  Note  on  ch. 
xlvi.  1.  IT  Are  broken,  &.c.  That  is, 
shall  be  destroyed  ;  or,  in  spite  of  its 
idols,  the  whole  city  would  be  ruined. 

10.  0  my  threshing.  The  words  to 
thresh,  to  tread  down,  &c,  are  often 
used  in  the  Scriptures  to  denote  punish- 
ments inflicted  on  the  enemies  of  God. 
An  expression  like  this  occurs  in  Jer. 
li  33,  in  describing  the  destruction  of 
Babylon  :  "  The  daughter  of  Babylon 
is  like  a  threshing-floor  ;  it  is  time  to 
thresh  her."  In  regard  to  the  mode 
of  threshing  among  the  Hebrews,  and 
the  pertinency  of  this  image  to  the  de- 
struction oi  the  enemies  of  God,  see 


have  heard  of  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
the  God  of  Israel,  have  I  declared* 
unto  you. 

3  ton.  8  Ezek.  3.  17—19.    Acts  20.  26,  27. 

Note  on  Isa.  xxviii.  27.  Lowth,  toge- 
ther with  many  others,  refers  this  to 
Babylon,  and  regards  it  as  an  address 
of  God  to  Babylon  in  the  midst  of  her 
punishment :  "  O  thou,  the  object  on 
which  1  shall  exercise  the  severity  of 
my  discipline  ;  that  shall  lie  under  my 
afflicting  hand  like  corn  spread  out 
upon  the  floor  to  be  threshed  out  and 
winnowed,  to  separate  the  chaff  from 
the  wheat."  But  the  expression  can 
be  applied  with  more  propriety  to  the 
Jews ;  and  may  be  regarded  as  the 
language  of  tenderness  addressed  by 
God  through  the  prophet  to  his  people 
when  they  should  be  oppressed  and 
broken  down  in  Babylon :  «  O  thou, 
my  people,  who  hast  been  afflicted  and 
crushed  ;  who  hast  been  under  my 
chastening  hand,  and  reduced  to  these 
calamities  on  account  of  your  sins  ; 
hear  what  God  has  spoken  respecting 
the  destruction  of  Babylon,  and  your 
consequent  certain  deliverance.'  Thus 
it  is  the  language  of  consolation  ;  and 
is  designed,  like  the  prophecies  in  chs. 
xiii.  xiv.,  to  comfort  the  Jews,  when 
they  should  be  in  Babylon,  with  the 
certainty  that  they  would  be  delivered. 
The  language  of  tenderness  in  which 
the  address  is  couched,  as  well  as  the 
connection,  seems  to  demand  this  in- 
terpretation. H  And  the  corn  of  my 
floor.  Heb.  "  the  son  of  my  thresh- 
ing-floor,"— a  Hebraism  for  grain  that 
was  on  the  floor  to  be  threshed.  The 
word  son  is  often  used  in  this  peculiar 
manner  among  the  Hebrews.  See 
Note  Matt.  i.  1,  IT  That  which  I  have 
heard,  &c.  This  shows  the  scope  or 
design  of  the  whole  prophecy — to  de- 
clare to  the  Jews  the  destruction  that 
would  come  upon  Babylon,  and  their 
own  consequent  deliverance.  It  was 
important  that  they  should  be  assured 
of  that  deliverance,  and  hence  Isaiah 
repeats  his  predictions,  and  minutely 
states  the  manner  in  which  their  rescue 
would  be  accomplished- 


876 


ISAIAH. 


[.B.C.  713 


Visioix   XVII.  Chapter  XXI.  11,12.     Dumah,  or  Idumea. 


ANALYSIS. 


This  prophecy  is  very  obscure.  It  comprises  luil  two  verses.  When  it  was  delivered,  or  on  what 
occasion,  or  w  Mat  was  its  design,  it  is  not  easy  to  determine     Us  brevity  bus  contributed  much  to  its 

obscuniy  ;  nor,  amidst  the  variety  of  interpretations  w  hich  have  been  proposed,  is  ii  possible  to  uscer- 

tam  w  ui.  enure  certainty  the  true  explanation,  Perhaps  no  portion  oi  the  scriptures,  oi  equul  length, 
lias  l*9i-ii  subjected  to  a  greater  variety  of  exposition  it  is  nut  t  lie  design  of  these  Notes  to  go  at 
length  into  a  detail  ol  opinions  w  inch  have  been  proposed,  but  to  state  as  accurately  as  po.  sible  the 
sense  of  ibe  prophet.  Those  who  wish  to  see  at  length  the  opinions  which  have  been  entertained 
on  this  prophecy,  m  ill  find  them  detailed  in  Vitringa  ami  others. 

The  prophecy  relates  evidently  to  Idumea.  It  stands  in  connection  wilh  that  immediately  pre- 
ceding  respecting  Babylon,  and  it  i.  probable  that  it  was  delivered  at  that  tune.  It  has  the  appear: 
ance  of  being  a  reply  by  the  prophet  to  language  of  insult  or  taunting  from  the  Idumeana,  and  to 

have  been  spoken  when  calamities  were  coming  rapidly  on  the  Jews.  But  it  is  not  certain  that  that 
was  the  time  or  Ibe   occasion,     It    is   certain  only   that  it    is  a  prediction  of  calamity  succeeding  to 

prosperity— perhaps  prosperity  coming  to  the  am  re  ted  Hebrews  in  Babylon,  and  of  calamity  io  the 

taunting  Idumeans,  who  had  exulted  over  their  downfall  anil  captivity,  and  who  are  represented  as 

sneeringly  inquiring  of  the  prophet  what  was  the  prospect  m  regard  to  the  Jews.  This  is  substan- 
tially the  view  given  by  Vitringa,  Kosetimidler,  and  uesenitis. 

According  to  this  interpretation,  the  seine  is  laid  in  the  time  of  the  Babylonish  captivity.  The 
prophet  is  represented  as  having  been  placed  on  a  watch-tower  long  and  anxiously  looking  for  the 
Issue.  It  is  night;  i.  e.  it  is  a  time  of  calamity,  darkness,  and  distress.  In  this  slate  ol  darkness. 
and  obscurity,  some  one  is  represented  as  calling  to  the  prophet  from  Idumea,  and  tauntingly  inquir- 
ing, what  ol  the  night,  or  what  the  prospect  was.  He  asks,  whether  there  was  any  piospcct  of 
deliverance  ;  or  whether  these  calamities  were  to  continue,  and  perhaps  whether  Idumea  was  also 
to  lie  involved  in  them  with  Ibe  suffering  Jews.  To  this  the  prophet  answers,  that  the  morning 
began  to  dawn— that  there  was  a  prospect  ol  deliverance,  lint  he  adds  that  calamity  was  also  com- 
ing ;  -calamity  probably  to  the  nation  that  made-  the  inquiry— to  the  land  of  Idumea— perhaps  cala- 
mity thai  should  follow  the  deliverance  Of  the  Hebrew  captives  ||  bo  would  thus  be  enabled  to  inflict 
vengeance  on  Edom.  and  to  overwhelm  it  in  punishment.  The  morning  dawns,  says  the  watchman ; 
but  there  is  darkness  still  beyond.  Light  is  coming— but  there  is  night  also  :  light  for  us— darkness 
for  you.  This  interpretation  is  strengthened  By.  a  remarkable  coincidence  in  an  independent  source, 
and  which  I  have  not  seen  noticed,  in  the  cxxxviith  Psalm.  The  irritated  and  excited  feelings  01 
the  captive  Je-ws  against  Edom  1  their  indignation  at  the  course  which  Edom  pursued  when  Jeru- 
salem was  destroyed  ;  and  their  desire  ol  vengeance,  are  all  there  strongly  depicted,  and  accord  with 
this  interpretation,  which  supposes  the  prophet  to  say  that  the  glad  morning  of  the  deliverance  of 
the  Jews  would  he  succeeded  by  a  dark  night  to  tne  taunting  Idumean.  The  feelings  of  the  cap- 
tured and  exiled  Jews  were  expressed  in  the  following  language  in  Babylon  (Ps.  exxxvii.  7): 

Remember,  0  JEHOVAH,  the  children  of  Edom  in  the  day  of  Jerusalem; 
Who  said,  Rase  it,  rase  it,  even  to  the  foundation. 

That  is,  we  desire  vengeance  on  Idumea,  who  joined  with  our  enemies  when  Jerusalem  was  de- 
stroyed ;  and  when  Jerusalem  shall  be  again  rebuilt  we  pray  thai  they  may  be  remembered,  and  that 
punishment  may  be  inflicted  on  them  for  exulting  over  our  calamities  The  watchman  adds  that  if 
the  Idiimean  was  disposed  to  inquire  farther  he  could.  The  result  could  be  easily  ascertained  It 
was  clear,  and  the  watchman  would  be  disposed  to  give  the  information  But  be  adds,  "return, 
dime;" — perhaps  meaning,  'repent;  then  come  and  receive  an  answer ;'— denoting  that  if  the  Idu- 
means wished  a  favourable  answer,  they  should  repent  of  their  treatment  of  the  Jews  in  their  cala- 
mities, and  that  then  a  condition  of  safely  and  prosperity  would  be  promised  them. 

As  there  is  considerable  variety  in  the  ancient  versions  of  this  prophecy,  and  as  it  is  brief,  they 
maybe  presented  to  advantage  at  a  single  view.  The  Vulgate  does  not  differ  materially  from  the 
Hebrew     The  following  are  some  of  the  other  versions  : 


Septuagint 
The  vision  of  Idumea 
Unto  me  he  called  out  of 
8eir,  '  Guard  the  for 
tresses  '  —  ^vXaaccrc 
£7ru,\ic's.  I  guard  morn- 
ing and  night.  If  yon 
inquire,  inquire,  and 
dwell  with  me.  In  the 
grove  ("fJ( ;'',")  thou 
shait  lie  down,  and  in 
the  way  of  Dedan, 
AuiJ'-ip. 


Chaldee. 

The.  burden  of  the 
cup  of  ma!  edict  inn 
which  is  coming  upon 
Duma.  He  cries  to  me 
from  Heaven,  '  0  pro- 
phet, prophesy;  0  pro- 
phet, prophesy  to  them 
of  what  is  to  come.' 
The  prophet  said, 
'  There  is  a  reward  to 
the  just,  and  revenge  to 
the  unjust  If  you  will 
be  converted,  be  con- 
vered  while  you  can  be 
converted. 


Syriac. 

The  burden  of  Duma. 
The  nightly  watchman, 
calls  to  me  out  c.l  8eir 
And  the  watchman 
said,  '  The  morning 
cometh  and  also  the 
night.  If  ye  will  in- 
quire, inquire,  and  then 
at  length  come. 


Arabic. 

A  prophecy  respect- 
ing Edom  and  >eir. 
the  sons  of  Esau.  Call 
me  from  Seir.  '  Keep 
the  towers  Guard 
thyself  morning  and 
evening.  If  you  in- 
quire, inquire.' 


It  is  evident  from  this  variety  of  translation  that  the  ancient  interpreters  felt  that  the  prophecy 
W89  enigmatical  and  difficult.  It  is  not  easy  in  a  prophecy  so  brief,  and  where  there  is  scarcely  any 
slew  tolead  us  to  the  historical  facts,  to  give  an  interpretation  that  shall  be  entirely  satisfactory  ana 
unobjectionable.  Perhaps  the  view  given  above  may  be  as  little  liable  to  objection  as  any  one  o. 
Jte  numerous  interpretations  which  have  been  proposed. 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


377 


11   The    burden    of   Dumah.' 

r  1  Chron.  1.  30.    Jer.  49.  7.  $-c.   Ezek.  35.  2,  <J-c. 
Ul>.  1,  $-e. 

11.  The  burden.  See  Note  ch.  xiii. 
This  word  burden  naturally  leads  to 
the  supposition  that  calamity  in  some 
form  was  contemplated  in  the  prophecy. 
Tliis  is  also  indicated  in  the  prophecy 
by  the  word  night.  IF  Of  Dumah. 
Dumah —  rra'H  — is  mentioned  in  Gen. 
xxv  14,  1  Chron.  i.  30,  as  one  of 
the  twelve  sons  of  lshmael.  It  is 
known  that  those  sons  settled  in  Ara- 
bia, and  that  the  Arabians  derive  their 
origin  from  lshmael.  The  name  Dumah, 
therefore,  properly  denotes  one  of  the 
wandering  tribes  of  the  Ishmaelites. 
The  LXX  evidently  read  this  as  if  it 
had  been  C11X  Edom  or  Idumea — 
'Hsvfiuir.  Jakut  mentions  two  places 
in  Arabia  to  which  the  name  Dumah 
is  given,  Dumah  Irak,  and  Dumah 
Felsen.  The  former  of  these,  which 
Gesenius  supposes  is  the  place  her*;  in- 
tended, lies  upon  the  borders  of  the 
Syrian  desert,  and  is  situated  in  a  val- 
ley seven  days'  journey  from  Damas- 
cus, according  to  Abulfeda,  in  E.  Long. 
45"  and  in  N.  Lat.  29°  30',  and  about 
three  and  a  half  days'  journey  from 
Medina.  Niebuhr  mentions  Dumah 
as  a  station  of  the  Wehabites  See 
Gesenius'  Comm.  in  loco.  There  can 
be  little  doubt  that  the  place  referred  to 
is  situated  on  the  confines  of  the  Ara- 
bian and  Syrian  deserts,  and  that  it  is 
the  place  called  by  the  Arabians  Duma 
the  atony,  or  Syrian  Duma.  Rob. 
Calmet.  It  has  a  fortress,  and  is  a 
place  of  strength.  Jerome  says, "  Duma 
is  not  the  whole  province  of  Idumea, 
but  is  a  certain  region  which  lies  to- 
ward the  south,  and  is  twenty  miles 
distant  from  a  city  of  Palestine  called 
Eleutheropolis,  near  which  are  the 
mountains  of  Seir."  It  is  evident  from 
the  prophecy  itself  that  Idumea  is  par- 
ticularly referred  to,  for  the  prophet 
immediately  adds,  that  the  voice  came 
to  him  from  Mount  "  Seir,"  which  was 
the  principal  mountain  of  Idumea. 
Why  the  name  Dumah  is  used  to  de- 
lignate  that  region  has  been  a  matter 


He  calleth  to   me  out  of   Seir. 
Watchman,  what  of  the   night  ? 


on  which  critics  have  been  divided. 
Vitringa  supposes  that  it  is  by  a  play 
upon  the  word  Dumah,  because  the 
word  may  be  derived  from  ETIfl 
ildmdm,  to  be  silent,  to  be  still ;  and 
that  it  is  used  to  deno.e  the  silence,  or 
the  night,  which  was  about  to  come 
upon  Idumea  ;  that  is,  the  calamity  of 
which  this  was  a  prediction.  Kocher 
supposes  that  the  prophet  used  the  word 
denoting  silence,  HEW  t  by  a  parano- 
masia,  and  by  derision  for  CHX  ,  as  if 
Idumea  was  soon  to  be  reduced  to  si- 
lence, or  to  destruction.  Idumea,  or 
the  country  of  Edom,  is  frequently  re- 
ferred to  by  the  prophets.  See  Jer. 
xlix.  7-10,  12-18.  Ezek.  xxxv.  1-4,7, 
9,  14,  15.  Joel  iii.  19.  Amos  i.  11. 
Obad.  v.  2-18.  Mai.  i.  3,  4.  For  a 
description  of  Idumea,  and  of  the  pro- 
phecies respecting  it,  see  Notes  on  Isa. 
xxxiv.  IF  He  calleth.  One  calleth ; 
there  is  a  voice  heard  by  me  from  Seir. 
Lowth  renders  it,  "  a  voice  crieth  unto 
me."  But  the  sense  is,  that  the  pro- 
phet hears  one  crying,  or  calling  (S^p) 
to  him  from  the  distant  mountain. 
IF  Unto  me  The  prophet  Isaiah. 
IF  Out  of  Seir.  The  name  Seir  was 
given  to  a  mountainous  tract  or  region 
of  country  that  stretched  along  from 
the  southern  part  of  the  Dead  Sea  to 
the  eastern  branch  of  the  Red  Sea,  ter- 
minating near  Ezion-Geber.  Mount 
Hor  formed  a  part  of  this  range  of 
mountains.  Esau  and  his  descendants 
possessed  the  mountains  of  Seir,  and 
hence  the  whole  region  obtained  the 
name  of  Edom,  or  Idumea.  Mount 
Seir  was  anciently  the  residence  of  the 
Horites  (Gen.  xiv.  6),  but  Esau  made 
war  upon  them  and  destroyed  them. 
Comp.  Deut.  ii.  5,  12.  Gen.  xxxvi.  8, 
9.  Here  it  is  put  for  the  country  of 
Idumea,  and  the  sense  is,  that  the 
whole  land,  or  the  inhabitants  of  the 
land,  are  heard  by  the  prophet  in  a 
taunting  manner  asking  him  what  of 
the  night.  IF  Watchman.  Note  ver. 
6.     The  prophet  Isaiah  is  here  referred 


37R 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C  lie 


Watchman,  what  of  the  night  ? 

12  The   watchman  said,  The 
morning    cometh,    and    also  the 


to.  Comp  ch.  li\  8,  Ivi.  10.  He  is 
represented  as  being  in  the  midst  of  the 
calamities  that  had  come  upon  Judea, 
and  as  having  his  station  in  desolate 
Jerusalem,  and  looking  for  the  signs 
of  returning  day.  The  eye  is  turned 
towards  the  east — the  source  whence 
light  comes,  and  whence  the  exiles 
would  return  to  their  own  land  Thus 
anxiously  waiting  for  the  indications 
of  mercy  to  his  desolate  country,  lie 
hears  this  taunting  voice  from  Idumea, 
asking  him  what  was  the  prospect  I 
What  evidence  there  was  of  return- 
ing prosperity  ?  f  What  of  the  night  ! 
Comp.  Hab.  ii.  1.  '  How  stands  the 
night  \  What  is  the  prospect  ?  What 
have  you  to  announce  respecting  the 
night  I  How  much  of  it  is  passed  ? 
And  what  is  the  prospect  of  the  dawn  ?' 
Night  here  is  the  emblem  of  calamity, 
affliction,  oppression,  as  it  often  is  in 
the  Scriptures  (comp.  Job  xxxv.  10, 
Micah  iii.  6)  ;  and  it  refers  here  proba- 
bly to  the  calamities  which  had  come 
upon  Judea.  The  inquiry  is,  How 
much  of  that  calamity  had  passed  ? 
What  was  the  prospect?  How  long 
was  it  to  continue  ?  How  far  was  it  to 
spread  ?  The  inquiry  is  repeated  here 
to  denote  intensity  or  emphasis,  mani- 
festing the  deep  interest  which  the  in- 
quirer had  in  the  result,  or  designed  to 
give  emphasis  and  point  to  the  cutting 
taunt. 

12.  The  watchman  said.  Or  rather 
saith;  indicating  that  this  is  the  an- 
swer which  the  prophet  returned  to  the 
inquiry  from  Idumea.  1T  The  morning 
cometh.  There  are  signs  of  approach- 
ing day.  The  morning  here  is  an  em- 
blem of  prosperity  ;  as  the  light  of  the 
morning  succeeds  to  the  darkness  of 
the  night.  This  refers  to  the  deliver- 
ance from  the  captivity  of  Babylon, 
and  is  to  be  supposed  as  having  been 
cpoken  near  the  time  when  that  cap- 
tivity was  at  an  end  ; — or  nearly  at 
oreak  of  day  after  the  long  night  of 
their  bondage.     This  declaration  is  to 


night :   if  ye  will  inquire,  inquire 
ye  :  return,  come. 


be  understood  as  referring  to  a  differ- 
ent people  from  those  referred  to  in  the 
expression  which  immediately  follows, 
"  and  also  the  night."  '  The  morning 
cometh — to  the  captive  Jews  ; — and 
also  the  night — to  some  other  people- 
to  wit,  the  Iduineans.'  It  might  mean 
that  the  morning  was  to  be  succeeded 
by  a  time  of  darkne:i3  to  the  same  peo- 
ple ;  but  the  connection  seems  to  de- 
mand that  we  understand  it  of  others. 
H  And  also  the  night.  A  time  of 
calamity  and  affliction.  This  is  em- 
phatic. It  refers  to  the  Idumeans. 
1  The  morning  cometh  to  the  captive 
Jews  ; — it  shall  be  closely  succeeded 
by  a  night — a  time  of  calamity — to  the 
taunting  Idumeans ' — During  the  cap- 
tivity of  the  Jews  in  Babylon  the  Idu- 
ineane  invaded  and  took  possession 
of  the  southern  part  of  Judea.  The 
prophet  here  refers  to  the  fact,  perhaps, 
that  on  the  return  of  the  Jews  to  their 
native  land  they  would  revenge  this 
by  expelling  them,  and  by  inflicting 
punishment  on  the  land  of  Edom.  For 
a  full  proof  that  calamities  came  upon 
the  land  of  Idumea,  see  Keith  on  the 
Prophecies,  Art.  Idumea,  and  Notes 
on  Isa.  xxxiv.  IT  //  ye  will  inquire, 
inquire.  If-  you  choose  to  ask  any 
thing  further  in  regard  to  this  you  can. 
The  sense  is  probably  this :  ■  You 
Idumeans  have  asked  respecting  the 
night  in  derision  and  reproach.  An 
answer  has  been  given  somewhat 
agreeably  to  that  inquiry.  But  if  you 
seriously  wish  to  know  any  thing  fur- 
ther respecting  the  destiny  of  your 
land,  you  can  ask  me  (Isaiah)  or  any 
other  prophet,  and  it  will  be  known. 
But  ask  it  in  seriousness  and  earnest- 
ness, and  with  a  suitable  regard  for 
the  prophetic  character  and  for  God. 
And  especially  if  you  wish  a  more 
favourable  answer  to  your  inquiries,  it 
is  to  be  obtained  only  by  forsaking  sin 
and  turning  to  God,  and  then  you  may 
come  with  the  hope  of  a  brighter  pros- 
pect for  the  future.'    The  design  «f  this 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXI, 


S79 


s,  therefore,  (1)  to  reprove  them  for 
the  manner  in  which  they  had  asked 
the  question  ;  (2)  to  assure  them  that 
God  was  willing  to  direct  humble  and 
serious  inquirers  ;  and  (3)  to  show  in 
what  way  a  favourable  answer  could 
be  obtained — to  wit,  by  repentance  — 
And  this  is  as  true  of  sinners  now  as 
it  was  then.  They  often  evince  the 
reproachful  and  taunting  spirit  which 
the  Idumeans  did.  They  hear  only  a 
similar  response  ; — that  prosperity  and 
happiness  await  the  Christian,  though 
now  in  dti'-kness  and  affliction;  and 
that  calamity  and  destruction  are  be- 
fore the  gu  lty.  They  might  have  the 
same  answer  an  answer  that  God 
would  bless  them  and  save  them,  if 
they  would  inquire  in  a  humble,  serious, 
and  docile  manner  IT  Return.  Turn 
from  your  sins ;  come  back  to  God, 
and  show  respect  for  him  and  his  de- 
clarations. If  Come.  Then  come  and 
you  shall  be  accepted,  and  the  watch- 
man will  also  announce  morning  as 
about  to  dawn  on  you. — This  seems  to 
be  the  sense  of  this  very  dark  and  diffi- 
cult prophecy.  It  is  brief,  enigmatical, 
and  obscure.  Yet  it  is  beautiful  ;  and 
if  the  sense  above  given  be  correct,  it 
contains  most  weighty  and  important 
truth — alike  for  the  afflicted  and  per- 
secuted friends,  and  the  persecuting 
and  taunting  foes  of  God.  With  refer- 
ence to  the  interpretation  here  pro- 
posed, which  supposes,  as  will  have 
been  seen,  (1)  a  state  of  excited  feel- 
ing on  the  part  of  the  Jews  towards 
the  Idumeans  for  the  part  which  they 
took  in  the  destruction  of  their  city  ; 
(2)  the  prospect  of  speedy  deliverance 
to  the  Jews  in  Babylon  ;  and  (3)  a 
consequent  desolation   and  vengeance 


on  the  Idumeans  for  the  feelings  which 
they  had  manifested  in  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  see  the  prophecy  of  Oba- 
diah,  vs.  10-21. 

Shall  I  not  in  that  day,  saith  the  Lord, 
Even  destroy  the  wise  men  out  of  Edom, 
And  understanding  out  of  the  mount  of  Esau? 
And  thy  mighty  men,  0  Teman,  shall  be  dis 

mayed, 
To  the  end  that  every  one  of  the  mount  of  E9au 

may  be  cut  off  by  slaughter. 
For  thy  violence  against  thy  brother  Jacob  shama 

shall  cover  thee, 
And  thou  shalt  be  cut  off  for  ever. 
In  the  day  that  thou  stocdest  on  the  othe    side  ; 
In  the  day  that  the  stranger  carried  away  captive 

his  forces; 
And  foreigners  entered  into  his  gates,  and  cant 

lots  upon  Jerusalem  ; 
Even  thou  wast  as  one  of  them. 
But  thou  shouldst  not  have  looked  on  the  day 

of  thy  brother  in  the  day  that  he  became  a 

stranger; 
Neither  shouldst  thou    have   rejoiced  over  the 

children  of  Judah  in  the  day  of  their  destruc- 
tion ; 
Neither  should  t  thou  have  spoken  proudly  in 

the  day  of  distress. 

For  the  day  of  the  LORD  is  near  upon  all  the 

heathen ; 
As  thou  hast  done,  it  shall  be  done  unto  thee  ; 
Thy  reward  shall  return  upon  thine  own  head,  &c. 

In  this  prophecy  these  circumstances 
are  all  to  be  found:  (1)  The  hostility 
of  the  Edomites  against  Jerusalem, 
and  the  part  which  they  took  in  the 
destruction  of  the  city,  in  vs.  10—14; 
(2)  the  fact  of  the  deliverance  of  the 
Jews  from  captivity,  in  ver.  17;  (3) 
the  consequent  vengeance  upon  the 
Idumeans,  vs.  18-21.  This  remark- 
able coincidence  in  an  independent 
prophecy  is  a  strong  circumstance  to 
prove  that  the  interpretation  above  pro- 
posed is  correct.  In  regard  to  the 
general  reasons  for  the  interpretation 
here  proposed,  and  the  lessons  which 
the  prophecy  is  fitted  to  convey,  I  may 
be  permitted  to  refer  to  my  "  Practical 
Sermons,"  pp.  325-341. 


Vision  XVIII.     Chapter  XXI.  13-17.     Arabia. 


ANALYSIS. 

Tiie  remainder  ci  ihis  chapter  is  occupied  with  a  single  prophecy  respecting  Arabia.  It  was  pro- 
htbhj  delivered  about  the  time  that  the  former  was  uttered — during  the  reign  of  Hezekiah,  and  be- 
fore the  invasion  of  Sennacherib.  It  had  reference,  I  suppose,  to  Sennacherib;  and  was  designed  to 
foretell  the  fact  that  either  in  his  march  to  attack  Judea,  or  on  his  return  from  Egypt,  he  would  pass 
through  Arabia,  and  perhaps  oppress  and  overthrow  some  of  their  clan9  At  all  events,  it  was  to  be 
fulfilled  within  a  year  after  it  was  uttered  (ver.  16}.  and  refers  to  some  foreign  invasion  that  was  to 
come  upon  their  land  Rosenmuller  supposes  that  it  relates  to  the  same  period  as  the  prophecy  in 
Jer  xlix.  28,  se'j.,  ami  refers  to  the  time  when  Nebuchadnezzar  sent  Nebuzaradan  t*  overrun  the 
lands  of  the  Ammonites,  the  Moabites,  the  Philistines,  the  Arabians,  the  Idumeans,  and  others  who 
tiad  revolted  from  him,  and  who  had  formed  an  alliance  with  Zedekiah 


3^0 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  US. 


Tbr  sontiment  of  the  jirovh'  ry  u  simpli — that  within  a  yrar  the  coumry  of  Arabia  would  be  over 
run  by  a  foreign  enem'j  I  he  form  and  manner  of  the  prophi  ry  it  highly  poetic  ami  beautiful.  Tha 
images  in  drawn  from  custom  and  habits  which  pertain  to  the  Arabians,  and  which  characterise 
them  to  tins  day  In  ver  13,  the  prophecj  opens  with  a  declaration  ihat  tte  caravans  that  wer* 
accustomed  10  i  ;bs  peacefully  through  Arabia  would  be  arrested  by  the  apprehension  ol  war.  The* 
would  setk  u  place  of  refuge  in  ih<  forests  and  fastnesses  of  the  land  Thither  al>o  the  prophet  r.ees 
the  Arabians  flocking,  aa  ii  to  exercise  the  rites  of  hospitality,  and  to,  minister  to  the  want  of  Hie 
oppressed  and  wean  travellers.    But  the  reasons  whi   they  ore  there!  the  prophet jsees  to  be  that 

they  ui.-  trpl  r   --  '.!  and  driven  out  of  tin  ir  land   by  a  foreign   invader,  and   i)inj  al-u  si,  k  Ihe  same 

places  of  security  and  of  refuge,  vs  u  is,    All  this  would  b#  accomplished  within  a  year  Wer.  18); 

and  the  result  would  be,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Arabia  would  be  greatly  diminished,  ver.  17. 


13  The   burden  upon  Arabia. 
In  the  forest   in  Arabia   shall   ye 

13.  The  burden.  Note  eh.  in.  1 
T  Upon  Arabia.  3"^S3  •  This  is  an 
unusual  form.  Tlie  title  of  the  prophe- 
cies is  usually  without  the  3  ,  rendered 
upon.  Lowth  supposes  this  whole  title 
to  be  of  doubtful  authority,  chiefly  be- 
cause it  is  wanting  in  most  MSS.  ot  the 
LXX  The  LXX  connect  it  with  the 
preceding  prophecy  respecting  Duniah, 
and  make  this  a  continuance  of  that. 
The  preposition  3,  upon,  means  here 
respecting,  concerning,  and  is  used  in- 
stead of  '5  .  as  in  Zech.  ix.  1  Arabia 
is  a  well  known  country  of  western 
Asia,  lying  south  and  south-east  of  Ju- 
dea.  It  was  divided  into  three  parts, 
Arabia  Deserta,  on  the  east ;  Arabia 
Petrea, lying  south  of  Judea  ;  and  Ara- 
bia Felix,  lying  still  further  south.  What 
part  of  Arabia  is  here  denoted  it  may 
not  be  easy  to  determine.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  it  was  Arabia  Petrea,  because 
this  lay  between  Judea  and  Egypt,  and 
would  be  exposed  to  invasion  by  the 
Assyrians  should  they  invade  Egypt  ; 
and  because  this  part  of  Arabia  furnish- 
ed, more  than  the  others,  such  retreats 
and  fastnesses  as  are  mentioned  in  vs. 
13—15.  IT  In  the  forest,  "^a.  The 
word  "<S1  ,  forest,  usually  denotes  a 
grove,  a  collection  of  trees.  But  it  may 
mean  here,  any  place  of  refuge  from  a 
pursuing  foe  ;  a  region  of  thick  under- 
wood ;  an  uncultivated,  inaccessible 
place,  where  they  would  be  concealed 
rom  an  invading  enemy.  The  word 
rendered  forest  is  commonly  supposed 
to  mean  a  forest  in  the  sense  in  which 
that  word  is  now  used  by  us,  meaning 
an  extensive  wood — a  large  tract  of 
land   covered  with  trees      It  is  doubt- 


lodge,  O  ye  travelling  companies 
of  Dcdanim. 


ful  however  whether  the  word  is  so  used 
in  the  Bible.  The  Rev.  Eli  Smith 
stated  to  me  that  he  had  visited  several 
of  the  places  in  Palestine  to  which  the 
word  "?^  (forest,  or  grove)  is  given, 
and  that  he  was  satisfied  that  there 
never  was  a  forest  there  in  our  use  of 
the  word.  The  same  word — waar — 
the  ^  not  being  used  to  begin  a  word  in 
Arabic,  but  the  1  being  used  instead  of 
it — occurs  often  in  Arabic.  It  means, 
as  used  by  the  Arabs,  a  rough,  stony, 
impassable  place  ;  a  place  where  there 
are  no  roads;  which  is  inaccessible; 
and  which  is  a  safe  retreat  for  robbers — 
and  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  word 
is  so  used  here.  IT  In  Arabia.  3^~2  . 
The  LXX,  the  Vulgate,  and  the  Ch'al- 
dee,  understand  this  of  the  evening, 
"  In  the  evening."  The  word  37,~  with 
different  points  from  those  which  the 
Masorites  have  used  here,  means  even- 
ing, but  there  is  no  necessity  of  departing 
from  the  translation  in  our  English  ver- 
sion. The  sense  would  not  be  ma- 
terially affected  whichever  rendering 
should  be  preferred.  H  Shall  lie  lai/ye. 
Shall  you  pass  the  night.  rI  his  is  the 
usual  signification  of  the  word.  But 
here  it  may  be  taken  in  a  larger  sense, 
as  denoting  that  they  would  pitch  their 
tents  there,  or  that  they  would  seek  a 
refuge  there.  The  sense  I  suppose  to 
be  this :  '  0  ye  travelling  caravans  of 
Dedan  !  Ye  were  accustomed  to  pass 
through  Arabia,  and  to  find  a  safe  and 
hospitable  entertainment  there.  But 
now,  the  Arabians  shall  be  overrun  by 
a  foreign  enemy  ;  they  shall  be  unable 
to  show  you  hospitality,  and  to  ensure 
your  safety  ;n    their  tents,  and  for  fear 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


381 


14  The  inhabitants  of  the  land 
of  Tenia  brought"  water  to  him 


7  or,  brin?  ye. 


of  the  enemy  still  in  the  land  you  will 
be  obliged  to  seek  a  lodging  in  the  in- 
accessible thickets  of  the  fore6ts.'  The 
passage  is  intended  to  denote  the  change 
that  had  taken  place,  and  to  show  the 
insecurity  for  caravans.  If  O  ye  travel- 
ling companies.  Ye  caravans.  PlrTlX . 
This  word  usually  signifies  ways,  paths, 
cross-roads.  But  it  is  here  used  evi- 
dently to  denote  those  who  travelled  in 
such  ways  or  paths  ;  that  is,  caravans 
of  merchants.  So  it  is  used  in  Job  vi. 
19:  "  The  caravans  of  Tenia."  It  is 
well  known  that  in  the  East  it  is  usual 
for  large  companies  to  travel  together, 
called  caravans.  Arabia  Petrea  was  a 
great  thoroughfare  for  such  companies. 
If  Of  Dedanim.  Descendants  of  De- 
dan.  There  are  two  men  of  this  name 
mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament — the 
son  of  Raamah  the  son  of  Cush,  men- 
tioned in  Gen.  x.  7  ;  and  the  son  of 
Jokshan,  the  son  of  Abraham  by  Ke- 
turah,  Gen  xxv  3.  The  descendants 
of  the  latter  settled  in  Arabia  Petrea, 
and  the  descendants  of  the  former  near 
the  Persian  Gulf.  It  is  not  easy  to  de- 
termine which  is  here  intended,  though 
most  probably  those  who  dwelt  near 
the  Persian  Gulf,  because  they  are  often 
mentioned  as  merchants.  They  dealt 
in  ivory,  ebony,  &-c  ,  and  traded  much 
with  Tyre  (Ezek.xxvii.  '21),  and  doubt- 
less also  with  Egypt.  They  are  here 
represented  as  passing  through  Arabia 
Petrea  on  their  way  to  Egypt,  and  as 
compelled  by  the  calamities  in  the 
country  to  find  a  refuge  in  its  fast- 
nesses and  inaccessible  places. 

14.  Of  the  land  of  Tenia.  Tenia 
was  one  of  the  sons  of  Ishmael  (Gen. 
xxv.  15"),  and  is  supposed  to  have  peo- 
pled the  city  of  Thema  in  Arabia  De- 
serta.  The  word  denotes  here  one  of 
the  tribes  of  Ishmael,  or  of  the  Arabians. 
Job  speaks  (vi.  19)  of  "  the  troops  of 
Tenia,"  and  Jeremiah  (xxv.  23)  con- 
cects  Tenia  and  Dedan  together.  Je- 
rome and  Eusebius  say  that  the  village 
•f  Theman — Oaifian— existed  in   their 


that  was  thirsty,  tney  prevented 
with  their  bread  him  that  fled. 


time.  It  was,  according  to  Jerome, 
five,  and  according  to  Eusebius,  fifteen 
miles  from  Petra,  and  was  then  occu- 
pied as  a  Roman  garrison.  Onomas. 
Urb.  et  Locor.  Ptolemy  speaks  of  a 
city  called  Thenime  (Bt'^i;)  in  Arabia 
Deserta.  This  city  lies,  according  to 
DAnville,  'n  57°  E.  longitude,  and  ~'7° 
N.  latitude.  According  to  Seetzen  it  is 
on  the  road  usually  pursued  by  caravans 
from  Mecca  to  Damascus.  Lowth 
renders  it  "  the  southern  country," 
but  without  authority.  The  LXX  ren- 
der it  Ba^/.ii',  Thaiman.  If  Brought 
water.  Marg.  "  bring  ye."  This  might 
be  rendered  in  the  imperative,  but  the 
connection  seems  rather  to  require  that 
it  be  read  as  a  declaration  that  they  did 
so.  To  bring  water  to  the  thirsty  was 
an  act  of  hospitality,  and  especially  in 
eastern  countries,  where  water  was  so 
scarce,  and  where  it  was  of  so  much 
consequence  to  the  traveller  in  the 
burning  sands  and  deserts.  The  idea 
is,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  would 
be  oppressed  and  pursued  by  an  enemy  ; 
and  that  the  Arabians,  referred  to  by 
the  prophet  (ver.  13),  would  be  driven 
from  their  homes  ;  and  be  dependent  on 
others  ;  that  they  would  wander  through 
the  vast  deserts,  deprived  of  the  neces- 
saries of  life  ;  and  that  they  would  be 
dependent  on  the  charity  of  the  people 
of  Tenia  for  the  supply  of  their  wants. 
The  following  illustration  of  this  pas- 
sage has  T)een  kindly  furnished  me  by 
the  Rev.  Eli  Smith,  missionary  to  Syria, 
showing  that  Isaiah,  in  mentioning  hos- 
1'itnlity  as  one  of  the  virtues  of  the  in- 
habitants of  Tenia,  drew  from  the  life. 
"  Even  in  Hebrew  prophecy  hospitality 
is  distinctly  recognized  as  a  trait  in  the 
Arab  character.  Isaiah  says, 'the  in- 
habitants of  Tema,'  &c.  Tenia  is 
known  as  an  oasis  in  the  h?art  of 
Arabia,  between  Syria  and  Mecca. 
And  among  the  scraps  of  ante-Mo- 
hammedan poetry  that  have  reached 
us,  is  one  by  Samaciel,  a  prince  of  this 
same  Tema.  In  extolling  the  v'.rtuei 
of  his  tribe  he  says, 


882 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C  713 


15  For  rthey  fled  9from  the 
swords,  from  the  drawn  sword. 
and  from  the  bent  bow,  and  from 
the  gnevousness  of  war. 

10  For  thus   hath   the    Lord 


■  Jgjj  ^jJ)LJ!  J,  Li  3  ^ 

*  No  fire  of  ours  was  ever  extinguished 
at  night  without  a  guest,  and  of  our 
guests  never  did  one  disparage  us  ' 

"  In  the  passage  quoted  from  Isaiah, 
it  is  to  the  thirsty  and  hungry  in  flight, 
that  the  inhabitants  of  Tenia  are  repre- 
sented as  bringing  water  and  bread,  as 
if  hastening  to  afford  them  protection. 
The  extent  to  which  this  protection  is 
sometimes  carried,  is  finely  illustrated 
by  a  traditionary  anecdote  in  the  life 
of  Samanielj  the  prince  and  poet  of 
Tenia  just  mentioned.  In  some  feud 
among  the  tribes  in  his  neighbourhood, 
a  prince  [Atnru  el-Keis]  fled  to  Sama- 
ciel,  left  with  him  his  treasures,  and 
was  conducted  by  him  beyond  the  reach 
of  his  enemies.  They  assembled  their 
forces  and  marched  upon  Tenia.  On 
their  way  Samaciel's  son  fell  into  their 
hands.  Presenting  the  young  man  be- 
fore his  castle,  they  proposed  to  the 
father  the  dreadful  alternative,  of  de- 
livering up  to  them  what  his  guest  had 
left,  or  seeing  his  son  massacred.  Sa- 
maciel's sense  of  honour  dictated  the 
reply : 


,JdJ. 


j*&  y  o^5 


'  He  honoured  me,  and  I'll  honour  him 
*  *  *  Treachery  is  a  chain  to  the  neck 
xhat  never  wears  out.'  So  he  defended 
the  rights  of  his  guest,  and  his  son  was 
Blain.  IT  They  prevented.  Our  word 
prevent  usually  means  at  present,  to 
kinder,  to  obstruct.  But  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  in  the  old  English  sense  of 
the  word,  it  means  to  anticipate,  to  go 
before.     That  is  the  sense  of  the  word 

W?p    here.       They  anticipated    their 


said  unto  me,  Within  a  year,  ac. 
cording  to  the  years  of  an  hire- 
ling,'4' and  all  the  glory  of  Kedar* 
shall  fail. 

v  Job  6.  19,  20.       9  from  the  face  of,  or,  for  fear, 
w  Job  7.  1.  x  ch.  60.  7. 

wants  by  bread  ;  that  is,  they  supplied 
them.  This  was  an  ancient  and  an 
honourable  rite  of  hospitality,  Thus 
Melchizedek  (Gen.  xiv.  17,  18)  is  said 
to  have  come  out  and  met  Abraham, 
when  returning  victorious  from  the 
slaughter  of  Chedorlaomer,  with  bt  rad 
and  wine.  IT  Him  that  fled.  The  in- 
habitant of  the  land  of  Arabia  that  fled 
before  the  invader,  perhaps  the  inhab- 
itants of  Kedar  (ver.  lb),  or  of  some 
other  part  of  Arabia.  It  is  not  meant 
that  the  whole  land  of  Arabia  would  be 
desolate,  but  that  the  invasion  would 
come  upon  certain  parts  of  it  ;  and  the 
inhabitants  of  other  portions — as  of 
Tenia — would  supply  the  wants  of  the 
fugitives. 

15.  For  they  fled.  The  inhabitant? 
of  one  part  of  the  land.  H  The  griev- 
ousness  of  war.  Heb.  the  weight  ("'52), 
the  heaviness,  the  oppression  of  war — ■ 
probably  from  the  calamities  that  would 
result  from  the  march  of  the  Assyrian 
through  their  land,  either  on  his  way 
to  Judea  or  to  Egypt. 

16.  Within  a  year.  What  has  been 
said  before  was  figurative.  Here  the 
prophet  speaks  without  a  metaphor, 
and  fixes  the  time  when  this  should  be 
accomplished.  It  is  not  usual  for  the 
prophets  to  designate  the  exact  tune 
of  the  fulfilment  of  their  prophecies  in 
this  manner.  IT  According  to  the  years 
of  an  hireling.  Exactly ;  observing 
the  precise  time  specified.  Job  vii.  1. 
See  the  phrase  explained  on  ch.  xvi.  14. 
IT  All  the  glory.  The  beauty,  pride, 
strength,  wealth,  Ate.  IT  Of  Kedar. 
Kcdar  was  a  son  of  Ishma*-'  (Gen  xxv. 
15).  He  was  the  father  ot  the  Ked.i- 
reneans  or  Cedrai  mentioned  bv  Pliny, 
Nat.  Hist.  v.  11.  They  dwelt*  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  Nabatheans,  in 
Arabia  Deserta.  These  people  lived 
in  tents,  and  were  a  wandering  tribe, 
and  it  is  not  possible  to  fix  the  precis* 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


383 


17    And    the    residue  of   the 
lumber  of  archers,1  the  mighty 


place  of  their  habitation.  They  re- 
Bided,  it  is  supposed,  in  the  south  part 
of  Arabia  Deserta,  and  the  north  part 
of  Arabia  Petrea.  The  name  Kedar 
seems  to  be  used  sometimes  to  denote 
Arabia  in  general,  or  Arabia  Deserta 
particularly.  See  Ps.  cxx.  5.  Cant  i. 
5  Isa.  xlii.  11,  lx.  7.  Jer.  ii.  10,  xlix. 
28.  Ezek.  xxvi  21.  V  Shall  fail. 
Shall  be  consumed,  destroyed — »"!53  . 
17.  And  the  residue  of  the  number. 
That  is,  those  who  shall  be  left  in  the 
invasion.  Or  perhaps  it  may  be  read, 
'  there  shall  be  a  remnant  of  the  number 
of  bowmeu  ;  the  mighty  men  of  Kedar 


men  of  the  children  of  Kedar, 
shall  be  diminished  :  for  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel  hath  spoken  it. 

shall  be  diminished.'  *  Of  archers. 
Hebrew,  "  of  the  bow ;"  that  is,  of 
those  who  use  bows  in  war.  The  bow 
was  the  common  instrument  in  hum- 
ing  and  in  war  among  the  ancients. 
IT  Shall  be  diminished.  Heb.  "  shall 
be  made  small ;"  they  shall  be  reduced 
to  a  very  small  number.  We  cannot 
indeed  determine  the  precise  historical 
event  to  which  this  refers,  but  the 
whole  connection  and  circumstances 
seem  to  make  it  probable  that  it  re- 
ferred to  the  invasion  by  the  Assyrian 
when  he  went  up  against  Judah,  or 
when  he  was  on  his  way  to  Egypt. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


ANALYSIS  OF  VS.  1-14. 


This  chapter  is  made  up  of  two  prophecies ;  one  comprising  the  first  fourteen  verses,  and  ad- 
dressed to  the  city  of  Jerusalem  ;  and  theother  (vs.  15—23)  relating  to  the  fall  of  Shebna,  the  prefect 
of  the  palace,  and  to  the  promotion  of  Eliakim  in  his  place.  They  may  have  been  delivered  nearly 
■t  the  same  time,  but  the  subjects  are  distinct. 

The  first  (vs.  1— Hi  relates  to  Jerusalem.  It  has  reference  to  some  period  when  the  city  was 
besieged,  and  when  universal  consternation  spread  among  the  people.  The  prophet  represents  him- 
sell'as  in  the  city,  and  as  a  witness  of  the  alarm.  He  (1)  describes  (vs  1—3)  the  consternation  that 
prevailed  in  the  city  at  the  approach  of  the  enemy.  The  inhabitants  flee  to  the  tops  of  tt>e  nouses 
either  to  observe  the  enemy  or  to  make  a  defence,  and  (he  cky  is  filled  with  distress,  minded  with 
the  tumultuous  mirth  of  a  portion  who  regard  defence  as  hopeless,  and  who  give  themselves  up  to 
revelry  and  gluttony  becanau  they  apprehended  that  th&y  must  at  all  events  soon  die.  The  prophet 
then  (2)  describes  (vs.  4—8)  his  own  grief  at  the  impending  calamity,  and  especially  at  the  state  of 
tldngs  within  (he  city.  He  portrays  the  distress;  describes  tho-e  who  cause  it.  and  the  people  en- 
gaged in  it ;  and  says  that  the  valleys  around  the  city  are  filled  with  chariots,  and  that  the  horsemen  of 
the  enemy  have  come  to  the  very  gate.  He  then  (3)  describes  the  preparations  which  are  made  in 
the  city  lor  defence,  vs.  9— 11  The  inhabitants  of  the  city  had  endeavoured  to  rector  the  breaches 
of  the  walls  ;  had  even  torn  down  their  houses  to  furnish  materials,  and  had  endeavoured  to  secure 
the  water  with  which  the  cily  was  supplied  from  the  enemy  ;  but  they  had  not  looked  to  God  as  they 
should  have  done  tor  protection  The  scope  of  the  prophecy  therefore  is,  to  reprove  them  for  not 
loukmg  to  God,  and  also  for  their  revelry  in  the  very  midst  of  their  calamities.  The  prophet  then  (4) 
describes  the  state  ot  morals  within  the  city.  vs.  1*2— 14.  It  was  a  time  when  they  should  have  hum- 
bled themselves,  and  looked  to  God  He  called  them  to  fasting  and  to  grief;  but  they  supposed  that 
the  city  must  be  taken,  and  that  they  must  die.  and  a  large  portion  of  t-he  inhabitants,  despairing  of 
being  able  to  make  a  successful  defence,  gave  themselves  up  to  riot  and  drunkenness.  Vo  reprove 
this,  was  one  design  of  the  prophet ;  and  perhaps  al-o  to  teach  the  general  lesson  that  men,  in  view 
of  the  certainty  of  death,  should  not  madly  and  foolishly  eive  themselves  to  sensual  indulgence. 

There  has  been  a  difference  of  opinion  in  regard  to  the  event  to  which  this  prophecy  refers.  Most 
have  supposed  that  it  relates  to  tl  e  invasion  by  Sennacherib  ;  others  have  supposed  that  it  relates  to 
the  destruction  of  the  city  by  Neouchadnezzar  Vitringa  and  Lowth  suppose  that  the  prophet  had 
both  events  in  view  ;  the  former  in  vs.  1—5.  and  the  latter  in  the  remainder  of  the  prophecy.  But  it 
is  not  probable  that  it  has  a  two-fold  reference.  It  has  the  appearance  of  referring  to  a  single  cala- 
mity ;  and  this  mode  of  interpretation  should  not  be  departed  from  without  manifest  necessity.  The 
genera]  aspect  of  the  prophecy  has  reference,  I  think,  to  the  invasion  by  Sennacherib.  He  came 
near  the  city  ;  the  city  was  filled  with  alarm  ,  and  Hezekiah  prepared  himself  to  make  as  firm  a 
stand  against  him  as  possible,  and  put  the  city  in  the  best  possible  state  of  defence  The  description 
in  vs.  9—11  agrees  exactly  with  the  account  given  of  the  defence  which  Hezekiah  made  against  Sen- 
nacherib in  2  Chron.  xxxii.  2.  seq.  ;  and  particularly  in  regard  to  the  effort  made  to  secure  the  foun- 
tains in  the  neighbourhood  for  the  use  of  the  city,  and  to  prevent  the  Assyrians  from  obtfining  it. 
In  2  Chron.  xixii.  2,  seq.,  we  are  told  that  Hezekiah  took  mei  ures  to  stop  all  the  fountains  of  water 


3S4 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


without  the  city,  and  the  brook  "  that  ran  through  the  midst  of  the  land,"  in  order  that  Die  AMJ 
rians  under  Sennaehuib  should  not  find  water;  and  that  he  repaired  the  walls,  and  built  new  to  wen 
of  defence  in  the  eitj ,  and  placi  d  guibdi  upon  them     These  circumstances  of  coincidence  betw  eea 

the  history  and  the  prophecy,  show  conclusively  that  the  reference  is  entirely  to  the  invasion  uudui 
Sennacherib.    This  occurred  710  years  before  Christ. 

1   The    burden   of  the   valley 
of  vision.  What  aileth  thee  now, 

2  Deut.  22.  8. 


1.  The  burden.  Note  ch.  xiii.  1. 
%  The  valley.  K^S .  Septuagint,  $a- 
pnyyoq,  valley.  Chaldee.  "  The  bur- 
den of  the  prophecy  respecting  the 
city  which  dwells  (i  e.  is  built)  in  the 
valley,  which  the  prophets  have  pro- 
phesied concerning  it."  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  Jerusalem  is  intended. 
See  vs.  9,  10.  It  is  not  usual  to  call  it 
a  valley,  but  it  may  be  so  called,  either 
(1)  because  there  were  several  valleys 
within  the  city  and  adjacent  to  it,  as 
the  vale  between  Mount  Zion  and  Mo- 
riah  ;  the  vale  between  Mount  Moriah 
and  Mount  Ophel ;  between  these  and 
Mount  Bezetha  ;  and  the  valley  of 
Jehoshaphat,  without  the  walls  of  the 
city  ;  or  (2)  more  probably  it  was 
called  a  valley  in  reference  to  its  being 
encompassed  ivith  hills,  rising  to  a 
considerable  elevation  above  the  city. 
Thus  Mount  Olivet  was  on  the  east, 
and  overlooked  the  city.  Jerusalem 
is  also  called  a  valley,  and  a  plain,  in 
Jer.  xxi  13 :  "  Behold,  I  am  against 
thee,  O  inhabitant  of  the  valley,  and 
rock,  of  the  plain,  saith  the  Lord." 
Thus  it  is  described  in  Reland's  Pales- 
tine :  "  The  city  was  in  the  mountain 
region  of  Judea,  in  an  elevated  place, 
yet  so  that  in  respect  to  the  mountains 
by  which  it  was  surrounded,  it  seemed 
to  be  situated  in  a  humble  place,  be- 
cause Mount  Olivet,  and  other  moun- 
tains surrounding  it,  were  more  ele- 
vated." So  Phocas  says,  "  The  holy 
city  is  placed  in  the  midst  of  various 
valleys  and  hills,  and  this  is  wonderful 
-Oavf/aarvn — in  it,  that  at  the  same 
time  the  city  seems  to  be  elevated  and 
depressed  ;  for  it  is  elevated  in  respect 
to  the  region  of  Judea,  and  depressed 
in  respect  to  the  hills  around  it."  Re- 
land  Palaest  Lib  iii.  p.  80:.',  in  Ugo- 
lin's  Thesaur.  vol.  vi.  It  was  common 
with  Isaiah  and  the  other  prophets  to 


that  thou  art  wholly  gone  up  to 
the  *house-tops  ? 

2  Thou  that  art  full  of  stirs, 

designate  Jerasalem  and  other  places, 
not  by  their  proper  names,  but  by  some 
appellation  that  would  be  descriptive. 
See  ch.  xxi.  1,  xxix.  1.  tf  Of  vision. 
Note  ch  i.  1.  The  word  here  means 
that  Jerusalem  was  eminently  the  place 
where  God  made  known  his  will  to  the 
prophets,  and  manifested  himself  to  his 
people  by  visions.  If  What  aileth  thee 
imir.  What  is  the  cause  of  the  com- 
motion and  tumult  that  exists  in  the 
city  ?  The  prophet  throws  himself  at 
once  into  the  midst  of  the  excitement  ; 
sees  the  agitation  and  tumult,  and  the 
preparations  for  defence  which  were 
made,  and  asks  the  cause  of  all  this 
confusion.  H  That  thou  art  wholly  Z'me 
up  to  the  house-tops.  That  all  classes 
of  the  people  had  fled  to  the  house- 
lops,  so  much  that  it  might  be  said  that 
all  the  city  had  gone  up.  Houses  in 
the  East  were  built  in  a  uniform  man- 
ner in  ancient  times,  and  are  so  to  this 
day.  See  a  description  of  the  mode  of 
building  in  Notes  on  Matth.  ix.  1,  seq. 
The  roofs  were  always  flat,  and  were 
made  either  of  earth  that  was  trodden 
hard,  or  with  large  flat  stones.  This 
roof  was  surrounded  with  a  balustrade 
(Deut.  xxii.  8),  and  furnished  a  conve- 
nient place  for  walking,  or  even  for 
eating  and  sleeping  Whenever,  there- 
fore, any  thing  was  U<  be  seen  in  the 
street,  or  at  a  distance  ;  or  when  there 
was  any  cause  of  alarm,  they  would 
naturally  resort  to  the  roof  of  the 
house.  When  there  was  a  tower  in 
the  city,  the  inhabitants  fled  to  that, 
and  took  refuge  on  its  top.  See  Judges 
x.  50-53.  The  image  here  is,  therefore, 
one  of  consternation  and  alarm,  as  if 
on  the  sudden  approach  of  an  enemy. 

2  Thou  thai  art  full  of  stirs.  Of  tu- 
mult;  of  commotion  ;  ofa!ai#n.  Or  per- 
haps this  whole  description  may  mean 
that  it  was  formerly  a  city  distinguished 


ff.GI.7tS;] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


385 


a  tumultuous  city,  a  "joyous  city : 
thy  slain  men  are  not  slain  with 
the  sword,  nor  dead  in  battle. 
3  All  thy  rulers  are  fled*  to- 

a  ch.  32. 13.  6  2  Kings  25.  5, 11. 

for  the  hum  of  business,  or  for  pleasure — 
1  busy,  active,  enterprising  city.     The 
Hfbrew  will  bear  this,  but  I  prefer  the  j 
former    interpretation,    as    indicating 
mingled  alarm  and  consternation,  and 
at  the  same  time  a  disposition  to  en- 
gage in  riot  and  revelry.     If  A  joyous 
citli.    A  city  exulting  ;  rejoicing  ;  given 
to  pleasure,  and  to  riot.     See  the  de- 
scription of  Nineveh  in   Zeph    ii.   15. 
It  is  remarkable  that  the  prophet  has 
blended  these  things  together,  and  has 
spoken  of  the   tumult,  the  alarm,  and 
the  rejoicing,  in  the  same  breath.    This 
may  be  either  because  it  was  the  gene-  \ 
ral  character  of  the  city  thus  to  be  full 
of  revelry,  dissipation,  and  riot,  and  he  | 
designates  it  by  that  which  usually  and 
appropriately  described  it  ;  or  because 
it  was,  even  then,  notwithstanding  the 
general  consternation  and  alarm,  given 
up  to  revelry,  and  the  rather  on  account 
of  the  approaching  danger.     So  he  de- 
scribes the  city  in  vs.  12,  13.     ^  Thy 
slain  are    not  slain   with   the   sword. 
The   words    thy   slain    here,   T|73*!rl  j 
seem  to  be  intended  to  be  applied  to 
the  soldiers  on  whom  the  defence  of  the 
city  rested ;   and   to   mean  those  who 
had  not  died  an  honourable  death  in 
the  city  in  its  defence,  but  who  had 
fed  in  consternation,   and  who  were 
either  taken  in   their  flight  and  made 
captive,  or  who  were  pursued  and  put 
to  death.     To  be  slain  with  the  sword 
here  is  equivalent  to  being  slain  in  an 
honourable  engagement  with  the  ene- 
my.    But  here  the  prophet  speaks  of 
their    consternation,   their    cowardice, 
and  of  their  being  partly  trampled  down 
in  their  hasty  and  ignominious  flight  by 
each  other  ;  and  partly  of  the  fugitives 
being  overtaken    by  the    enemy,  and 
thus  put  to  death. 

3.  All  thy  rulers  are  fled  together. 
The  general  idea  in  this  verse  is  plain. 
It  is  designed  to  describe  the  conster- 
nation which  would  take  place  on   the 
17 


gether,  they  are  bound*  by  the 
archers :  all  that  are  found  in 
thee  are  bound  together,  which 
have  fled  from  far. 

2  of  the  bow. 

approach  of  the  invader,  and  especially 
the    timidity    and    flight    of  those    on 
whom  the  city  relied  for  protection  and 
defence.     Hence,  instead   of  entering 
calmly  and  firmly  on  the  work  of  de- 
fence,   no    inconsiderable    part  of  the 
rulers  of  the  city  are  represented  as  flee- 
ing from  the  city,  and  refusing  to  remain 
to  protect  the  capital.     The  word  ren- 
dered   thy    rulers,    T?3",2ip ,   denotes 
either   the  civil  rulers  of  the  city,   or 
military   leaders.     It   is   most   usually 
applied  to  the  latter,  Josh.  x.  24,  Judg. 
xi    6,  11,   Dan.  xi.   18,  and   probably 
refers    here    to    military   commanders. 
IT  They  are  bound  by  the  archers.    Heb. 
as  in  the  margin, "  of  the  bow."    There 
!  has  been  a  great  variety  in  the  inter- 
pretation of  this  passage.     The   LXX 
read  it,  *'  and  the  captives  are  bound 
with    severity,"    GnXnp>'>i    deltpivoi    ciai. 
The   Chaldee,  "  and   the  captives  mi- 
grate from  before  the  extending  of  the 
bow  "     Jarchi   renders  it,  "  who  from 
the  fear  of  arrows  were  bound  so  that 
they  shut  themselves  up  in  the  city." 
Houbigant  and  Lowth  render  it,  "  they 
are  fled  from  the  bow,"  reading  it  l"1*?^ 
instead    of   the    present    Hebrew    text 
*P©X  ,   but   without  the  slightest   au- 
thority.     Vitringa    renders    it,    "  they 
were   bound   from   treading,  i.  e.   ex- 
tending, or  using  the  bow  ;"  or  "  they 
were  bound  by  those  who  tread,  i.  e. 
use    the    bow  ;"    indicating    that    they 
were  so  bound  that  they  could  not  use 
the    bow    in    defence    of  the    city.     I 
think  that  the  connection  here  requires 
that  the  word  'HSX  should  be  used  in 
the  sense  of  being  bound  or  influenced 
by  fear — they  were  so  intimidated,  so 
much  under  the  influence  of  terror,  so 
entirely    unmanned    and    disabled    by 
alarm,  that  they  could  not  use  the  bow  ; 
or  this  was  caused  by  the  bow,  i.  e.  by 
the  bowmen  or  archers  who  came  tc 
attack    the    city.     It   is   true  that  no 


386 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


4  Therefore  said  I,  Look  away 
from  me  ;  1  will  *weep  bitterly, 
'labour  not  to  comfort  me ;  be- 
cause of  the  spoiling  of  the 
daughter  of  my  people. 

8  be  in  bitter  weeping,    c  Jer.  4. 19.  9. 1.  Lam.  I.  2. 

other  instance  occurs  in  which  the 
word  is  used  in  precisely  this  sense,  but 
instances  in  abundance  occur  where 
strong  passion  is  represented  as  having 
a  controlling  or  disabling  influence 
over  the  mind  and  body  ;  where  it 
takes  away  the  energy  of  the  soul,  and 
makes  one  timid,  feeble,  helpless,  as  if 
bound  with  cords,  or  made  captive. 
The  word  "'OX  commonly  means  to 
bind  with  cords,  or  to  fetter  ;  to  impris- 
on, Gen.  xlii.  24,  Judg  xvi.  5,  2  Kings 
xvii.  4  ;  to  yoke,  1  Sam.  vi.  7,  10  ;  and 
then  to  bind  with  a  vow,  Num.  xxx.  3 
Hence  it  may  mean  to  bind  with  fear 
or  consternation.  H  Which  have  fled 
from  far.  That  is,  either  they  have 
fled  far  away  ;  or  they  had  fled  from 
far  in  order  to  reach  Jerusalem  as  a 
place  of  safety.  Probably  the  latter  is 
the  sense. 

4.  Look  aicay  ftom  me.  Do  not 
look  upon  me — an  indication  of  deep 
grief,  for  sorrow  seeks  to  be  alone,  and 
grief  avoids  publicity  and  exposure. 
IT  /  will  weep  Utterly.  Heb.  1  will  be 
bitter  in  weeping.  Thus  we  speak  of 
bitter  sorrow,  indicating  excessive 
grief  See  Note  ch.  xv.  5,  comp. 
Micah  i.  8,  9.  Jer.  xiii.  17,  xiv.  17. 
Lam.  i.  16,  ii.  11.  IT  Labour  not. 
The  sense  is,  '  My  grief  is  so  great 
that  I  cannot  be  comforted.  There  are 
no  topics  of  consolation  that  can  be 
presented.  I  must  be  alone,  and  al- 
lowed to  indulge  in  deep  and  over- 
whelming sorrow  at  the  calamities  that 
are  coming  upon  my  nation  and  peo- 
ple.' IF  Because  of  the  spoiling.  The 
desolation ;  the  ruin  that  is  coming 
upon  them.  IT  The  daughter  of  my 
peopl'..  Jerusalem.  See  Note  ch.  i. 
8,  comr>.  Jer.  iv.  11,  vi.  14,  viii.  19,21, 
22.  Lam.  ii.  11,  iv.  3,  6,  10. 

5.  For  it  is  a  day  of  trouble  and  of 
treading   down.     When   our  enemies 


5  For  it  is  a  da}  of  trouble 
and  of  treading  down,  and  ol 
perplexity  by  the  Lord  God  ot 
hosts  in  the  valley  of  vision, 
breaking  down  the  walls,  and 
of  crying  to  the  mountains. 


trample  on  every  thing  sacred  and  dear 
to  us,  and  endanger  all  our  best  inter- 
ests. See  Ps  xliv.  G.  Luke  xxi.  24. 
IT  And  of  perplexity.  In  which  we 
know  not  what  to  do.  We  are  emb.  r- 
rassed.and  know  not  where  to  look  foi 
relief.  H  By  the  Lord  God  of  hosts. 
That  is,  he  is  the  efficient  cause  of  all 
this.  It  has  come  upon  us  under  hi? 
providence,  and  by  his  direction.  Note 
ch,  x  5.  IT  In  the  valley  of  vision 
In  Jerusalem.  Note  ver.  1.  ^Break- 
ing down  the  walls.  There  has  been 
much  variety  in  the  interpretation  of 
this  place.  The  LXX  render  it,  '  In 
the  valley  of  Zion  they  wander,  from 
the  least  to  the  greatest,  they  wandei 
upon  the  mountains  '  See  a  discussion 
of  the  various  senses  which  the  He- 
j  brew  phrase  may  admit,  in  RosenmOller 
and  Gesenius.  Probably  our  common 
version  has  given  the  true  sense,  and 
the  reference  is  to  the  fact  that  the 
walls  of  the  city  became  thrown  down, 
either  in  the  siege  or  from  some  other 
cause.  If  this  refers  to  the  invasion 
of  Sennacherib,  though  his  army  was 
destroyed,  and  he  was  unable  to  take 
the  city,  yet  there  is  no  improbability 
in  the  supposition  that  he  made  some 
breaches  in  the  walls.  Indeed  this  is 
implied  in  the  account  in  2  Chron. 
xxxii.  5.  If  And  of  cryirig  to  the 
mountains.  Eilher  for  help,  or  more 
probably  of  such  a  loud  lamentation 
that  it  reached  the  surrounding  hills, 
and  was  re-echoed  back  to  the  city. 
Or  perhaps  it  may  mean  that  the  shout 
or  clamour  of  those  engaged  in  build- 
ing or  defending  the  walls,  reached  to 
the  mountains  Comp.  Virg.  ^Eniad 
iv.  668  : 

resonat  magnis  plangoribua  aHher. 

Rosenmuller  renders  it,  'a  cry — to  the 
mountains  !'  That  is,  a  cry  among  the 
people  to  escape  to  the  hills,  and  tc 


J9.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


387 


6  And  Elam-J'  bare  the  quiver 
with  chariots  of  men  and  horse- 
men, and  Kir  uncovered5  the 
shield. 

7  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 

/  Jer.  49.  35.  5  made,  naked. 

seek  refuge  in  the  caves  and  fastnesses 
there.  Comp  Judges  vi.  2.  Matth.  xxiv. 
16.   Mark  xiii.  14. 

6.  And  Elam.  The  southern  part 
of  Persia,  perhaps  here  used  to  denote 
Persia  in  general.  See  Note  ch.  xxi. 
2.  Elam,  or  Persia,  was  at  this  lime 
subject  to  Assyria,  and  their  forces 
were  united  doubtless  in  the  invasion 
ofjudea.  H  Bine  the  quiver.  A  quiver 
is  a  case  in  which  arrows  are  carried. 
This  was  usually  hung  upon  the  shoul- 
ders, and  thus  borne  by  the  soldier  when 
he  entered  into  battle.  By  the  expres- 
sion here  is  meant  that  Elam  was  en- 
gaged in  the  siege,  and  was  distin- 
guished particularly  for  skill  in  shoot- 
ing arrows.  That  the  Elamites  were 
thus  distinguished  for  the  use  of  the 
bow,  is  apparent  from  Ezek.  xxxii.  24, 
and  Jer.  xlix.  35.  11  With  chariots  of 
men  and  horsemen.  Lowth  proposes 
instead  of"  men,"  to  read  D^X  ,  Syria, 
instead  of  D1S  ,  man,  by  the  change 
of  the  single  letter  1  into  "l .  This 
mistake  might  have  been  easily  made 
where  the  letters  are  so  much  alike, 
and  it  would  suit  the  parallelism  of  the 
passage,  but  there  is  no  authority  of 
MSS.  or  versions  for  the  change.  The 
words  "  chariots  of  men — horsemen," 
I  understand  here,  as  in  ch.  xxi.  7,  to 
mean  a  troop,  or  riding  of  men  who 
were  horsemen.  Archers  often  rode 
in  this  manner.  The  Scythians  usually 
fought  on  horseback  with  bows  and 
arrows.  IT  Kir.  Kir  was  a  city  of 
Media,  where  the  river  Kyrns  or  Cyrus 
flows.  2  Kings  xvi.  9.  Amos  i.  5,  ix. 
7.  This  was  evidently  then  connected 
with  the  Assyrian  monarchy,  and  was 
engaged  with  it  in  the  invasion  of 
ludea.  Perhaps  the  name  Kir  was 
given  to  a  region  or  province  lying  on 
the  river  Cyrus  or  Kyrus  This  river 
unites  with  the  Araxes,  and  fails  into 


that  8thy  choicest  valleys  shall 
be  full  of  chariots,  and  the  horse 
men  shall  set  themselves  in  array 
at7  the  gate. 

8  And   he  discovered  the  nov- 

6  tin  choice,  of  thy.  7  or,  toward. 


the  Caspian  Sea.  IT  Uncovered  the 
shield.  See  Note  xxi.  5.  Shields 
were  protected  during  a  march,  or  when 
not  in  use,  by  a  covering  of  cloth. 
Among  the  Greeks,  the  name  of  this 
covering  was  Eiiy/ia.  Shields  were 
made  either  of  metal  or  of  skin,  and 
the  object  in  covering  them  was  to 
preserve  the  metal  untarnished,  or  to 
keep  the  shield  from  injury.  To  un- 
cover the  shield,  therefore,  was  to  pre- 
pare for  battle.  The  Medes  were  sub- 
ject to  the  Assyrians  in  the  time  of 
Hezekiah  (2  Kings  xvi.  9,  xvii.  6),  and 
of  course  in  the  time  of  the  invasion 
of  Judea  by  Sennacherib. 

7.  Thy  choicest  valleys.  Heb.  '  The 
choice  of  thy  valleys ;'  meaning  the 
most  fertile  and  most  valued  lands  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  city.  The  rich  and 
fertile   vales  around    Jerusalem    would 

j  be  occupied  by  the  armies  of  the  Assy- 
rian   monarch.     What    occurs  in  this 

\  verse  and  the   following  verses  to  ver. 

i  14,  is  a  prophetic  description  of  what 
is  presented  historically  in  Isa.  xxxvi. 
and  2  Chron.  xxxii.     The  coincidence 

.  is  so  exact,  that  it  leaves  no  room  to 
doubt  that  the  invasion  here  described 
was  that  which  took  place  under  Sen- 
nacherib. 1T  Set  themselves  in  array. 
Heb  •  Placing  shall  place  themselves  ;' 
i.  e.  they  shall  be  drawn  up  for  battle  ; 
they  shall  besiege  the  city,  and  guard  it 
from  all  ingress  or  egress.  Rabshakeh, 
sent  by  Sennacherib  to  besiege  the  city, 
took  his  station  at  the  upper  pool,  and 
was  so  near  the  city  that  he  could  con- 
verse with  the  people  on  the  walls. 
Isa.  xxxvi.  11—13. 

8.  And  he  discovered.  Heb.  He 
made  naked,  or  bare,  i?"^  ■  The  ex- 
pression "  he  discovered,"  means  sim 
ply  that  it  was  uncovered,  without  de- 
signating the  agent.  If  The  coveritig 
of  Judith.      Trie  word  here  used  v~l®"3< 


388  ISAIAH.  [B.C.1W 

ering  of  Judah,  and  thou  didst  I  thered  together  the  waters  of  the 
look   in   that  day  to  the  armour    lower  pool : 

of  the  house*1  of  the  forest.  10    And  ye    have    numbered 

9  \el  have  seen  also  the  the  houses  of  Jerusalem,  and  the 
breaches  of  the  city  of  David,  houses  have  ye  broken  down  to 
that  they  are  many  ;   and  ye  ga-  :  fortify  the  wall. 


fc  1  Kingi  7.  2.  10.  17. 


I  3  Chron.  32.  4. 


denotes  properly  a  covering,  and  is  ap- 
plied to  the  curtain  or  veil  that  was  be- 
fore the  tabernacle,  Ex.  xxvi  3(i,  xxxix. 
3q  ;  and  to  the  curtain  that  was  before 
the  gate  of  the  court,  Ex.  xxxv.  17, 
xxxix.  40.  The  LXX  understand  it 
of  the  gates  of  Judah,  "  They  revealed 
the  gates  (ru?  iroXas)  of  Judah."  Many 
have  understood  it  of  the  defences, 
ramparts,  or  fortifications  of  Judah, 
meaning  that  they  were  laid  open  to 
public  view,  i.  e.  were  demolished. 
But  the  more  probable  meaning  per- 
haps, is,  that  the  invading  army  ex- 
posed Judah  to  every  kind  of  reproach  ; 
stripped  off  every  thing  that  was  de- 
signed to  be  ornamental  in  the  land  ; 
and  thus,  by  the  figure  of  exposing  one 
to  reproach  and  shame  by  stripping  off 
all  his  clothes,  exposed  Judah  in  every 
part  to  reproach.  Sennacherib  actually 
came  up  against  all  the  fortified  cities 
of  Judah,  and  took  them  and  disman- 
tled them.  2  Kings  xviii.  13.  Isa. 
x.xxvi  i.  The  land  was  thus  laid  bare, 
and  unprotected.  H  And  thou  didst 
look.  Thou  Judah ;  or  ihe  king  of 
Judah.  Thou  didst  cast  thines  eyes  to 
that  armory  as  the  last  resort, and  as 
the  only  hope  of  defence.  1T  To  the 
armour.  Or  rather,  perhaps,  the  armory, 
the  arsenal,  p85.3  .  The  LXX  render 
it,  "  to  the  choice  houses  of  the  city." 
Comp.  Neh.  iii.  19.  t  Of  the  house 
of  the  forest.  This  was  built  within 
the  city,  and  was  called  the  house  of 
tht  forest  of  Lebanon,  probably  from 
the  grrat  quantity  of  cedar  from  Leba- 
non which  was  employed  in  building  it. 
1  Kings  vii.  2-8.  In  this  house,  Solo- 
mon laid  up  large  quantities  of  muni- 
tions of  war  (1  Kings  x.  16,  17)  ;  and 
this  vast  storehouse  was  now  the  prin- 
cipal reliance  of  Hezekiah  against  the 
Invading  forces  of  Sennacherib. 


!*  Ye  have  seen  also  the  breaches. 
You  who  are  inhabitants  of  the  city. 
That  such  breaches  were  actually 
made,  see  2  Chron.  xxx'i.  5.  H  Of 
the  city  of  David.  Of  Jerusalem,  so 
called  because  it  was  the  royai  resi- 
dence of  David.  Zion  was  usually 
called  the  city  of  David,  but  the  name 
was  given  also  to  the  entire  city 
Tl  And  ye  gathered  together,  &c 
That  is.  Hezekiah  and  the  people  of 
the  city  collected  those  waters.  IT  (>f 
the  lower  pool.  Note  ch.  vii  3.  For 
a  description  of  the  upper  and  lower 
pool,  see  Notes  on  ch.  vii.  3.  The 
superfluous  waters  of  the  lower  pool 
usually  flowed  into  the  valley  of  Hin- 
nom,  and  thence  into  the  valley  of  Je- 
hoshaphat,  mingling  with  the  waters 
of  the  brook  Kedron.  It  would  seem 
from  the  passage  here  that  those  waters 
were  not  usually  retained  for  the  use 
of  the  city,  though  it  was  possible  to 
retain  them  in  case  of  a  drought  or  a 
siege.  At  present  the  lower  pool  is 
without  the  walls,  but  Hezekiah  ap- 
pears to  have  extended  a  temporary 
wall  around  it  so  as  to  enclose  it  See 
Note  on  ver.  11.  This  he  did  proba- 
bly for  two  purposes  ;  (i)  to  cut  off  the 
Assyrians  from  the  supply  of  water  ; 
and  (2)  to  retain  all.  the  water  in  the 
city  to  supply  the  inhabitants  during 
the  siege.  See  2  Chron.  xxxii.  4, 
where  it  is  expressly  declared  that  He- 
zekiah took  this  measure  to  distress  the 
Assyrians. 

10.  And  ye  have  numbered  the  Iiuusrs 
of  Jerusalem.  That  is,  you  have  taker 
an  estimate  of  their  number  so  as  to 
ascertain  how  many  can  be  spared  to 
be  pulled  down  to  repair  the  walls;  or 
you  have  made  an  estimate  of  the 
amount  of  materials  for  repairing  the 
walls   which    would    be    furnished   by 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


3S9 


11  Ye  made  also  a  ditch  be- 
tween the  two  walls  for  the  wa- 
ter of  the  old  pool  :  but  ye  have 
not  looked  unto  the  maker  there- 
of, neither  had  respect  unto  him 
that  fashioned  it  long  ago. 

pulling  down  the  houses  in  Jerusalem. 
1T  To  fortify  the  wall.  The  houses  in 
Jerusalem  were  built  of  stone,  and 
therefore  they  would  furnish  appro- 
priate materials  for  repairing  the  walls 
of  the  city.  In  2  Chron.  xxxji.  5,  it  is 
said  that  Hezekiah  not  only  repaired  the 
broken  walls  of  the  eity  on  the  approach 
of  Sennacherib,  but  "  raised  up  the 
towers,  and  another  wall  without,  and 
repaired  Millo  in  the  city  of  David,  and 
made  darts  and  shields  in  abundance." 
11.  Ye  made  also  a  ditch.  That  is, 
they  made  a  reservoir  to  retain  the 
water.  The  word  ditch,  however,  will 
well  describe  the  character  of  the  Pool 
of  Gihon  on  the  west  side  of  the  city. 
See  Notes  on  ch.  vii  3.  IT  Between 
the  two  walls  for  the  water  of  the  old 
pool.  Hezekiah  built  one  of  these  walls 
himself.  2  Chron.  xxxii.  5,30  ;  comp. 
2  Kings  xxv.  5,  and  Jeremiah  xxxix. 
4.  Between  these  two  walls  the  water 
would  be  collected  so  as  to  be  accessi- 
ble to  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  in  case 
of  a  siege.  Before  this,  the  water  had 
flowed  without  the  walls  of  the  city, 
and  in  a  time  of  siege  the  inhabitants 
would  be  cut  off  from  it,  and  an  enemy 
would  be  able  easily  to  subdue  them. 
To  prevent  this,  Hezekiah  appears  to 
have  performed  two  works,  one  of 
which  was  particularly  adapted  to  the 
times  of  the  siege,  and  the  other  was 
of  permanent  utility.  (1)  He  made  a 
wall  on  the  west  side  of  Gihon,  so  as 
to  make  the  pool  accessible  to  the  in- 
habitants of  the  city — as  described  here 
by  Isaiah  ;  and  (2)  he  "  stopped  the 
upper  water-course  of  Gihon,  and 
brought  it  straight  down  to  the  west 
side  of  the  city  of  David."  2  Chron 
xxxii.  30.  By  this  is  not  improbably 
meant  that  he  constructed  the  pool 
which  is  now  known  as  the  "  pool  of 
Hezekiah."  This  reservoir  lies  within 
ihe  walls  of  the   city,  some   distance 


12  A.nd  in  that  day  did  the 
Lord  God  of  hosts  call71  to  weep- 
ing, and  to  mournings  and  to 
baldness,0  and  to  girding  w-th 
sackcloth  : 

n  Joel  1,  13.  o  Job  1.  20.    Mic.  I.  16. 

northeastward  of  the  Yafa  Gate,  and 
just  west  of  the  street  that  leads  to 
the  church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  Its 
sides  run  towards  the  cardinal  points. 
Its  breadth  at  the  north  end  is  144 
feet,  its  length  on  the  east  side  about 
240  feet.  The  depth  is  not  great. 
The  bottom  is  rock,  and  is  levelled  and 
covered  with  cement.  The  reservoir 
is  now  supplied  with  water  during  the 
rainy  season  by  the  small  aqueduct  or 
drain  brought  down  from  the  Upper 
Pool,  along  the  surface  of  the  ground 
and  under  the  wall  at  or  near  the  Yafa 
Gate.  Comp.  Robinson's  Bibli.  Re- 
search, i.  4^7.  This  was  deemed  a 
work  of  great  utility,  and  was  one  of 
the  acts  which  particularly  distinguish- 
ed the  reign  of  Hezekiah.  It  is  not 
only  mentioned  in  the  Books  of  Kings 
and  Chronicles,  but  the  son  of  Sirach 
has  also  mentioned  it  in  his  encomium 
on  Hezekiah :  "  Hezekiah  fortified  his 
city,  and  brought  in  water  into  the 
midst  thereof;  he  digged  the  hard  rock 
with  iron,  and  made  wells  for  water." 
Ecclus.  xlviii.  17.  IT  But  ye  have  not 
looked.  You  have  not  relied  on  God. 
You  have  depended  on  your  own  re- 
sources ;  and  on  the  defences  which  you 
have  been  making  against  the  enemy. 
This  probably  described  the  general 
character  of  the  people.  Hezekiah, 
however,  was  a  pious  man,  and  doubt- 
less really  depended  on  the  aid  of  God. 
V  The  maker  thereof.  God  ;  by  whose 
command  and  aid  all  these  defences 
are  made,  and  who  has  given  you 
ability  and  skill  to  make  them.  H  Long 
ago.  God  had  made  this  fountain,  and 
it  had  long  been  a  supply  to  the  city. ' 
He  had  a  claim,  therefore,  to  their 
gratitude  and  respect. 

12  And  in  that  day.  In  the  inva- 
sion of  Sennacherib  It  might  be  ren- 
dered, '  and  the  Lord,  Jehovah  of 
hosts,  on  such  a  day  calls  to  weeping ;' 


390 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.llZ 


13  And  behold,  joy  and  glad- 
ness, slaying  oxen  and  killing 
sheep,  eating  flesh  and  drinking 

intimating  that  in  such  a  time  it  was  a 
general  truth  that  God  required  those 
who  were  thus  afflicted  to  weep,  and 
fast,  and  pray.  H  Call  to  weeping. 
That  is,  by  his  Providence  ;  or,  it  was 
proper  that  at  such  a  time  they  should 
weep.  Affliction,  oppression,  and  ca- 
lamity are  indications  from  God  always 
that  we  ought  to  he  humbled,  and  to 
prostrate  ourselves  before  Him.  IT  And 
to  baldness.  To  piucking  off  the  hair, 
or  shaving  tin-  head — one  of  the  em- 
blems of  srrief  among  the  ancients.  Job 
i.  20.  Micah  i.  16.  1  And  to  gird- 
ing with  sackcloth.  See  Note  ch  iti. 
24. 

13.  And  behold,  &c.  When  they 
ought  to  give  themselves  to  fasting  and 
prayer,  they  gave  themselves  up  to 
levelry  and  riot.  H  Let  us  eat  and 
drink.  Saying,  let  us  eat  and  drink. 
That  is,  it  is  inevitable  that  we  must 
soon  die.  The  army  of  the  Assyrian  is 
approaching,  and  the  city  cannot  stand 
against  him.  It  is  in  vain  to  make  a 
defence,  and  in  vain  to  call  upon  God. 
Since  we  must  soon  die,  we  may  as 
well  enjoy  life  while  it  lasts.  This  is 
always  the  language  of  the  epicure  ; 
and  it  seems  to  be  the  language  of  no 
small  part  of  the  world.  Probably  if 
the  real  feelings  of  the  great  mass  of 
worldly  men  were  expressed,  they 
could  not  be  better  expressed  than  in 
this  passage  of  Isaiah  :  '  We  must  soon 
die  at  all  events.  We  cannot  avoid 
that,  for  it  is  the  common  lot  of  all. 
And  since  we  have  been  sent  into  a 
dying  world  ;  since  we  had  no  agency 
in  being  placed  here  ;  since  it  is  im- 
possible to  prevent  this  doom,  we  may 
as  well  enjoy  life  while  it  lasts,  and 
give  ourselves  to  pleasure,  dissipation, 
and  revelry.  While  we  can,  we  will 
take  our  comfort,  and  when  death 
conies  we  will  submit  to  it,  simply 
because  we  cannot  avoid  it.'  Thus, 
while  God  calls  men  to  repentance 
aud  seriousness  ;  and  while  he  would 
urge  them,  by  the  consideration  that 


wine :  let*  us  eat  and  drink,  fol 
to-morrow  we  shall  die. 

q  ch.  56.  12. 

this  life  is  short,  to  prepare  for  a  bet- 
ter ;  and  while  he  designs  that  the 
nearness  of  death  should  lead  them  to 
think  solemnly  of  it,  they  abuse  all  his 
mercies,  endeavour  to  thwart  all  hia 
arrangements,  and  live  and  die  like 
the  brutes — This  passage  is  quoted  by 
Paul  in  his  argument  on  the  subject  of 
the  resurrection  in  1  Cor.  xv.  3:2.  Sen- 
timents remarkably  similar  to  this  oc- 
cur in  the  writings  of  the  Greek  and 
Roman  poets.  Among  the  Egyptians 
the  tact  that  life  is  short,  was  urged  as 
one  argument  for  promoting  soberness 
and  temperance,  and  in  order  to  pro- 
duce this  effect,  it  was  customary  at 
their  feasts  to  have  introduced,  at  some 
part  of  the  entertainment,  a  wooden 
image  of  Osiris  in  the  form  of  a  human 
mummy  standing  erect,  or  lying  on  a 
bier,  and  to  show  it  to  each  of  the 
guests,  warning  him  of  his  mortality, 
and  of  the  transitory  nature  of  human 
pleasures.  He  was  reminded  that  one 
day  he  would  be  like  that  ;  and  waa 
told  that  men  '  ought  to  love  one  an- 
other, and  to  avoid  those  evils  which 
tend  to  make  them  consider  life  too 
long,  when  in  reality  it  is  too  short, 
and  while  enjoying  the  blessings  of 
this  life  to  bear  in  mind  that  life  was 
precarious,  and  that  death  would  soon 
close  all  their  comforts.'  See  Wilkin- 
son's Manners  and  Customs  of  the  An- 
cient Egyptians,  vol.  ii  pp.  409— ill 
With  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  how- 
ever, as  well  as  the  Jews  in  the  time 
of  Isaiah,  the  fact  of  the  shortness  of 
life  was  used  to  produce  just  the  con- 
trary effect — to  prompt  them  to  dissi- 
pation and  licentiousness.  The  bet 
of  the  temporary  pilgrimage  of  man 
served  as  an  inducement  to  enjoy  the 
pleasures  of  life  while  they  lasted,  sineo 
death  was  supposed  to  close  the  scene, 
and  no  prospect  was  held  out  of  hap- 
piness in  a  future  state.  This  senti- 
ment was  expressed  in  their  songs  at 
their  entertainments  to  urge  themselvea 
on  to   greater  indulgence  in  wine  and 


B.C. Hi.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


391 


14  Awd  it  was  revealed  in 
mine  ears  by  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
Surely  this  iniquity  shall  not  be 


in  pleasure.  Thus  in  Anacreon,  Ode  4  : 
Eu;  eavTOV. 

O  i'  Eptds"  ^irara  Jncraj 
Yncp  av%cviis  rra-rrvpu) 

Mfffltl    flOt    JtrtKUVCtTO  ' 

Tpo^o?  apfiaro;  yap  oia 

HlOTUi     TpC%£l    KtlAlff&EIJ 

(JXiyri  it  KCiaofitcrOa 
Kon{,  oareu.*  Xvdti/TWV  ' 

Ti  ce  in  \iduv  fivpt^eiv ', 
T(  it  yu  ^cnv  parata  ; 
Ef/£  fxaXXon,  coj  tri  £oj, 
Mvpicjoj',  kuXci  i'  iratpriv. 

Tlpii',  Epojj,  £*£(  jtc  atrt\8iiv 
Yiro  vtpripcov  \opetai, 
^iKiiaaai  Ot\w  jitpijivas. 

"In  decent  robe  behind  him  bound, 
Cupid  shal.  serve  the  goblet  round  ; 
For  fast  away  our  moments  steal, 
Like  the  swift  chariot's  rolling  wheel; 
The  rapid  course  is  quickly  done, 
And  soon  the  race  of  life  is  run. 
Then,  then,  alas  !  we  droop,  we  die  ; 
And  sunk  in  dissolution  lie  : 
Our  frame  no  symmetry  retains, 
Nought  but  a  litile  dust  remains. 
Why  o'er  the  tomb  are  odours  shed? 
Why  poured  libations  to  the  dead? 
To  me,  far  better,  while  I  live, 
Rich  wines  and  balmy  fragrance  give. 
Now,  now,  the  rosy  wreath  prepare, 
And  hither  call  the  lovely  fair. 
Now,  while  I  draw  my  vital  breath, 
Ere  yet  I  lead  the  dance  of  death, 
For  joy  my  sorrows  I'll  resign, 
And  drown  my  cares  in  rosy  wine." 

A  similar  sentiment  occurs  in  Horace, 
Od.  iii.  13 : 

Hue  vina,  et  unguente,  et  nimium  brevis 
Flores  amoenos  ferre  jube  rosae. 
Dura  res,  et  aetas,  et  sororum 
Fila  trium  patiuntur  atra. 

And  still  more  strikingly  in  Petronius, 
Satyric.  c.  34,  ad  finem : 

Heu,  heu,  nos  miseros,  quara  totus  homuncio  nil 

est! 
Sic  eiimus  cuncti.  postcpiam  nos  auferat  Orcus  : 
Ergo  vivamus,  dum  licet  esse,  bene. 

The  same  sentiments  prevailed  among 
the  Jews  in  the  time  of  the  author  of 
the  Book  of  Wisdom  : — "  Our  life  is 
short  and  tedious,  and  in  the  death 
of  a  man  there  is  no  remedy:  nei- 
ther was  there  any  man  known  to 
nave  returned  from  the  grave.    For  we 


purged  from  you  till  ye  die,  saith 
the  Lord  God  of  hosts. 


are  born  at  all  adventure  ;  and  we 
shall  be  hereafter  as  though  we  had 
never  been,  for  the  breath  in  our  nos- 
trils is  as  smoke,  and  a  little  spark  in 
the  moving  of  our  heart ; — Come  on, 
therefore,  let  us  enjoy  the  good  things 
that  are  present  ;  let  us  fill  ourselves 
with  costly  wine  and  ointments,  and 
let  no  flower  of  the  spring  pass  by 
us ;  let  us  crown  ourselves  with  rose 
buds  before  they  be  withered  ;  let  none 
of  us  go  without  his  part  of  our  volup- 
tuousness ;  let  us  leave  tokens  of  our 
joyfulness  in  every  place."  Ch.  11. 
J-U.  It  was  with  reference  to  such 
sentiments  as  these,  that  Dr.  Dodd- 
ridge composed  that  beautiful  epigram 
which  Dr.  Johnson  pronounced  the 
finest  in  the  English  language  : 

'  Live  while  you  live.'  the  sacred  preacher  cries, 
'  And  give  to  God  each  moment  as  it  flies ;' 
'Live  while  you  live,'  the  Epicure  would  say, 
'  And  seize  the  pleasures  of  the  present  day." 
Lord,  in  my  view,  let  both  united  he, 
1  live  to  pleasure  when  I  live  to  thee. 

14.  It  was  revealed  in  mine  ears, 
surely  this  iniquity  shall  not  be  purged 
from  you  till  ye  die.  That  is,  the  sin 
is  so  aggravated  that  it  shall  never  be 
expiated  or  pardoned.  Few  sins  can 
be  more  aggravated  than  revelry  and 
riot,  thoughtlessness  and  mirth  over 
the  grave.  Nothing  can  show  a  more 
decided  disregard  of  God,  and  nothing 
a  more  grovelling  and  sensual  dispo- 
sition. And  yet,  it  is  the  common  sin 
of  the  world  ;  and  there  can  be  no- 
thing more  melancholy  than  that  a  race 
hastening  to  the  grave  should  give  it- 
self to  riot  and  dissipation.  One  would 
think  that  the  prospect  of  a  speedy 
and  certain  death  would  deter  men 
from  sin.  But  the  very  reverse  is  true. 
The  nearer  they  approach  death,  the 
more  reckless  and  abandoned  do  they 
often  become.  The  strength  and  power 
of  depravity  is  thus  shown  in  the  fact 
that  men  can  sin  thus  when  near  the 
grave,  and  with  the  most  fearful  warn- 
ings and  assurances  that  they  are  soon 
to  go  down  to  eternal  wo. 


302 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


Vision  XX. 


ANALYSIS    OF    VS.    15-25. 

The  remainder  of  thin  chapter  (vb.  IS — SB)  in  occupied  with  a  prediction  respecting  Bhebna,  and 
the  promotion  of  Eliakim  in  iii*  place.  From  the  prophecy  ileell  it  appears  thai  Bhi  bna  »a>  prefect 
of  the  paific.e  ( vei  is)  or  thai  he  was  in  the  higheid  uutiiontj  in  the  time  of  Hezekiah.  'I  hat  he 
«  i-  .1  u  nnprincipled  ruler  is  evident  from  tin'  prophecy, and  hence  Isaiah  wai  directed  to  predict  liis 
fall,  and  tin'  elevation  "t  anotliei  in  hii  place.  Whether  this  Shebna  ia  the  same  thai  ii  mentioned 
inch  wvi  j.  i-  nut  known.  The  Bhebna  there  mentioned  ii  called  a  hcribeivw  82),  ami  that 
wai  nfifr  the  rail  of  Bheboa  here  mentioned,  for  it  occurred  after  Eliakim  had  Ix  i  n  i  need  ov<  r  the 
Eliakim  was  then  in  ofiice  and  was  aent  on  timt  embassy  to  Sennacherib.  Cha.  xxzvL  ■■:■  22, 
n\ui  9  Th'-  probabilitj  is,  therefore,  that  tins  wai  sunn  othi  r  man  ol  the  sam  name  unleai  it 
may  have  been  lhal  S-hebna,  after  being  di  graded  from  tin-  rank  of  prefect  of  the  palace  01  prime 
minister,  became  »  >  ei  lie  <>r  had  an  inferior  office  under  Eliakim.  Tin-  prophecy  contain)  the  fol- 
lowing things:  1 1 1  a  command  to  Isaiah  to  go  to  Shrbna  ami  to  reprove  him  for  his  nelf  confidence 
in  hii  Bin.  vn  15,  16  ;  (■.:>  a  declaration  that  lie  Hhonld  In-  carried  captive  to  a  foreign  land,  v».  .",  18; 
Ii  elaration  thai  he  ihould  l  <  dt  i  ost  d  and  succei  ded  by  Eliakim.  ver  so  ;  Hi  a  description  oi 
the  character  and  honour*  of  Eliakim,  and  hii  quelifii  at  ions  ior  the  office  vs.  21— W,  and  (5)  a  con- 
firmation Ol  the  «  hole  prophecy,  or  a  summing  up  the  whole  in  a  single  declaration,  ver.  SS. 


15  Tims  saith  the  Lord  God 
cf  hosts,  Go,  fjet  these  unto  this 
treasurer,    even     unto  Shebna," 

u  2  Kinfe's  IS.  37. 

15.  Tints  suith  the  Lord  God  of 
hosts.  See  Note  eh  i.  [).  f  Co,  get 
thee.  Heb.  '  Go,  come  to.'  This  was 
one  of  the  instances  in  which  the 
prophets  were  directed  to  go  person- 
ally, and  even  at    the    hazard    ol    tlnir 

life,  to  those  who   were  high  in  office, 

and  to  denounce  on  them  the  divine 
judgment  for  their  sins.  IF  Unto  this 
treasurer.  "i-?cn .  The  Vulgate  ren- 
ders this, '  to  him  who  dwells  in  the 
tabernacle.'  The  LXX  render  it,  etc 
rf>  mumxp6ptovt  denoting  properly  what  ia 
borne  into  a  recess,  cell,  or  chapel,  and 
referring  properly  to  a  place  where  an 
idol  was  placed  in  a  temple  ;  and  then 
any  recess,  or  chamber,  as  a  treasury, 
and  referring  here  to  the  room  which 
the  treasurer  of  the  temple  occupied. 
The  Hebrew  word  1?D  means  to  dwell 
with  any  one  ;  then  to  be  an  associate 
or  friend,  and  hence  the  participle  is 
applied  to  one  intrusted  with  the  care 
of  any  thing,  a  steward,  a  treasurer. 
Jerome  explains  this  in  his  Commen- 
tary as  meaning, '  go  to  him  who  dwells 
in  the  tabernacle,  which  in  Hebrew  is 
called  Sorhrn.'  He  understands  by  this 
some  room,  or  recess  in  the  temple, 
where  the  treasurer  or  the  prefect  of 
the  temple  dwelt.  Our  translators  have 
sxpressed  probably  the  true  sense  by  the 


which    is   over    the    house,   and 
say, 

16   What  hast  thou  lure,  and 
whom   hast   thou   here,  that  thou 


word  treasurer.  IF  Which  is  over  the 
house.  That  is,  either  who  is  over  the 
temple,  or  over  the  palace  1  under- 
stand it  of  the  latter.  Shebna  was  not 
high  priest,  and  the  expression, "  over 
the  house,"  more  properly  denotes  one 
who  had  the  rule  of  the  palace,  or  who 
was  the  principal  minister  of  the  king. 
See  1  Kings  xviii.  3  :  "  And  Ahab  call- 
ed Obadiah  which  was  the  governor 
of  his  house."  What  was  the  offence 
or  crime  of  Shebna,  it  is  impossible  to 
say.  'I'tf-  Jewish  commentators  say 
that  he  was  intending  to  betray  the  city 
to  Sennacherib,  bat  although  this  is 
possible  it  has  no  direct  proof 

16.  What  /.ust  thou  here?  Tin? 
verse  contains  a  severe  reproof  of  Hie 
|irid>-  and  ostentation  of  Shebna,  and 
of  his  expectation  that  he  would  be 
buried  where  he  had  built  his  own 
tomb  It  also  contains  an  implied  dec- 
laration that  he  would  not  be  permitted 
to  lie  there,  but  would  be  removed  to  a 
distant  land  to  be  buried  in  some  less 
honourable  manner.  It  is  probable  that 
Isaiah  met  him  when  he  was  at  the 
sepulchre  which  be  had  made,  and  ad- 
dressed this  language  to  him  there: 
'  What  bast  thou  lure  I  What  right  to 
expect  that  thou  wilt  be  buried  line, 
or  why  do  you  erect  this  splendid  sep- 
ulchre, as  if  you  were  a  holy  man,  and 


#.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


393 


hast  hewed  thee  out  a  sepulchre 
here,  *as  he  that  heweth  him  out 
a  sepulchre  on  high,  and  that 
gravtth  an  habitation  tor  himself 
in  a  rock  ! 

4  or,  0  he. 

God  would  allow  you  to  lie  here  ?' 
Probably  his  sepulchre  had  been  erected 
among  the  sepulchres  of  holy  nun.  and 
perhaps  in  aoiue  part  of  the  royal  bury- 
ing place  in  Jerusalem.  IT  And  whom 
hast  thou  here/  Who  among  the  dead 
that  arc  entombed  here  are  connected 
with  you,  that  you  should  deem  your- 
self entitled  to  lie  with  them  ?  If  this 
was  the  royal  cemetery,  these  words 
might  be  designed  to  intimate  that  he 
had  no  connection  with  the  royal  fam- 
ily ;  and  thus  his  building  a  tomb  there 
was  an  evidence  of  vainglory,  and  of 
an  attempt  to  occupy  a  place,  even  in 
death,  io  which  he  had  no  title.  H  That 
thou  hast  hewed  thee  out  a  sejntle.hre 
here.  Sepulchres  were  hewn  or  cut 
out  of  rocks.  See  Note  ch.  xiv.  9.  It 
was  usual  also  for  princes  and  rich  men 
to  have  their  sepulchres  or  tombs  con- 
structed while  they  were  themselves 
alive.  See  Matt,  xxvii.  60.  Shebna 
was  doubtless  a  man  of  humble  birth, 
none  of  whose  ancestors  or  family  had 
been  honoured  with  a  burial  in  the  royal 
cemetery,  and  hence  the  prophet  re- 
proves his  pride  in  expecting  to  repose 
with  the  royal  dead.  1  lie  thai  hew- 
eth him  out  n  sepulchre  on  high.  On 
some  elevated  place  that  it  might  be 
more  conspicuous  Thus  Hezekiah  (2 
Ghron.  xxxii.  33)  was  buried  "  in  the 
chiefest  of  the  sepulchres  of  the  sons 
of  David."  In  Heb.  the  highest, •~lb?'cb  . 
LXX,  cv  auafiiast.  Such  sepulchres  are 
still  found  in  Persia.  They  consist  of 
several  tombs,  each  hewn  in  a  high 
rock  near  the  top,  the  front  of  the  rock 
being  adorned  with  figures  in  relievo. 
"  Sepulchres  of  this  kind  are  remarka- 
bly exemplified  in  the  very  ancient 
tombs  excavated  in  the  cliffs  of  the 
mountain  of  sepulchres  at  Nakah-i- 
Roustan,  a  full  description  of  which 
may  be  found  in  Sir  Robert  Ker  Por- 
ter's Travels  They  are  excavated  in 
17» 


17  Behold,  the  Lord  "will 
carry  thee  away  with  a  'mighty 
captivity,  and  will  surely  cover 
thee. 

5  or.  irho  covered  thee  irith  an  eic,".ent  atver- 
ing,  t  nd  c.othed  thee  gorgeously,  shall  surely, 
vet.  II  .         6  the  captivity  of  a  man. 

an  almost  perpendicular  cliff  of  about 
three  hundred  feet  high.  There  are 
two  rows,  of  which  the  uppermost  are 
the  most  ancient  and  interesting,  pre- 
senting highly  sculptured  fronts  about 
titty-three  feet  broad,  crowned  by  a 
representation  of  an  act  of  Sabean  wor- 
ship. To  the  lowest  of  them,  which, 
however,  he  describes  as  not  le*s  than 
sixty  feet  from  the  ground,  Sir  Robert 
could  gain  access  only  by  being  drawn 
up  by  means  of  a  rope  fastened  around 
his  waist,  by  some  active  natives  who 
had  contrived  to  clamber  up  to  the 
ledge  in  front  of  the  tomb.  These  ap- 
pear to  be  royal  sepulchres,  and  pro- 
bably not  later  than  the  time  of  the 
kings  of  Persia  mentioned  in  Scrip- 
ture." Pict-  Bible.  TWO  objects  were 
probably  contemplated  by  such  sepul- 
chres. One  was  security  from  dese- 
cration. The  other  was  ostentation — 
sepulchres  thus  excavated  furnishing  an 
opportunity  for  the  display  ofarchitec* 
tural  taste  in  front,  and  being  conspicu- 
ous objects.  Such  sepulchres  are  found 
at  Petra  (see  Notes  on  ch.  xvi.  1 >, 
and  it  is  probable  that  Shebna  sought 
this  kind  of  immortality  — .Many  a  man 
who  has  done  nothing  to  deserve  ee- 
lebrity  by  his  noble  deeds  while  living, 
seeks  it  by  the  magnificence  of  his  tomb. 
17.  Behold,  the  Lorii  trill  curry  Jher 
away.  Of  the  historical  fact  here  re- 
ferred to  we  have  no  other  information. 
To  what  place  he  was  to  be  carried, 
we  know  not  It  is  probable,  however, 
that  it  was  to  Assyria.  IT  With  a 
mighty   captivity,     Heb.  '  of  a   man,' 

"'j.  >  °r  perhaps,  '  0  man*  If  it  means 
'  the  captivity  of  a  man,'  the  sense  is, 
a  strong,  irresistible,  mighty  captivity, 
where  the  word  man  is  emphatic,  and 
means  such  as  a  mighty  man  would 
make.  Comp.  Job  xxxviii  3  :  "  Grd 
up  now  thy  loins  like  a  man."  The 
margin   reads   this,  he  '  who  covered 


894 


18  He  will  surely  violently 
turn  and  loss  thee  like  a  ball  into 
a  "large  country  :  there  shalt 
thou  die,  and   there  the  chariots 

8  large  of  spaces. 

thee  with  an  excellent  covering,  and 
dollied  thee  gorgeously,  shall  surely 
turn  and  toss  thee.'  But  the  text  con- 
veys more  marly  the  idea  of  the  He- 
brew word,  which  denotes  the  action 
of  casting  away,  or  throwing  from  one 
as  a  man  throws  a  stone  See  the 
aame  use  of  the  word  310  in  1  Sam. 
xviii.  2,  XX,  33  Jon.  i.  5,  12,  1(>.  Jer. 
xvii.  13,  xxii.  26,  28.  H  And  will 
surely  cover  t/iee.  Thy  face,  says 
Lowtfa  ;  for  this  was  the  condition  of 
mourners.  The  Chaldee  is,  '  shall 
cover  thee  with  confusion.'  So  Yh- 
ringa,  who  supposes  that  it  means  that 
although  Shebna  was  endeavouring  to 
rear  a  monument  that  should  perpetu- 
ate his  name  and  that  of  his  family, 
God  would  cover  them  with  ignominy, 
and  reduce  them  to  their  primitive  ob- 
scure and  humble  condition. 

18.  He  will  surely  violently  turn. 
Lowth  has  well  expressed  the  sense,  of 
this : 

He  will  whirl  thee  round  and  round,  and  cast 
thee  away. 

Thus  it  refers  to  the  action  of  throwing 
a  stone  with  a  sling,  when  the  sling  is 
whirled  round  and  round  several  times 
before  the  string  is  let  go,  in  order  to 
increase  the  velocity  of  the  stone.  The 
idea  is  here,  that  God  designed  to  cast 
him  into  a  distant  land,  and  that  he 
woifld  give  such  an  impulse  to  him  that 
he  would  be  sent  afar,  so  far  that  he 
would  not  be  able  to  return  again. 
^  Like  a  ball.  A  stone,  ball,  or  other 
projectile  that  is  cast  from  a  sling. 
T  Into  a  large  country.  Probably  As- 
syria. When  this  was  done  we  have 
no  means  of  determining  V  And  there 
the  chariots  of  thy  glory  shall  be  the 
shame  of  thy  lord's  house.  Lowth 
renders  this, 

and  there  shall  thy  glorious  chariots 

Become  the  shame  of  the  house  of  thy  lord. 

Noyes  renders  it, 


ISAIAH.  [B.C.  713. 

of  thy  glory  shall  be   the  shame 
of  thy  lord's  house. 

19  And  I  will  drive  thee  from 
thy  station,  and  from  thy  state 
shall  he  pull  thee  down. 


There  shall  thy  splendid  chariots  perish, 
Thou  disgrace  of  the  house  of  thy  lord. 

The  Chaldee  renders  it,  "  and  there  the 
chariots  of  thy  glory  shall  be  converted 
into  ignominy,  because  thou  didst  not 
preserve  the  glory  of  the  house  of  thy 
lord."  Probably  the  correct  interpre- 
tation is  that  which  regards  the  latter 
part  of  the  verse,  "  the  shame  of  thy 
lord's  house,"  as  an  address  to  him  as 
the  shame  or  disgrace  of  Ahaz  who  had 
appointed  him  to  that  office,  and  of 
Hezekiah,  who  had  continued  him  in  it. 
The  phrase  "  the  chariots  of  thy  glory," 
means  splendid  or  magnificent  chariots; 
and  refers  doubtless  to  the  fact  that  in 
Jerusalem  he  had  affected  great  pride 
and  display,  and  had,  like  many  weak 
minds.  Bought  distinction  by  the  splen- 
dour of  his  equipage  The  idea  here  is, 
that  the  "  chariot  of  his  glory,"  i.  e.  the 
vehicle  in  which  he  would  ride,  would 
be  in  a  distant  land,  not  meaning  that 
in  that  land  he  would  ride  in  chariots 
as  magnificent  as  those  which  lie  had 
iii  Jerusalem,  but  that  he  would  be 
conveyed  there,  and  probably  be  borne 
in  an  ignominious  manner,  instead  of 
the  splendid  mode  in  which  he  was 
carried  in  Jerusalem.  The  Jews  say 
that  when  he  left  Jerusalem  to  deliver 
it  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  they 
asked  him  where  his  army  was  ;  and 
when  he  said  that  they  had  turned  back, 
they  said,  "  thou  hast  mocked  us  ;" 
and  that  thereupon  they  bored  his  heels, 
and  tied  him  to  the  tails  of  horses,  and 
that  thus  he  died. 

19.  And  from  thy  state.  From  thy 
office  ;  thy  place  of  trust  and  responsi- 
bility. If  Shall  he  pull  thee  down. 
That  is,  God  shall  do  it.  The  prophet 
here  uses  the  third  person  instead  of 
the  first.  Such  a  change  of  person  ia 
very  common  in  the  writings  of  the 
prophets.  See  Stuart's  Heb.  Gram. 
$  5G3-565.  Ed.  6. 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


395 


20  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  hand  ;  and  he  shall  he  a  father 
in  that  day,  that  I  will  call  my  !  to  the  inhalitants  of  Jerusalem, 
servant  yEliakim,  the  son  of  Hil-  j  and  to  the  house  of  Judah. 


kiah : 

21  And  I  will  clothe  him  with 
thy  robe,  and  strengthen  him 
with  thy  girdle,  and  1  will  com- 
mit   thy    government    into    his 

y  2  Kings  18.  18. 

20.  My  servant  Eliakim.  A  man 
who  will  be  faithful  to  me  ;  who  will 
be  trustworthy,  and  to  whom  the  in- 
terests of  the  city  may  be  safely  con- 
fided ;  a  man  who  will  not  seek  to  be- 
tray it  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
Of  Eliakiin  we  know  nothing  more  than 
what  is  stated  here,  and  in  ch  x.xxvi. 
From  that  account  it  appears  that  he 
was  prefect  of  the  palace  ;  that  he  was 
employed  in  a  negotiation  with  the 
leader  of  the  army  of  the  Assyrians  ; 
and  that  he  was  in  all  things  faithful  to 
the  trust  reposed  in  him.  %  The  son 
of  Hilkiah.  Kimchi  supposes  that  this 
was  the  same  as  Azariah  the  son  of 
Hilkiah,  who  might  have  had  two 
Barnes,  and  who  was  a  ruler  over  the 
house  of  God  in  the  time  of  Hezekiah. 
1  Chron    vi.  13, 

21.  And  I  will  clothe  him  with  thy 
robe.  He  shall  succeed  thee  in  the 
office,  and  wear  the  garments  which 
are  appropriate  to  it.  H  And  strengthen 
him  with  thy  girdle  That  is,  he  shall 
wear  the  same  girdle  that  thou  didst 
Note  ch.  iii.  24.  In  that  girdle  was 
usually  the  purse,  and  to  it  was  attach- 
ed the  sword.  Often,  among  the  Ori- 
entals, the  girdle  was  adorned  with 
gold,  and  precious  stones,  and  was  re- 
garded as  the  principal  embellishment 
of  the  dress,  f  And  he  shall  be  a 
father,  &c.  A  counsellor  ;  a  guide  ; 
one  who  can  be  trusted  in  time  of  dan- 
ger and  difficulty  We  use  the  word 
father  in  the  same  sense,  when  we 
speak  of  the  '  father  of  his  country.' 

22.  And  the  key  A  key  is  that  by 
which  a  house  is  locked,  or  opened. 
To  possess  that  is,  therefore,  to  have 
free  access  to  it,  or  control  over  it. 
Thus  we  give  possession  of  a  house  by 


22  And  the  key  of  the  house 
of  David  will  I  lay  upon  hia 
shoulder:  "so  he  shall  open,  cand 
none  shall  shut  ;  and  he  shall 
shut,  and  none  shall  open. 

a  ch.  9.  6.  C  Job  12.  14.    Rev.  iii.  7. 

giving  the  key  into  the  hands  of  a  pur- 
chaser, implying  that  it  is  his ;  that  he 
has  free  access  to  it  ;  that  he  can  close 
it  when   he   pleases,  and  that  no  other 
[  one,   without   his   permission,  has   the 
right   of  access  to  it.    11  Of  the  house 
oj  David.     Of  the  house  which  David 
built   for  his   royal   residence  ;  that  is, 
of  the  palace.   This  house  was  on  Mount 
Zion  ;  and  to  have  the  key  of  that  house 
was  to  have  the  chief  authority  at  court, 
or  to  be  prime  minister.    Note  ver.  15. 
To  be  put   in  possession    of  that  key, 
therefore,  was  the  mark  of  office,  or  was 
a  sign  that   he   was  intrusted  with  the 
chief    a  ithority    in     the     government. 
H   Will  I  lay  upon  his  shoulder:     See 
ch.  ix.  6      This  seems  to  have  been  de- 
signed as  an  emblem  of  office.     But  in 
what  way   it    was    done   is  unknown. 
Lowth  supposes  that   the   key  was  ot* 
considerable  magnitude,  and  was  made 
crooked,    and    that    thus   it  would   lie 
readily  on   the   shoulder.     He  has  ob- 
served also,  that  this  was  a  well-known 
badge  or  emblem  of  office.     Thus  the 
priestess  of  Ceres  is  described  as  having 
a  key  on  the  shoulder   (Callim.  Ceres, 
ver.  45)  ;  and   thus   in  ^Eschyl    Suppl. 
299   a  female  high  in  office  is  described 
as  having  a  key.      But  it  is  not  known 
in  what  way  the   key   was   borne.     It 
may  have  been   borne  on  the  shoulder, 
being  so  made  as   to  be  easily  carried 
there  ;  or  it  may  have  been  attached  to 
the    shoulder  by  a   belt   or  strap,  as  a 
sword  is  ;  or  it  may  have  been  a  mere 
emblem   or  figure   inwrought  into  the 
robe,  and  worn  as  a  sign   of  office  ;  or 
the  figure  of  a  key  may  have  been  worn 
on  the  shoulder  as  an  epaulette  is  now, 
as  asign  of  office  and  authority.     If  the 
locks  were  made  of  wood,  as  wc  have 


396 


ISAIAH. 


[7/.C.713. 


23  And  I  will  fasten  him  as  a    shall  be  for  a  glorious  throne  to 
naild   in   a   sure   place  ;  and   he    his  father's  house. 

d  Ezra  9. 8.  24  And  they  shall  hang  upon 


reason  to  suppose,  then  the   key  was 
probably  large,  and  would  answer  well 
tor  a  sign  of  office.     "  How  much  was 
I  delighted    when   I  first  saw  the  peo- 
ple, especially  the  Moors,  going  along 
the  streets  with  each  his   key  on  his 
shoulder.  The  handle  is  generally  made 
of  brass  (though  sometimes  of  silver;, 
and  is  often  nicely  worked  in  a  device 
of  filigree.     The  way  it  is  carried,  is  to 
have  the  corner  of  a  kerchief  tied  to  the 
ring ;  the   key  is   then   placed  on   the 
shoulder,  and  the  kerchief  hangs  down 
in  front      At  oiher  times  they  have  a 
bunch  of  large  keys,  and  then  they  have 
half  on  one  side   of  the   shoulder,  and 
half  on   the  other.     For  a  man  thus  to 
march  along   with   a   large  key  on  his 
shoulder,  shows  at   once    that   he  is  a 
person  of  consequence.     '  Raman  is  in 
great  favour  with  the  Modeliar,  for  lie 
now   carries   the    key.'     '  Whose   key 
have  you   got  on   your  shoulder  ?'    '  I 
shall  carry  my  key  on   my  own  shoul-  I 
der.' "  Roberts.   H  So  he  shall  open,  &c. 
This  phrase  means,  that  he  should  have 
the   highest  authority  in   the   govern-  | 
nient,  and   is  a  promise   of  unlimited  ! 
power.     Our  Saviour  has  made  use  of 
the  same  expression  to  denote  the  un- 
limited power  conferred  on  his  apostles 
in  his  church   (Matt.  xvi.  19)  ;  and  has 
applied  it  also  to  himself  in  Rev.  iii.  7. 
23.  And  I  will  fasten  him  as  a  nail 
in.  a  sure  place.     The  word  nail  here 
P1!}?)    means  properly  a  peg,  pin,  or 
spike  ;  and  is  applied  often  to  the  pins 
or   large   spikes   which   were    used    to  j 
drive    into    the    ground   to   fasten    the 
cords  of  tents.     It  is  also  applied  to  the  I 
nails  or  spikes  which   are  driven  into 
walls,  and  on  which  are  suspended  the 
garments  or  the  utensils  of  a  family. 
In  ancient  times  every  house  was  fur-  I 
nished   with  a  large  number  of  these  j 
pegs,  or  nails.     They  were  not  driven 
into    the    walls    after    the    house    was  ! 
made,  but  they  were  worked  in  while 
the  walls  were  going  up      The  houses 
-vet*  usually  made  of  stum  ;  and  strong 


iron  hooks  or  spikes  were  worked  intc 
the  mortar  while  soft,  and  they  an- 
swered the  double  purpose  of  nails  to 
hang  things  on,  and  of  cramp-irons,  as 
they  were  so  bent  as  to  hold  the  walls 
together.  These  spikes  are  described  by 
Sir  John  Chardin  (Planner's  Observa- 
tions, i.  p.  191)  as  "large  nails  with 
square  heads  like  dice,  well  made,  the 
ends  being  so  bent  as  to  make  them 
cramp-irons.  They  commonly,"  says 
he,  "  place  them  at  the  windows  and 
doors,  in  order  to  hang  upon  them, 
when  they  like,  veils  and  curtains." 
It  was  also  the  custom  to  suspend  in 
houses,  and  especially  temples,  suits  of 
armour,  shields,  helmets,  swords,  &,c, 
that  had  been  taken  in  <  ar  as  spoils 
of  victory,  or  which  had  been  used  by 
illustrious  ancestors,  and  these  spikes 
were  used  for  that  purpose  also.  The 
word  is  here  applied  to  a  leader,  or 
officer  ;  and  it  means  that  he  would  be 
fixed  and  permanent  in  his  plans  and 
office  ;  and  that  as  a  pin  in  the  wall 
sustained  the  ornaments  of  the  house 
safely,  so  all  the  glory  of  the  house  of 
David,  all  that  was  dear  and  valuable 
to  the  nation,  might  be  reposed  on  him. 
Ver.  24.  U  And  he  shall  be  fur  a  glo- 
rious throne  to  his  father's  house.  A 
glorious  seat;  that  is,  all  his  family 
and  kindred  would  be  sustained,  ;nid 
honoured  by  him  ;  or  their  honour  and 
reputation  might  rest  securely  on  bun, 
and  his  deeds  would  diffuse  a  lustre 
and  a  glory  over  them  all.  Every  vir- 
tuous, patriotic,  benevolent,  and  pious 
son  diffuses  a  lustre  on  all  his  kindred  ; 
and  this  is  one  of  the  incitements  to 
virtuous  and  elevated  deeds  which  God 
has  presented  in  the  government  of  the 
world. 

24.  And  they  shall  hang  upon  him. 
This  figure  is  a  continuation  of  that 
commenced  in  the  previous  verse  ;  and 
is  derived  from  the  custom  of  hanging 
clothes,  or  ornaments,  on  the  spikes 
that  were  fixed  in  the  walls ;  and  per- 
haps more  particularly  from  the  custom 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


39'/ 


him  all  the  glory  of  his  father's 
house,  the  offspring  and  the  issue, 
all  vessels  of  small  quantity, 
from  the  vessels  of  cups,  even  to 
all  the  vessels  2of  flagons. 

25  In  that  day,  saith  the  Lord 

2  or,  instruments  of  viols. 

of  suspending  shields,  swords,  suits  of 
armour,  &lc,  taken  in  battle,  around 
the  walls  of  a  temple.  A  great  portion 
of  the  wealth  of  the  ancients  consisted 
in  gold  and  silver  vessels,  and  in. 
changes  of  raiment.  These  would  be 
hung  around  a  house  in  no  inconsider- 
able degree  for  ostentation  and  parade. 
"  Solomon's  drinking  vessels  were  of 
gold  ;  and  all  the  vessels  of  the  forest 
of  Lebanon  were  of  pure  gold  ;  none 
were  of  silver."  1  Kings  x.  21.  "The 
vessels  in  the  house  of  the  forest  of 
Lebanon  were  two  hundred  targets  and 
three  hundred  shields  of  beaten  gold." 
1  Kings  x.  16,  17.  That  these  were 
hung  on  spikes  or  pins  around  the 
house  is  apparent  from  Cant  iv.  4: 
"  Thy  neck  is  like  the  tower  of  David, 
builded  for  an  armory,  whereon  there 
hang  a  thousand  bucklers,  all  shields 
of  mighty  men."  Eliakiin  is  considered 
as  a  principal  support  like  this,  whereon 
would  be  suspended  all  the  glory  of  his 
father's  family,  and  all  the  honour  of 
his  house  ;  that  is,  he  would  be  the 
principal  support  of  the  whoie  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  polity.  IT  The  offspring 
and  the  issue.  All  that  proceeded 
from  the  family ;  all  that  were  con- 
nected with  it  Kimchi  and  Aben  Ezra 
render  it  "  sons  and  daughters."  The 
LXX,  "  from  the  least  to  the  greatest." 
The  Chaldee,  "  sons  and  grandsons, 
youth  and  children."  The  idea  is,  that 
all  the  posterity,  near  and  remote, 
would  depend  on  him ;  and  that  his 
character  would  sustain  and  give  dig- 
nity to  them  all.  The  word  which  is 
rendered  issue  (niSBSrl),  according  to 
Vitringa  and  Rosenmuller,  denotes 
those  that  were  of  humble  condition  ; 
and  the  passage  means  that  honour 
would  be  conferred  even  on  these  by 
the  virrtues  of  Eliakim.     T  From  the 


of  hosts,  shall  Jie  nail  that  is  fas- 
tened  in  the  sure  place  be  re. 
moved,  and  be  cut  down,  and 
fall  ;  and  the  burden  that  was 
upon  it  shall  be  cut  off:  for  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  it. 


vessels  of  cups.  Literally,  goblets,  or 
bowls.  r*"12i.5<  .  The  idea  probably  is 
simply  that  of  vessels  of  small  capacity, 
whatever  was  the  material  of  which 
they  were  composed  ;  and  hence  the 
reference  here  is  to  those  of  the  family 
of  Eliakim  who  were  of  humble  rank, 
or  who  were  poor  IT  To  all  the  ves- 
sels of  flagons.  Marg.  "  instruments  of 
viols."  Heb.  B^M  .  This  word  is 
often  applied  to  instruments  of  music, 
the  nebel,  viol  (see  it  described  in  Notes 
ch.  v.  12,  xiv  11)  ;  but  it  properly  de- 
notes a  bottle  made  of  skin  for  holding 
wine,  and  which,  being  made  of  the 
whole  skin  of  a  goat  or  sheep,  indi- 
cated the  vessels  of  large  dimensions. 
Here  it  refers  to  the  members  of  the 
family  of  Eliakim  who  were  more 
wealthy  and  influential  than  those  de- 
noted by  the  small  vessels  The  glory 
of  the  whole  family  would  depend  on 
him.  His  virtues,  wisdom,  integrity, 
and  valour  in  defending  and  saving  the 
Hebrew  commonwealth,  would  diffuse 
honour  over  the  whole  family  connec- 
tion, and  render  the  name  illustrious 

25.  In  that  day  shall  the  nail.  Not 
Eliakim,  but  Shebna.  Eliakim  was  to 
be  fastened,  i.  e.  confirmed  in  office. 
But  Shebna  was  to  be  removed.  IT  That 
is  faslcned  in  the  sure,  place.  Or,  that 
was  once  fastened  ;  or  was  supposed  to 
be  fastened — a  phrase  appropriate  to 
an  office  which  the  incumbent  supposed 
to  be  firm  or  secure.  It  here  refers  to 
Shebna.  He  was  regarded  as  having 
a  permanent  hold  on  the  office,  and 
was  making  provisions  for  ending  his 
days  in  it.  1f  Be  removed.  To  a  dis- 
tant land  (vs.  17,  18),  or  simply  taken 
down,  f  And  be  cut  down,  and  fall 
As  a  spike,  pin,  or  peg  would  be  taken 
away  from  the  wall  of  a  house.  IT  And 
the  burden  that  was  upon  it.     All  that 


398  \SAIAH.  [B.L  713. 

it  sustained — as  the  spikes  ui  the  wall  !  of  a  man  intrusted  with  office  entail 
of  a  house  sustained  the  cups  of  gold,  poverty,  disgrace,  and  misery  on  all 
the  raiment,  or  the  armour  that  be-  i  who  are  connected  with  him.  Not 
longed  to  the  family.  Here  it  means,  only  is  his  own  name  disgraced,  but 
all  that  was  dependent   on  Shebna —  j  his  sin  diffuses  itself,  as  it  were,  on  all 


the  honour  of  his  family,  his  emolu- 
ments, his  hope  of  future  fame,  or  of 
in  honoured  burial.  All  these  would 
fail,  as  a  matter  of  course,  when  he 
was    removed    from    his    office.     This 


connected  with  him.  It  involves  them 
in  want,  and  shame,  and  tears  ;  and 
the  design  is  to  deter  those  in  office 
from  sin,  by  the  fact  that  their  Crimea 
and   errors   will  thus  involve  the  inno- 


is  one  instance  of  the   usual   mode  of  i  cent   in  calamity,    and   shed   disgrace 
the  divine  administration.     The  errors  I  and  wo  on  those  whom  thev  love. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

ANALYSIS. 

This  prophecy  respects  Tyre,  and  extends  only  to  the  end  of  this  chapter.  It  is  made  up  c  d  sue- 
session  of  apostrophes  directed  either  to  Tyre  itself,  or  to  the  nations  with  which  it  was  accustomed 
to  trade.  The  first  part  of  the  prophecy  (vs.  1—13,)  is  occupied  with  the  account  of  the  judicial  sen- 
tence which  God  had  passed  upon  Tyre.  This  is  not  done  in  a  direct  and  formal  manner,  hut  by 
addresses  to  the  various  people  with  whom  the  Tyrians  had  commercial  intercourse,  and  who  would 
be  particularly  affected  by  its  destruction.  Thus  (ver.  1)  the  prophet  calls  on  the  ships  ol  Tarstrsh 
to  "  howl  "  because  their  advantageous  commerce  with  Tyre  must  cease.  This  intelligence  reaped 
ing  the  calamities  that  had  come  upon  Tyre,  he  says  would  be  brought  to  them  "  from  the  land  of 
Qhittim  "  (ver.  1).  that  is,  from  the  i.  lands  and  coasts  of  the  Mediterranean.  In  ver.  2  the  calamity 
is  described  as  coming  directly  on  t lie  island  on  which  Tyre  was  built.  In  the  subsequent  verses,  the 
prophet  describes  the  sources  ol  the  wealth  of  Tyre  (ver.  3),  and  declares  that  her  {.'real  luxury  and 
splendour  would  be  destroyed,  vs.  5—12.  In  ver.  13,  the  prophet  says  that  this  would  he  done  by  the 
'■  Chaldeans;"  and  this  verse  serves  to  fix  the  time  of  the  fulfilment  to  the  siege  of  Tyre  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar. In  this  all  commentators  probably  (except  Grotius,  who  supposes  that  it  refers  to  Alex- 
anderthe  Great)  are  agreed.  Indeed  it  seems  to  be  past  all  doubt,  that  the  events  here  referred  to 
pertain  to  the  siege  of  Tyre  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  In  the  remainder  of  the  prophecy  (ver.  14  to  the 
end  of  the  chapter),  the  prophet  declares  the  time  during  which  this  calamity  would  continue.  He 
declari'9  lhat  it  would  be  only  for  seventy  years  (ver.  14),  and  that  after  that,  Tyre  would  be  restored 
to  her  former  splendour,  magnificence,  and  successful  commerce  vs.  16,17);  and  that  then  her 
wealth  would  be  consecrated  to  the  service  of  Jehovah,  ver   Its. 

The  design  of  the  prophecy  is,  therefore,  to  foretell  the  calamities  that  would  come  upon  a  r  ch, 
proud,  and  luxurious  city  ;  and  thus  to  show  that  God  was  Governor  and  Ruler  over  the  nations  of 
the  earth.  Tyre  became  distinguished  for  pride,  luxury,  and  consequent  dissipation  ;  and  the  de- 
struction that  was  to  come  upon  it  was  to  be  a  demonstration  that  wicked  nations  and  cities  would 
incur  the  displeasure  of  God.  and  would  be  destroyed. 

Tyre,  the  subject  of  the  prophecies  particularly  of  Isaiah  and  E/ekiel,  who  both  predicted  its  over- 
throw (Isa  xxni.  Ezek.  xxvi.  xxvii  xxviii.  xxix.),  was  a  celebrated  city  of  Phoenicia,  and  is  usually 
mentioned  in  connection  with  Sidon  Matt.  xi.  21,22.  Luke  x.  13.  14  Matt,  xv  21.  Mark  in .8, 
vil  24,  31.  It  was  on  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean  about  33°  20'  north  latitude,  and  was  about 
twenty  miles  south  of  Sidon.  It  was  one  of  the  cilies  allotted  to  the  tribe  of  Asber  (Josh.  xix.  29), 
but  it  is  probable  tliat  the  ancient  inhabitants  were  never  driven  out  by  the  Israelites  II  seems  to 
have  been  occupied  by  the  L'anaanites,  and  is  always  mentioned  as  inhabited  by  a  distinct  people 
from  the  Jews.  2  Sam  xxiv.  7.  I  Kings  vii  13,  14.  ix.  12  Ezra  iii.  7  Neh.  xiii.  16.  Ps  Ixxxiii  7, 
lxxxvii  4.  It  was  probably  built  by  a  colony  from  Sidon,  .-.nice  Isaiah  (xxiii  7)  calls  it  the  "  daugh- 
ter of  Zidon,"  and  it  is  said  (ver.  2)  to  have  been  replenished  by  Sidon.  That  .Sidon  was  the  most 
ancient  city  there  can  be  no  doubt.  Sidon  was  the  eldest  son  of  Canaan  (Gen.  x.  15),  and  the  city  of 
Sidon  is  mentioned  by  the  patriarch  Jacob  (Gen.  xlix  13),  and  in  the  time  of  Joshua  it  [g  called 
"  Great  Salon."  Josh,  xi  8.  Strabo  affirms  that  after  Sidon,  Tyre  was  the  most  celebrated  city  of 
the  Phoenicians.  Justin.  L.  xviii.  ch.  1,  §  5,  expressly  declares  that  the  Sidontans,  being  besieged  by 
the  king  of  Ascalon,  went  in  ships  and  built  Tyre.  Hut  though  Tyre  was  the  "  daughter"  of  Sidon, 
yet  it  soon  rivalled  it  in  importance,  and  in  commercial  enterprise. 

Among  the  ancient  writers,  Tyre  is  mentioned  as  Palac-Tyrus  [iUXairvpot ) ,  or  ancient  Trre ; 
and  as  Insular  Tyre.  The  former  was  built  on  the  coast,  and  was  doubtless  built  first,  though  there 
is  evidence  that  the  lntler  was  early  used  as  u  place  for  anchorage,  or  a  harbour.  In  (lid  Tyre,  or 
Tyre  on  the  coast,  undoubtedly  also  the  most  magnificent  edifices  would  be  built,  and  the  principal 
business  would  there  be  at  first  transacted.  Probably  Insular  Tyre  was  built  either  because  it  fur- 
nished a  better  harbour,  or  because,  being  inaccessible  !o  an  invading  army,  it  was  more  secure. 
Insular  Tyre,  as  the  name  imports,  w  as  built  on  an  island,  or  a  roc'i-  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile 
from  the  coast,  or  from  Old  Tyre.  Probably  the  passage  from  one  to  the  other  was  formerly  by  a 
terry,  or  in  boats  only,  until  Alexander  the  Great  in  his  siege  of  the  city  built  a  mole  from  the  rum» 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


399 


mat   vi'"nn.i    ,    i»nn   *■•**  **.■-,    -_—.-—  ---    .... 

gigantic  causeway  from  the  main  land. 

cencT  FeS  -^fhap  s  llonelo^'S  of  ^^7^^  ^VV^My  Stuated  for  commerce 

I      as  th*  natural  Xpert  o  Palestine  and  Sj  ria,  ami  it  was  favouralfesiwated  for  commerce  with 

ill  in    c-it.es  and  states  bordering  on  the  Mediterranean,  and  indeed  with  all  the  known  world.     The 
,x      eV       h     Ea< t  pass V,hrough  Tyre    see   Ezek.  xxvii.  where  there  is  an  extended  description 

^ne'var:„nse„a„ons  that  trafficked  with  and  enriched  .0,  and  the,,^uc  ,oi.  o    dis^a      c  m  e. 


ir„.n  the  West were introduced  to  the   East   through  this  seaport.     It  rose  therefore  to  great  opu 


r<»n iie r It'll  it  Willi  I  iw  mam  laiiu,  ana  us  incj    wu  mc  Lummunu  ««  r****  ""«  —  —  — *    r0    .  - 

Z    r       ha  Alexander  could  not  have  taken  it  had  he  not  possessed  resources,  and  pat.enc, 

a  d  | «  winch  perhaps  no  other  ancient  conqueror  possessed  ,  and  nad  he  not  engaged  ,  a en 
u  mnse  which  perhaps  all  others  would  have  regan  ed  as  impracticable  and  hopeteBB.  Jo»ephus, 
n  I  red  <l  ate"  h  t  S  iin  ,  ese  kin,'  of  Assyria,  made  war  against  tl  e  Tynans  with  a  fleet  of  sixty 
mane,  «  rowers.  The  Tynans  had  hut  twi  he  ships,  yet  they  obtained  the  victory  and 
dispersed  the  Assyrian  fleet,  taking  sou  prisoners.  Shalmaneser  then  besieged  the  city; for  five  yean, 
but  was  unable  to  take  it.    This  was  in  the  time  ot  Hezekiah,  A.  M.  3287,  or  about  717  before 

^Nebuchadnezzar  took  the  city  after  a  siege  of  thirteen  years,  during  the  time  of  the  Jewish cap- 
tivity,  about  373  years  before  Christ.  This  was  in  accordance  w;ith  the  prophecy  in  thw  chapter  see 
Note  ver.  13),  and  according  to  the  predictions  also  ol  K/ekie  •  The  desolation  WOE .entire.  The  city 
was  destroyed,  and  the  inhabitants  driven  into  foreign  lands.  See  Notes  on  vs.  7  12.  I  he  c  1.  de»o 
late  lor  se  vrnty  years  (see  Note  on  vs.  15  17),  and  Old  Tyre  was  in  ruins  in  the  time  ol  the  invasion 
if  Alexander  the  Great    Anew  city  had  risen,  however,  or,  the  island,  called  New  Tyre,  ami  this 


tnvly  deVtroved  by  Alexander,  and  became  an  object  of  contention  to  his  successors  It  was  succ-s- 
Jv'ly  invested  by  Anligonas  and  Ptolemy,  and  tell  into  the  hands  ui  the  latter.  In  the  apos  ohc  age 
it  seems  to  have  regained  somewhat  of  its  ancient  splendour.  There  were  some  Christians  heie. 
Acts  «,  a  4  At  Present  it  belongs  to  Syria.  It  was  often  an  object  of  contention  during  the  cm- 
fades',  and  was  distinguished  as  the  first  Archbishopric  under  the  Patriarchate  of  Jerusalem.  I  .gra- 
.hiallv  sunk  into  decay  lost  its  importance,  and  became  a  place  of  litter  ruin  Volnej  no  iced  the  re 
in  1784,  the  choir  of  the  ancient  church,  the  remains  ol  the  walls  of  the  city  which  can  still  be  traced, 
and  some  columns  of  red  granite,  a  species  unknown  m  Syria  In  he  time  when  it  was  visited  by 
Volnev  and  Maundrell.  it  was  a  miserable  village,  where  the  mhabitan  s  subsisted  chiefl)  1»  I  »hm<  . 
Its  exports  consist  only  of  a  few  sacks  of  corn  and  cotton,  and  the  only  merchant  o  which  it  could 
boast  in  the  time  when  Volney  was  there,  was  a  solitary  Greek,  who  could  hardly  gam  a  liveli- 
hood M  present,  Tyre,  or.  as  it  is  called,  'ur,  is  nothing  more  than  a  market-town,  a  small  sea- 
port hardly  deserving  the  name  of  a  city.  Its  chief  export  is  the  tobacco  raised  on  the  neighbouring 
hills'-  with  some  cotton,  and  also  charcoal  and  wood  from  the  more  distant  mountains  1  he  houses 
are  for  the  mo.t  part  mere  hovels,  very  few  being  more  than  one  story  high,  with  flat  roots.  The 
streets  are  narrow  lanes,  crooked,  and  filthy.  Yet  the  many  scattered  palm-trees  throw  over  the 
place  an  oriental  charm  ;  and  the  numerous  Pride  of  India  trees  interspersed  among  the  houses  and 
gardens,  with  their  beautiful  foliage,  give  it  a  pleasing  aspect.  It  has  a  population  ot  less  than  three 
thousand  souls.  In  1S3T  an  earthquake  was  felt  here  to  a  very  considerable  extent  A  large  part  ot 
the  eastern  wall  was  thrown  down,  and  the  southern  wall  was  greatly  shattered  and  several  houses 
were  destroyed.  See  Robinson's  Biblical  Researches,  vol.  Hi.  p.  400  See  Rob.  I  almet ;  Ldin 
Ency.  ;  Newton  on  the  Prophecies,  xi.  ;  Keith  on  the  Prophecies;  and  the  I  ravels  ot  Volney  arid 
Maundrell.  On  the  ancient  commercial  importance  ot  Tyre,  also,  and  its  present  situation,  and  the 
cause  of  its  decline,  the  reader  may  consult  an  article  in  the  American  Biblical  Repository,  tor  Oc- 
tober, 18-10. 


1  The  burden  of  Tyre.  cHowl. 
ye  ships  of  Tarshish  ;  for  it  is 
laid   waste    so   that   there  is   no 

C  Jer.  25.  22.  47.  4.    Ezek.  26.  28.     Amos  9.  10. 

1.  The  burden  of  Tyre.  Note  ch. 
xiii.  1.  If  Howl.  This  is  a  highly 
poetic  description  of  the  destruction 
that  was  coming  on  Tyre.  The  ships 
of  Tarshish  traded  there  ;  and  the  pro- 
phet now  addresses  the  ships,  and  calls 
upon  them  to  lament  because  the  com- 
merce by  which  they  had  been  enrich- 
ed was  to  be  destroyed,  and  they  were 


house,  no  entering  in  :  from  the 
land  of  Chittimd  it  is  revealed  to 
them. 


Zech.  9.  2—4. 


d  ver.  12.    Jer.  2.  10. 


to  be  thrown  out  of  employ.  V  Ye 
ships  of  Tarshish.  See  Note  ch.  ii. 
lb".  The  Tarshish  here  referred  to. 
was  doubtless  a  city  or  country  in 
Spain  (Tap'r/iwrds,  Turtess us),  and  waa 
the  most  celebrated  emporium  to  which 
the  Phoenicians  traded.  It  is  men- 
tioned by  Diod.  Sic  v.  35-38  ;  Strab 
iii.  148 ;  Pliny,  His    Nat.  iii.  3.     Ac 


400 


ISAIAH. 


[C.C.713, 


cording  to  Jer.  x.  9,  it  exported  silver ; 
according  to  Ezek  xxvii    12,  25,  it  ex- 
ported silver,  iron,  tin,  and   'ead  to  the 
Tyrian  market      In  this  chapter,  vs.  1, 
6,  10,it  is  represented  as  an  important 
Phoenician  or  Tyrian  colony.     All  the 
circumstances  agree  with  the  supposi- 
tion   that    Tartcaaua  in    Spain   is  the 
place    here    referred    to.       The    name 
Tartessus  (Tiiprr/iro-os)  is  derived  from 
(he  Hebrew  tthttSnPl  by  a  change  sim- 
ply in  the  pronunciation.      See  Bochart 
(G.-og.  Sacra,  lib.  iii.  c.  7),  and  J.  D. 
Michaelis  (Spicileg.  Geog    Heb.  p    i. 
pp.  82-103).     IT  For  it  is  laid  matte. 
Tyre  is  laid  waste  ;  that  is,  in  vision  it 
was  made  to  pass  before  the  mind  of 
the    prophet    as    laid    waste,  or    as   it 
would  be       Notes  ch.  i.  1.      IT  So  that 
there  is  no  house.      It  would  be  com- 
pletely destroyed.     This  was  the  case 
with  old    Tyre  after   the  conquest  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  and  it   remained  so. 
See  the  analysis  of  the  chapter-.     IT  No 
entering    in.     No   harbour ;    no   port  ; 
where  the  ships  could  remain,  and  with 
which    they   could  continue    to   trade. 
Tyre  was  once  better  situated  for  com- 
merce, and  had  greater  natural  advan- 
tages, than   any  port  in  the   Mediter- 
ranean.   Those  advantages  have,  how- 
ever,  to  a  great  extent  passed  away, 
and  natural  causes  combine  to  confirm 
the  truth  of  the  divine  predictions  that 
it  should  cease  to  be  a  place  of  com- 
merce.      The    merchandise    of  India, 
which    was    once     conveyed    overland 
through    Babylon    and    Palmyra,    and 
which  found  its  natural  outlet  at  Tyre, 
is    now    carried    around   the    Cape  of 
Good   Hope,  and   will  never  again  be 
restored  to  its  old  channel.     Besides, 
Tyre   itself,  which  once  had  so  fine  a 
harbour,  has  ceased  to  be  a  safe  haven 
for  large  vessels.     Robinson   (George) 
says  of  its   harbour  in   1830,  "  It  is  a 
small  circular  basin,  now  quite  filled  up 
with  sand  and  broken  columns,  leaving 
scarcely  space  enough  for  small  boats 
to  enter.     The  few  fishing  boats  that 
belong  to   the   place   are  sheltered  by 
Borne    rocks    to    the    westward   of  the 
island."     Travels  in  Syria  and  Pales- 
tine, vol    i.  p.  26!)      Shaw,  who  visited 
Tyre  in  1738,  says  of  the  harbour,  "  I 


visited    several    creeks    and    inlets,  in 
order  to  discover  what  provision  there 
might  have  been  formerly  made  for  the 
security  of    their   vess  Is.      Yet,    not- 
withstanding that  '!'>'•    was  the  chief 
maritime    power   of    (his     country,    I 
could  not  discover  the  least  token  of 
either  cothon  or  harbour  that  could  have 
been  of  extraordinary  capacity.     The 
coasting  ships,  indeed,  still  find  a  tole- 
rable  good  shelter  from   the   northern 
winds,  under  the  southern   shore,  but 
are  obliged  immediately  to  return  when 
the  winds  change  to  the  west  or  south ; 
so  that  there  must  have  been  some  bet- 
ter station  than   this  for  their  security 
and   reception.     In  the  N.  N.  E.  part 
likewise  of  the  city,  we  see  the  traces 
of  a  safe  and  commodious  basin,  lying 
within   the   walls ;    but    which,  at  the 
same  time,  is  very  small,  scare,    forty 
yards  in  diameter.    Yet  even  this  port, 
small  as  it  is  at  present,  is,  nothwith- 
stamling,  so  choked  up  with  sand  and 
rubbish,  that   the    boats  of  those  poor 
fishermen  who  now  and  then  visit  this 
renowned    emporium,  can,  with  great 
difficulty,  only  be  admitted."     Travels, 
pp   33t»,  331.  Ed.fol.  Oxf.  1738.     Dr. 
Robinson    says   of   the  port   of    Tyre, 
"  The  inner  port  or  basin  on  the  north, 
was  formerly  enclosed  by  a  wall,  run- 
ning from  the   north  end  of  the  island 
in    a    curve    towards    the    main   land. 
Various   pieces   and   fragments  of  this 
wall  yet    remain,  sufficient  to  mark  its 
course  ;  but  the  port  itself  is  continually 
filling  up   more  and   more  with  sand, 
and  now-a-days  boats  only  can  enter 
it.      Indeed,  our  host  informed  us,  that 
even  within  his  own  recollection,  the 
water   covered   the  open   place   before 
his  own  house,  which  at  present  is  ten 
or  twelve  rods  from  the  sea,  and  is  sur- 
rounded   with   buildings ;    while   older 
men   remember,  that  vessels   formerly 
anchored    where    the    shore    now    is." 
Bibli.  Research,  iii.  397.     IT  From  the 
land  of  Chittim      This  means,  proba- 
bly,  from   the    islands   and    coasts    of 
the   Mediterranean.     In  regard  to  the 
meaning  of  the  word  Chittim,  the  fol- 
lowing is  the  note  of  Gesenius  on  this 
i  verse :     "  Among    the    three    different 
I  opinions  of  ancient  and  modern  inter* 


B.C.71'6.] 


CEIAPTER  XXIII. 


401 


2  Be  sstill,  ye  inhabitants  of 
the   isle ;  thou   whom  the    rner- 


preters,  according  to  which  they  sought 
for  the  land  of  Chittim  in  Italy,  Mace- 
donia, and  Cyprus,  I  decidedly  prefer 
the  latter,  which  is  also  the  opinion  of 
Josephus  (Ant.  i.  6,  §  1)  According 
to  this,  Chittim  is  the  island  Cyprus,  so 
called  from  the  Phoenician  colony 
Kinoi'.  Citium,  in  the  southern  part  of 
die  island,  but  still  in  such  a  sense, 
that  this  name  Chittim  was,  at  a  later 
ptriod,  employed  also  in  a  wider  sense, 
to  designate  other  islands  and  countries 
adjacent  to  the  coasts  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean, as  e.  g.  Macedonia,  Dan.  xi. 
30  1  Mac  i.  1,  viii  5.  This  is  also 
mentioned  by  Josephus.  That  Kirtov 
(Citium)  was  sometimes  used  for  the 
whole  island  of  Cyprus,  and  also  in  a 
wider  sense  for  other  islands,  is  ex- 
pressly asserted  by  Epiphanius,  who 
himself  lived  in  Cyprus,  as  a  well- 
known  fact  (Adv.  Hasres.  xxx.  25)  ; 
where  he  says,  '  it  is  manifest  to  all 
that  the  island  of  Cyprus  is  called 
Kinov  (Citium),  for  the  Cyprians,  and 
Ehodians  {'PdStoi)  are  called  Kitians 
(Kitioi).  It  could  also  be  used  of  the 
Macedonians  because  they  were  de- 
scended from  the  Cyprians  and  Rho- 
dians.  That  most  of  the  cities  of  Cy- 
prus were  Phoenician  colonies  is  ex- 
pressly affirmed  by  Diodorus  (ii.  p.  114, 
comp.  Herod,  vii.  90),  and  the  proxi- 
mity of  the  island  to  Phoenicia,  toge- 
ther with  its  abundant  supply  of  pro- 
ductions, especially  such  as  were  es- 
sential in  ship-building,  would  lead  us 
to  expect  nothing  else.  One  of  the 
few  passages  of  the  Bible  which  give  a 
more  definite  hint  in  regard  to  Chittim 
is  Ezek.  xxvii.  6,  which  agrees  very 
well  with  Cyprus  :  '  Of  the  oaks  of 
Bashan  do  they  make  them  oars  ;  thy 
ships'  benches  do  they  make  of  ivory, 
encased  with  cedar  from  the  isles  of 
Chittim.'  The  sense  of  this  passage 
is,  that  the  fleets  coming  from  Tarshish 
(Tartessus)  to  Tyre,  would,  on  their 
way,  learn  from  the  inhabitants  of 
Cyprus  the  news  of  the  downfall  of 


chants  of  Zidon,  that   pass  over 
the  sea,  have  re-plenished. 

3  And    by    great   waters    the 


Tyre."  f  It  is  revealed  to  them.  If 
we  understand  Chittim  to  denote  the 
islands  and  coasts  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean, it  means  that  the  navigators 
in  the  ships  of  Tarshish  would  learn 
the  intelligence  of  the  destruction  of 
Tyre  from  those  coasts  or  islands  where 
they  might  stop  on  their  way.  Tyre 
was  of  so  much  commercial  importance 
that  the  news  of  its  fall  would  spread 
into  all  the  islands  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean. 

2.  Be  still.  This  is  the  description 
of  a  city  which  is  destroyed,  where  the 
din  of  commerce,  and  the  sound  of  re- 
velry is  no  longer  heard.  It  is  an  ad- 
dress of  the  prophet  to  Tyre,  indicat- 
ing that  it  would  be  soon  still,  and 
destroyed.  If  Ye  inhabitants  of  the 
isle  of  Tyre.  The  word  isle,  "^  ,  is 
sometimes  used  to  denote  a  coast,  or 
maritime  region  (See  Note  ch.  xx.  b), 
but  there  seems  no  reason  to  doubt 
that  here  it  means  the  island  on  which 
New  Tyre  was  erected.  This  may 
have  been  occupied  even  before  Old 
Tyre  was  destroyed  by  Nebuchadnez- 
zar, though  the  main  city  was  on  the 
coast.  V  T'hou  whom  the  merchants 
of  Zidon.  Tyre  was  a  colony  from 
Sidon  ;  and  the  merchants  of  Sidon 
would  trade  to  Tyre  as  well  as  to 
Sidon.  IT  Have  replenished.  Heb. 
'  Have  filled,'  i.  e.  with  merchandise, 
and  with  wealth.  Thus  in  Ezek.  xxvii. 
8,  Tyre  is  represented  as  having  de- 
rived its  seamen  from  Sidon :  "  The 
inhabitants  of  Sidon  and  of  Arvad 
were  thy  mariners."  And  in  Ezek. 
xxvii.  9-23,  Tyre  is  represented  as 
having  been  filled  with  ship-builders, 
merchants,  mariners,  soldiers,  &c, 
from  Gebal,  Persia,  Lud,  Phut,  Tar- 
shish, Javan,  Tubal,  Mesheck,  Dedan, 
Syria,  Damascus,  Arabia,  &c. 

3.  And  by  great  waters.  That  is, 
by  the  abundant  waters,  or  the  over- 
flowing of  the  Nile.  Tyre  was  the 
mart  to  which  the  superabundant  pro- 
ductions of   Egypt   were  borne.     See 


402 


ISAIAH. 


[fl.C.713. 


seed  of  Sihor,  the  harvest  of  the 
river,  is  her  revenue  ;  and  she 
is  a  mart  of  nations. 

4  Be  thou  ashamed,  O  Zidon  ; 
for  the  sea  hath  spoken,  even  the 
strength   of  the    sea,   saying,    I 

Ezek.  xxvii.  IT  The  seed  of  Sihor. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  by  Sihor 
here  is  meant  the  river  Nile  in  Egypt. 
See  Jer.  ii  18.  1  Chron.  xiii. '5.  Josh, 
xiii.  3.  The  word  ^'nti  ,  Shihhor,  is 
derived  from  ^nffl  Shdh/idr,  to  be 
black  (Job  xxx.  30),  and  is  given  to 
the  Nile  from  its  colour  when  it  brings 
down  the  slime  or  mud  by  which 
Egypt  is  rendered  so  fertile.  The 
Greeks  gave  to  the  river  the  name 
M'A.iv,  black,  and  the  Latins  call  it 
Milo.  Serv.  ad  Virg.  Geor.  iv.  291. 
It  was  called  Siris  by  the  Ethiopians  ; 
perhaps  the  same  as  Sihor.  The  upper 
branches  of  the  Nile  in  Abyssinia  all 
receive  their  names  from  the  colour  of 
the  water,  and  are  called  the  White 
River,  the  Blue  River,  &c.  1  The 
fan  rest  of  the  river.  The  productions 
caused  by  the  overflowing  of  the  river. 
Egypt  was  celebrated  for  producing 
grain,  and  Rome  and  Greece  derived 
no  small  part  of  their  supplies  from 
that  fertile  country.  It  is  also  evident 
that  the  inhabitants  of  Palestine  were 
early  accustomed  to  go  to  Egypt  in 
time  of  scarcity  for  supplies  of  grain. 
See  Gen.  xxxvii.  25,  28,  and  the  his- 
tory of  Joseph,  Gen.  xli.  xiii.  xliii. 
That  the  Tynans  traded  with  Egypt  is 
also  well  known.  Herodotus  (ii.  112) 
mentions  one  entire  quarter  of  the  city 
of  Memphis  that  was  inhabited  by  the 
Tynans.  IT  Is  her  revenue.  Her  re- 
sources are  brought  from  thence.  T  She 
is  a  mart  of  nations.  How  true  this 
was,  see  Ezek.  xxvii  No  place  was 
more  favourably  situated  for  com- 
merce ;  and  she  had  engrossed  the 
trade  nearly  of  all  the  world. 

4.  Be  thou  ashamed,  0  Zidon.  Tyre 
was  a  colony  of  Sidon.  Sidon  is  here 
addressed  as  the  mother  of  Tyre,  and 
is  called  on  to  lament  over  her  daughter 
ihut  was  destroyed.     In  ver.  12,  Tyre 


travail  not,  nor  bring  forth  chil- 
dren, neither  do  I  nourish  up 
young  men,  nor  bring  up  vir- 
gins. 

5  As  at  the   report^  concern. 


g  ch.  !•.  16. 


is    called    the    "  daughter  of    Sidon ;" 

and  such  appellations  were  commonly 
given  to  cities.  See  Note  eh  i.  8. 
Sidon  is  here  represented  as  ashamed, 
or  grieved — as  a  mother  is  who  is  bereft 
of  all  her  children.  IT  The  sea  hath 
spoken  New  Tyre  was  on  a  rock  at 
some  distance  from  the  land,  and 
seemed  to  rise  out  of  the  sea,  some- 
what as  Venice  does.  It  is  described 
here  as  a  production  of  the  sea,  and  the 
sea  is  represented  as  speaking  by  her. 
IT  Even  the  strength  of  the  sea.  The 
fortress,  or  strong  place,  T1"B  ,  of  the 
sea.  Tyre,  on  a  rock,  might  be  re- 
garded as  the  strong  place,  or  the  de- 
fence of  the  Mediterranean.  Thus 
Zechariah  (ix.  3)  says  of  it,  "  And 
Tyrus  did  build  herself  a  strong  hold" 
—  "11X13  .  IT  Saying,  I  travail  not. 
The  expressions  which  follow  are  to  be 
regarded  as  the  language  of  Tyre — the 
founder  of  colonies  and  cities.  The 
sense  is,  '  My  wealth  and  resources  are 
gone.  My  commerce  is  annihilated. 
I  cease  to  plant  cities  and  colonies, 
and  to  nourish  and  foster  them,  as  I 
once  did,  by  my  trade.'  The  idea  of 
the  whole  verse  is,  that  the  city  which 
had  been  the  mistress  of  the  commer- 
cial world,  and  distinguished  for  found- 
ing other  cities  and  colonies,  was  about 
to  lose  her  importance,  and  to  cease  to 
extend  her  colonies  and  her  influence 
over  other  countries.  Over  this  fact, 
Sidon,  the  mother  and  founder  of  Tyre 
herself,  would  be  humbled  and  grieved 
that  her  daughter,  so  proud,  so  rich, 
and  so  magnificent,  was  brought  so 
low.  * 

5.  As  at  the  report  concerning  Egypt. 
According  to  our  translation,  this  verse 
would  seem  to  mean  that  the  Sidonians 
and  other  nations  had  been  pained  "r 
grieved  at  the  report  of  the  calamities 
I  that  had  come   upon  Egypt,  and  tha» 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


403 


ing  Egypt,  so  shall  they  be  | 
sorely  pained  at  the  report  of  I 
Tyre. 

6  Passover  to  Tarshish;  howl,  j 
ye  inhabitants  of  the  isle. 

they  would  be  similarly  affected  at  the  i 
report  concerning  Tyre.  In  accord-  | 
ance  with  this,  some  (as  Jarchi)  have 
understood  it  of  the  plagues  of  Egypt, 
and  suppose  that  the  prophet  menus  to 
say,  that  as  the  nations  were  astonish- 
ed at  that,  so  they  would  be  at  the 
report  of  the  calamities  that  would 
come  upon  Tyre.  Others  refer  it  to 
the  calamities  that  would  come  upon 
Egypt  referred  to  in  ch.  xij.,  and  sup- 
pose that  the  prophet  means  to  say, 
that  as  the  nations  would  be  amazed 
at  the  report  of  these  calamities,  so 
they  would  be  at  the  report  of  the  over- 
throw of  Tyre.  So  Vitringa.  But  the 
sense  of  the  Hebrew  may  be  expressed 
thus :  '  As  the  report,  or  tidings  of  the 
destruction  of  Tyre  shall  reach  Egypt, 
they  shall  be  pained  at  the  tidings  re- 
specting Tyre.'  So  Lowth,  Noycs, 
Rosenmuller,  Grotius,  Calvin.  They 
would  be  grieved,  either  (1)  because 
the  destruction  of  Tyre  would  injure 
the  commerce  of  Egypt ;  or  (2)  be- 
cause the  Egyptians  might  fear  that 
the  army  of  Nebuchadnezzar  would 
come  upon  them,  and  that  they  would 
share  the  fate  of  Tyre  IT  Sorely  pain- 
ed. The  word  here  used  (^^H?)  is 
commonly  applied  to  the  severe  pain 
of  parturition. 

6.  Pass  ye  occr.  That  is,  ye  inha- 
bitants of  Tyre.  This  is  an  address 
to  Tyre,  in  view  of  her  approaching 
destruction  ;  and  is  designed  to  signify 
\liat  when  the  city  was  destroyed,  its 
inhabitants  would  flee  to  its  colonies, 
and  seek  refuge  and  safety  there.  As 
Tarshish  was  one  of  its  principal  colo- 
nies, and  as  the  ships  employed  by 
Tyre  would  naturally  sail  to  Tarshish, 
the  inhabitants  are  represented  a9  flee- 
ing there  on  the  attack  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar. That  the  inhabitants  of  Tyre 
did  flee  in  this  manner  is  expressly  as- 
serted by  Jerome  upon  the  authority 
of  Assyrian  histories  which  are  now 


7  Is  this  youi  joyous  city, 
whose  antiquity  i%  of  ancient 
days  ?  her  own  feet  shall  carry 
her  rafar  off  to  sojourn. 

7  frmn  afar  off 

lost.  "  We  have  read,"  says  he,  "  in 
the  histories  of  the  Assyrians,  that 
when  the  Tyrians  were  besieged,  after 
they  saw  no  hope  of  escaping,  they 
went  on  board  their  ships,  and  fled  to 
Carthage,  or  to  some  islands  of  the 
Ionian  and  ^Egean  Sea."  Jerome  in 
liiru.  And  again  (on  Ezek  xxix.)  he 
says,  "  When  the  Tyrians  saw  that  the 
works  for  carrying  on  the  siege  were 
perfected,  and  the  foundations  of  the 
walls  were  shaken  by  the  battering 
rams,  whatever  precious  things  in  gold, 
silver,  clothes,  and  various  kinds  of 
furniture  the  nobility  had,  they  put 
them  on  board  their  ships,  and  carried 
to  the  islands.  So  that  the  city  being 
taken,  Nebuchadnezzar  found  nothing 
worthy  of  his  labour."  Diodorus  (xvii. 
41,)  relates  the  same  thing  of  the  Ty- 
rians during  the  siege  of  Alexander 
the  Great,  where  he  says  that  they 
took  their  wives  and  children  to  Car- 
thage. IT  Howl.  Deep  grief  among 
the  Orientals  was  usually  expressed  by 
a  loud,  long,  and  most  dismal  howl,  or 
shriek.  Note  ch.  xv.  2.  IT  Ye  inha- 
bitants of  the  isle.  Of  Tyre.  The 
word  isle,  however,  may  be  taken  as 
in  ch  xx.  6  (see  Note  in  that  place), 
in  the  sense  of  coast  or  maritime  coun- 
try in  general,  and  possibly  may  be  in- 
tended to  denote  Old  Tyre,  or  the 
coast  of  Phoenicia  in  general,  though 
most  naturally  it  applies  to  the  city 
built  on  the  island. 

7.  Is  this  your  joyous  city.  Is  this 
the  city  that  was  just  now  so  full  of 
happiness,  of  revelry,  of  business,  of 
gayety,  of  rejoicing  ?  See  Note  ch.  xxii. 
2.  II  Whose  antiquity  is  of  ancient 
days.  Strabo  (Lib.  xvi.  P.  756)  says, 
"  After  Sidon,  Tyre,  a  splendid  and 
most  ancient  city,  is  to  be  compared  in 
greatness,  beauty,  and  antiquity,  with 
Sidon."  Curtius  (Hist.  Alexan.  Lib 
iv.  c.  iv.)  says,  "  The  city  was  taken, 
distinguished  both  by  its  antiquity,  and 


404 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C  713. 


8  Who  hath  taken  this  coun-  9  The  Lord  of  hosts  hath  pur. 
sel  against  Tyre,  the  crowning  posed  it,  to  stain*  the  pride  of  all 
r.ity,  whose  merchants  are  glory,  and  to  bring'  into  con- 
princes,  whose  traffickers  are  tempt  all  the  honourable  of  the 
ihe  honourable  of  the  earth  ?         i  earth. 

8  pollute.  I  1  Cor.  i.  28,  U. 

its  creat  variety  of  fortune."     Arrian 
I, i!i    11  cap  xvi.)  says,  that  "  the  Tem- 
pi,   of   Hercules  at  Tyre  was  the  most  I 
amient  of  those  which  the  memory  of 
men  have  preserved  "    And  Herodotus 
(ii    44,)   says,  that    in    a   conversation 
which  he  had    with    the    priest    of  that 
Temple,  lie    informed   him   that  it  had 
then  existed  for  2300  years.      Josephus 
indeed  says   (Ant.  B.  viii    ch   iii.  §   1)  | 
that  Tyre  was  built   but    240  years  be-  j 
fore  the  teiriole  was  built  by  Solomon —  I 
hut  this  was  (Tobably  a  mistake.  Justin  [ 
(xviii.  3)  says  that  Tyre  was  founded  in 
the  year  of  the  destruction  of  Troy.  Its  ; 
very  high  antiquity  cannot  be  doubted. 
IT  Her  own  feet  shall  carry  her  afar  off. 
Grotius  supposes  that  by  feet  here  the 
"feet  of  ships"   are  intended,   that  is, 
their  sails  and  oars.    But  the  expression 
is  designed  evidently  to  stand  in   con- 
trast with  ver.  6,  and  to  denote  that  a 
part  of  the  inhabitants  would  go  by  land 
into  captivity.     Probably  many  of  them 
were  taken  prisoners  by  Nebuchadnez- 
zar ;  and  perhaps  many  of  them  when 
the  city  was  besieged  found  opportunity 
to  escape  and  flee  by  land  to  a  distant 
place  of  safety. 

8.  Who  hnth  token  this  counsel. 
To  whom  is  this  to  be  traced  ?  Is  this 
the  work  of  man,  or  is  it  the  plan  of 
God  ? — questions  which  would  natur- 
ally arise  at  the  contemplation  of  the 
ruin  of  a  city  so  ancient  and  so  mag- 
nificent. The  object  of  this  question  is 
to  trace  it  all  to  God  ;  and  this  perhaps 
indicates  the  scope  of  the  prophecy — to 
show  that  God  reigns,  and  does  all  his 
pleasure  over  cities  and  kingdoms. 
H  The  crowning  city.  The  distributer 
of  crowns  ;  or  the  city  from  which  de- 
pendent towns,  provinces,  and  king- 
doms had  arisen.  Many  colonies  and 
cities  had  been  founded  by  Tyre. 
Tartessus  in  Spain,  Citium  in  Cyprus, 
Carthage  in  Africa,  and  probably  many 


other  places  were  Phoenician  colonies 
and  derived  their  origin  from  Tyre,  and 
were  still  its  tributaries  and  dependents'. 
Comp  Ezck.  xxvii.  33.  U  Whose  mer- 
chants are  princes.  Princes  trade  witn 
thee  ;  and  thus  acknowledge  their  de- 
pendence on  thee.  Or,  thy  merchants 
are  splendid,  gorgeous,  and  magnificent 
like  princes  The  former,  however,  is 
probably  the  meaning.  IT  lVhuse 
traffickers.  ^}.',  ?■?  j  Canaanites.  As 
the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Canaan  were 
traffickers  or  merchants,  the  word  came 
to  denote  merchants  in  general.  See 
Job  xli.  6.  Hos.  xii.  7.  Zeph.  i.  11. 
Ezek.  xvii  4.  So  the  word  Chaldean 
came  to  mean  astrologer*,  because 
they  were  celebrated  for  astrology. 

9.  The  Lord  of  hosts  hath  purposed 
it.  Note  ch.  i.  9.  It  is  not  by  human, 
counsel  that  it  has  been  done.  Who- 
ever is  the'  instrument,  yet  the  over- 
throw of  wicked,  proud,  and  vicious 
cities  and  nations  is  to  be  traced  to  the 
God  who  rules  in  the  empires  and  king- 
doms of  the  earth.  See  Notes  ch.  x. 
5-7.  H  To  stain  the  ]>ride  uf  all  glory. 
Marg.  pollute.  The  Hebrew  word  ~?n 
means  properly  to  bore,  or  pierce 
through;  to  open,  make  common  (Lev. 
xix.  29)  ;  then  to  profane,  defile,  pol- 
lute, as  e.  g  the  sanctuary  (Lev.  xix.  8. 
xxi.  9),  the  Sabbath  (Ex.  xxxi.  14  ,the 
name  of  God  (Lev.  xviii.  21,  xix  12). 
Here  it  means  that  the  destruction  of 
Tyre  would  show  that  God  could  easily 
level  it  all  with  the  dust  The  de- 
struction of  Tyre  would  show  this  in 
reference  to  all  human  glory,  because 
(1)  it  was  one  of  the  most  ancient 
cities  ;  (2)  it  was  one  of  the  most  mag- 
nificent ;  (3)  it  was  one  of  the  most 
strong,  secure,  and  inaccessible  ;  (-4)  it 
was  the  one  of  most  commercial  im- 
portance,most  distinguished  in  the  view 
of  nations  ;  and  (5)  its  exampl*  would 


B.C. IIS.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


405 


10  Pass  through  thy  land  as  a 
river,  O  daughter  of  Tarshish  : 
there  is  no  more  strength.9 

9  girdle. 

be  the  most  striking  and  impressive. 
God  often  selects  the  most  distinguished 
and  important  cities  and  men  to  make 
them  examples  to  others,  and  to  show 
the  ease  with  which  he  can  bring  all 
down  to  the  earth.  %  To  bring  into 
contempt,  &c.  To  bring  their  plans 
and  purposes  into  contempt, and  to  show- 
how  unimportant  and  how  foolish  are 
their  schemes  in  the  sight  of  a  holy  God. 
10.  Pass  through  thy  land  as  a  river. 
This  verse  has  been  very  variously  un- 
crstood.  Vitringa  supposes  that  it 
means  that  all  that  held  the  city  together 
— its  fortifications,  walis,  &c,  would  be 
laid  waste,  and  that  as  a  river  flows  on 
without  obstruction,  so  the  inhabitants 
would  be  scattered  far  and  near.  Every 
thing,  says  he,  would  be  levelled,  and 
the  field  would  not  be  distinguishable 
from  the  city.  Grotius  thus  renders  it : 
"  Pass  to  some  one  of  thy  colonies  ;  as  a 
river  flows  from  the  fountain  to  the  sea, 
so  do  you  go  to  the  ocean."  Lowth 
understands  it  also  as  relating  to  the 
time  of  the  destruction  of  Tyre,  and  to 
the  escape  which  the  inhabitants  would 
then  make. 

"  Overflow  thy  land  like  a  river, 
"  0  daughter  of  Tarshish  ;  the  mound  [that  kept 
in  thy  waters]  is  no  more." 

The  LXX  render  it,  "  Cultivate 
('Eoy.'^of)  thy  land,  for  the  ships  shall 
no  more  come  from  Kao%rio6voi — Car- 
thage." Probably  the  true  meaning  is 
that  which  refers  it  to  the  time  of  the 
siege,  and  to  the  fact  that  the  inhabit- 
ants would  seek  other  places  when 
their  defence  was  destroyed.  That  is, 
'  Pass  through  thy  territories,  thy  de- 
pendent cities,  states,  colonies,  and  seek 
a  refuge  there  ;  or  wander  there  like  a 
flowing  stream.'  1f  Like  a  titer.  Per- 
haps the  allusion  is  to  the  Nile,  as  the 
word  "it"  is  usually  given  to  the  Nile  ; 
or  it  may  be  to  any  river  that  flows  on 
with  a  mighty  current  when  all  ob- 
siructijns  are  removed.  The  idea  is, 
that  as  waters  flow  on  when  the  barriers 


11  He  streiched  out  his  hand 
over  the  sea  ;  he  shook  the  king- 
dom :    the    Lord    hath   given  a 


are  removed,  so  the  inhabitants  of  Tyre 
would  pout  fotth  from  their  city.  The 
idea  is  not  so  much  that  of  tapidity.as 
it  is  they  should  go  like  a  stream  that 
has  no  dykes,  barriers,  or  obstacles  now 
to  confine  its  flowiug  waters.  IT  0 
daughter  of  Tarshish.  Tyre  ;  so  call- 
ed either  because  it  was  in  some  de- 
gree sustained  and  supplied  by  the 
commerce  of  Tarshish  ;  or  because  its 
inhabitants  would  become  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Tarshish,  and  it  is  so  called  by 
anticipation.  The  Vulgate  renders  this, 
filia  maris,  daughter  of  the  sea.  Junius 
supposes  that  the  prophet  addresses 
those  who  were  then  in  the  city  who 
were  natives  of  Tarshish,  and  exhorts 
them  to  flee  for  safety  to  their  own  city. 
1  There  is  no  more  strer.sth.  Marg. 
girdle.  The  word  HT'a  means  proper- 
ly a  girdl"  (Job  xii.  31).  It  is  applied 
to  that  which  binds  or  secures  the  body  ; 
and  may  be  applied  here  perhaps  to  that 
which  secured,  or  bound  the  city  of 
Tyre  ;  that  is,  its  fortifications,  its  walls, 
its  defences.  They  would  all  be  level- 
led ;  and,  nothing  would  secure  the  in- 
habitants, as  ihey  would  flow  forth  as 
waters  that  are  pent  up  do,  when  every 
barrier  is  removed. 

11.  He  stretched  out  his  hand.  That 
is,  Jehovah.  See  ver.  9.  To  stretch 
out  the  hand  is  indicative  of  punish- 
ment. (See  Note  ch.  v.  25  ix.  ]:i,) 
and  means  that  God  had  resolved  to 
inflict  exemplary  punishment  on  Tyre 
and  its  dependent  colonies.  IT  Over 
the  sea.  That  is,  over  the  sea  coast 
of  Phoenicia  ;  or  over  the  cities  that 
were  built  on  the  coast.  This  allude? 
to  the  fact  that  Nebuchadnezzar  would 
lay  siege  to  these  cities,  and  would 
ravage  the  maritime  coast  of  Phoenicia. 
It  is  not  improbable  also  that,  having 
taken  Tyre,  he  would  extend  his  con- 
quests to  Citium  on  the  island  of  Cy- 
prus, and  destroy  as  many  of  the  de- 
pendent cities  of  Tyre  as  possible. 
V  The  Lord  hath  given  a   command- 


406 


ISAIAH. 


W.c.nn 


commandment1  against  "the  mer- 
chant city,  to  destroy  the  'strong 
holds  thereof. 

IS   And    he   said,  Thou  shalt 
no?   more    rejoice,    O    thou    op- 

1  or,  concernina  a  merchantman.       2  f'anaan. 

vipnt.  The  control  la-re  asserted  over 
Nebuchadnezzar  is  similar  to  tha't  which 

he  asserted  over  the  Assyrian  Sennach- 
erib. See  Note  ch.  x.  5.  II  Against 
the    merchant    city.     Heb,    '  Against 

Canaan  ' — "i";?-'1*  •  The  word  "  Ca- 
naan," may  here  be  used  as  in  verse 
8,  to  denote  a  place  given  to  merchan- 
dise or  traffic,  since  this  was  the  prin- 
cipal employment  of"  the  inhabitants  of 
this  region  ;  but  it  is  rather  to  be  taken 
in  its  obvious  and  usual  sense  in  the 
Scriptures,  as  denoting  the  land  of 
Canaan,  and  as  denoting  that  Nebu- 
chadnezzar would  be  sent  against  that, 
and  especially  the  maritime  parts  of  it, 
to  lay  it  waste.  II  To  destroy  the 
strong  holds  th/reof  That  is,  the 
strong  holds  of  Canaan  ;  as  Tyre,  Si- 
don,  Accho,  &c.  Tyre,  especially, 
was  strongly  fortified,  and  was  able 
long  to  resist  the  arms  of  the  Chaldeans. 
12.  And  he  said.  God,  said,  ver.  9. 
H  Thou  shalt  no  more  rejoice.  The 
sense  is,  that  Tyre  was  soon  to  be  de- 
stroyed. It  does  not  mean  that  it  should 
never  afterwards  exult  or  rejoice,  for  the 
prophet  says  (ver.  17),  that  after  its 
destruction  it  would  be  restored,  and 
again  be  filled  with  exultation  and  joy. 
H  O  thou  oppressed  virgin  Lowth 
renders  this,  "  O  thou  deflowered  vir- 
gin," expressing  the  sense  of  the  word 
nj5®SBr]  .  H  O  daughter  of  Zidon. 
Ver.  4.  H  Pass  over  to  Chit/im.  Note 
ver.  1.  The  idea  is,  that  under  the 
siege,  the  inhabitants  of  Tyre  would 
seek,  refuge  in  her  colonies,  and  the 
cities  that  were  dependent  on  her. 
f  There  also  shalt  thou  hare  no  rest. 
It  is  not  improbable  that  Nebuchad- 
nezzar would  carry  his  arms  to  Cyprus 
— on  which  the  city  of  Citium  was — 
where  the  Tyrians  would  take  refuge 
first.  Megasthenes,  who  lived  about 
300  years  before  Christ,  says  of  Ne- 
buchadnezzar that   he  subdued  a  greut 


pressed  virgin,  daughter  of  Zi- 
don  ;  arise',  pass  over  to  rChii- 
tim  ;  there  also  shalt  thou  have 
no  rest. 

1MB.  hold,  the  land  of  the  dial- 

3  strengths.       p  Rev.  18  22.       r  vc-r.  1. 

part  of  Africa  and  Spain,  and  thai  be 
carried  his  arms  so  far  as  the  Pillars 
"I  Mereules.  See  Newton  on  the  I'ro.- 
phecies,  xi.  §  II.  But  whether  this 
refers  to  the  oppressions  which  Nebu- 
chadnezzar would  bring  on  them  or  no', 
it  is  certain  thai  the  colonics  tha 
sprung  from  Phoenicia  were  exposed  to 
constant  wars  after  this  Carthage 
was  a  colony  of  Tyre,  and  it  is  well 
known  that  this  city  was  engaged  in 
hostility  with  the  Romans  until  it  was 
utterly  destroyed  Indeed  all  the  de- 
pendent colonies  of  ancient  Tyre  be- 
came interested  and  involved  in  the 
agitations  and  commotions  winch  were 
connected  with  the  conquests  ef  the 
Roman  empire. 

I  3.  fir-hold  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans. 
This  is  a  very  important  verse,  as  it 
expresses  the  source  whence  these  ca- 
lamities were  coming  upon  Tyre  ;  and 
as  it  states  some  historical  fuels  of  great 
interest  respecting  the  rise  of  Babylon. 
In  the  previous  verses  the  prophet  had 
foretold  the  certain  destruction  of  Tyre, 
and  had  said  that  whoever  was  the 
agent,  it  was  to  be  tiaced  to  the  over- 
ruling providence  of  God  He  here 
states  distinctly  that  the  agent  in  ac- 
complishing all  this  would  be  the 
Chaldeans — a  statement  which  fixes 
the  time  to  the  siege  of  Nebuchadnezzar, 
and  proves  that  it  does  not  refer  to  the 
conquest  by  Alexander  the  Great.  A 
part  of  this  verse  should  be  read  as  a 
parenthesis,  and  its  general  sense  has 
been  well  expressed  by  Lowth — who 
has  followed  Vitringa. 

"  Behold  the  land  of  the  ChaldsWU  ; 

Thii  people  wu  of  no  account  ;— 

(The  Assyrian  founded  it  for  the  .'[ !  abitant*  of 

the  desert ; 
They  raised  the  watch- towers,  they  set  up  tb« 

the  palaces  thereof;) 
This  people  hath  reduced  her  to  a  ruin." 

IT  Behdd.  Indicating  that  what  he 
was  about  to  say  was  something  un- 
usual,  remarkable,  and  not   to  be  ex 


B.C. IIS.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


407 


deans :  this  people  was  not  till 
the  Assyrian  founded  it  for  thema 
that  dwell  in  the  wilderness : 
they  set  up  the  towers  thereof; 


pected  in  the  ordinary  course  of  events. 
That  which  was  so  remarkable  was  the 
fact  that  a  people  formerly  so  little 
known,  would  rise  to  such  power  as  to 
be  able  to  overturn  the  ancient  and 
mighty  city  of  Tyre.  IT  The  land  of 
the  Chaldeans  Nebuchadnezzar  was 
the  King  of  Chaklea,  or  Babylonia. 
The  names  Babylon  and  Chaldea  are 
often  interchanged  as  denoting  the 
same  kingdom  and  people.  See  ch. 
xlviii  14,20.  Jer.  1.  1.  li.  24.  Ezek. 
xii.  13.  The  sense  is, '  lo  !  the  power 
of  Chaldea  shall  be  employed  in  your 
overthrow'  IT  This  people  The  people 
of  Babylonia  or  Chaldea.  IT  Waa  not. 
Was  not  known  ;  had  ne  government 
or  power  ;  was  a  rude,  nomadic,  bar- 
barous, feeble,  and  illiterate  people. 
The  same  phrase  occurs  in  Dent,  xxxii. 
21,  where  it  also  means  a  people  un- 
known, rude,  barbarous,  wandering. 
That  this  was  formerly  the  character 
of  the  Chaldeans  is  apparent  from  Job  i. 
17,  where  they  are  described  as  a  no- 
madic race,  having  no  established  place 
of  abode,  and  living  by  plunder.  IT  T  11 
the  Assyrian.  Babylon  was  probably 
founded  by  Nimrod  (see  Notes  on  ch 
xiii  ),  but  it  was  long  before  it  rose  to 
splendour.  Belus  or  Bel,  the  Assyrian, 
is  said  to  have  reigned  at  Babylon 
A.  M.  2682,  or  1322  B.  C.  in  the  time 
of  Shamgar,  judge  of  Israel.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Ninus  and  Semiramis, 
who  gave  the  principal  celebrity  and 
splendour  to  the  city  and  kingdom,  and 
who  may  be  said  to  have  been  its  foun- 
ders They  are  probably  referred  to 
here.  1T  Founded  it.  Semiramis  re- 
claimed it  from  the  wraste  of  waters  ; 
built  dykes  to  confine  the  Euphrates  in 
the  proper  channel  ;  and  made  it  the 
capital  of  me  kingdom.  This  is  the 
account  given  by  Herodotus.  Hist.  B.  i. 
"  She  (Semiramis)  built  mounds  worthy 
of  admiration,  where  before  the  river 
was  accustomed   to  spread   like  a  sea 


and  he  brought  it  to  ruin. 

14  Howl,  ye  ships  of  Tar- 
shish :  for  your  strength  is  laid 
waste. 

15  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 

through  the  whole  plain."  IT  For  them 
that  dwell  in  the  wilderness  Heb. 
C'^b  for  the  tziim.  This  word,  from 
"'St  or  !"P3t  (a  waste  or  desert), denotes 
properly  the  inhabitants  of  the  desert  or 
waste  places,  and  is  applied  (1)  to  men, 
Ps.  lxxii.  !).  lxxiv.  14  ;  and  (2)  to  ani- 
mals, Isa.  xiii.  21,  (Notes)  xxxiv.  14. 
Here  it  denotes,  I  suppose,  those  who 
had  been  formerly  inhabitants  of  the 
deserts  around  Babylon — the  wander- 
ing, rude,  uncultivated,  and  predatory 
people,  such  as  the  Chaldeans  were 
(Job  i.  17)  ;  and  means  that  the  As- 
syrian who  founded  Babylon  collected 
this  rude  and  predatory  people,  and 
made  use  of  them  in  building  the  city. 
The  same  account  Arrian  gives  re- 
specting Philip  of  Macedon,  the  father 
of  Alexander  the  Great,  who  says,  that 
"Philip  found  them  wandering,  and 
unsettled  (TrXairfJras  koX  altdpovs)  feeding 
small  flocks  of  sheep  upon  the  moun- 
tains, that  he  gave  them  coats  of  mail 
instead  of  their  shepherd's  dress,  and 
led  them  from  the  mountain  to  the 
plain,  and  gave  them  cities  to  dwell  in, 
and  established  them  with  good  and 
wholesome  laws."  Hist.  Alex.  Lib.  vii. 
T  They  set  up  the  towers  thereof.  That 
is,  the  towers  in  Babylon,  not  in  Tyre. 
See  Notes  on  ch.  xiii.  Herodotus  ex- 
pressly says  that  the  Assyrians  built  the 
towers  aud  temples  of  Babylon.  B.  i. 
§  84.  IT  And  he  brought  it  to  ruin. 
That  is,  the  Babylonian  or  Chaldean 
brought  Tyre  to  ruin  ;  to  wit,  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, the  king  of  a  people  formerly 
unknown  and  rude,  would  be  employed 
to  destroy  the  anc:ent  and  magnificent 
city  of  Tyre. 

14.  Howl,  &c  Ver.  1.  f  For  your 
strength.  That  which  has  oeen  your 
support  and  strength ;  to  wit,  Tyre. 
Comp.  Ezek.  xxvi.  15-18. 

15.  Tyre  shall  be  forgotten.  Shall 
cease    to   be    a    place    of   importance 


408 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.TIi. 


in  that  day  that  Tyre  shall  be 
forgotten  seventy  years,  accord- 
ing to  the  days  of  one  king  :  af- 
ter the  end  of  seventy  years7 
shall  Tyre  sing  as  an  harlot. 

t  it  shall  be  unto  Tyre  as  the  song  of. 

in  commerce  ;  shall  be  unheard  of  in 
those  distant  places  to  which  sli ips 
formerly  sailed.  T  Seventy  yean ;  ar- 
eording  tn  the  days  of  one  king  "  That 
is,  of  one  kingdom.  See  Dan.  vii.  17, 
viii.  20."  Loath.  The  word  king  may 
denote  dynasty,  or  kingdom.  The 
duration  of  the  Babylonian  monarchy 
was  properly  but  seventy  years  Nebu- 
chadnezzar began  his  conquest  in  the 
first  year  of  his  reign,  and  from  thence 
to  the  taking  of  Babylon  by  Cyrus  was 
seventy  years  And  at  that  time  the 
nations  that  had  been  conquered  and 
subdued  by  the  Babylonians  would  be 
restored  to  liberty.  Tyre  was  indeed 
taken  towards  the  middle  of  that  pe- 
riod, and  its  subjugation  referred  to 
here  was  only  for  the  remaining  part 
of  it.  "  All  these  nations,"  says  Jere- 
miah (xxv.  II),  "shall  serve  the  king 
of  Babylon  seventy  years  "  Some  of 
them  were  conquered  sooner  and  some 
later  ;  but  the  end  of  this  period  was 
the  common  time  of  deliverance  to 
them  all.  So  Lowth,  Newton,  Vitrin- 
ga,  Aben  Ezra,  Rosenmilller,and  others 
understand  this  — That '  the  days  of  one 
king'  may  denote  here  kingdom,  or 
dynasty,  and  be  applied  to  the  duration 
of  the  kingdom  of  Babylon,  is  apparent 
from  two  considerations,  viz  (1.1  The 
word  "  king"  must  be  so  understood  in 
several  places  in  the  Scriptures.  Dan. 
vii.  17:  "These  great  beasts  which 
are  four,  are  four  great  kings  which 
shall  arse  out  of  the  earth,"  that  is, 
dynasties,  or  succession  of  kings.  Dan. 
viii.  20.  So  Rev.  xvii.  12.  (2  )  The 
expression  is  peculiarly  applicable  to 
the  Babylonian  monarchy,  because  dur- 
ing the  entire  seventy  years  which  that 
kingdom  lasted,  it  was  under  the  do- 
minion of  one  family  or  dynasty.  Ne- 
buchadnezzar founded  the  Babylonian 
empire,  or  raised  it  to  so  geeat  splen- 
dour that  he  was  regarded  as  its  found- 


16  Take  an  harp,  go  about 
the  city,  thou  harlot  that  hast 
been  forgotten  :  make  sweet  me- 
lody, sing  many  songs,  that  thou 
may  est  be  remembered. 


er,  and  was  succeeded  iu  the  kingdom 
by  his  son  Evil-.Merodach,  and  his 
grandson  Belshazzar,  in  whose  reign 
the  kingdom  terminated.  Comp.  Jer. 
x.wii.  7  :  "  And  all  nations  shall  serve 
him,  and  his  son,  and  his  son's  son." 
The  period  of  seventy  years  is  several 
times  mentioned  as  a  period  during 
which  the  nations  that  were  subject  to 
Babylon  would  be  oppressed,  and  after 
that  they  should  be  set  at  liberty.  See 
Jer  xxv.  11,  12,  xxix.  10,  comp.  Jer. 
xlvi.  26  IT  Shall  Tyre  sing  as  an  har- 
lot. Margin  as  the  Hebrew,  "  It  shall 
be  unto  Tyre  as  the  song  of  an  harlot." 
That  is,  Tyre  shall  be  restored  to  its 
former  state  of  prosperity  and  opulence  ; 
it  shall  be  adorned  with  the  rich  produc- 
tions of  other  climes,  and  shall  be  gay 
and  joyful  again.  There  are  two  idea9 
here  ;  one  that  Tyre  would  be  again 
prosperous,  and  the  other  that  she 
would  sustain  substantially  the  same 
character  as  before  It  was  common  to 
compare  cities  with  females — whether 
virtuous  or  otherwise.  See  Note  ch.  i. 
8.  The  same  figure  which  is  here 
used  occurs  in  Rev.  xvii.  3-19.  Comp. 
Nah.  iii.  4.  Isa.  xlvii.  1.  Rev.  xviii 
3,9. 

16  Take  an  harp.  This  is  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  figure  commenced  in 
the  previous  verse,  a  direct  command 
to  Tyre  as  an  harlot,  to  go  about  the 
city  with  the  usual  expressions  of 
rejoicing.  Thus  Donatus  in  Terent. 
Eunuch,  iii.  2,  4,  says: 

"  Fidicinam  esse  meretricuro  est;" 

And  thus  Horace : 

Nee  merrtrix  til>icina,  cujus 

Ad  atrepitum  salius."  1  Epis.  xiv.  85. 

IT  Thou  harlot  that  hast  been  forgotten. 
For  seventy  years  thou  hast  lain  un- 
known, desolate,  ruined  IT  Make  sweet 
melody,  &,c  Still  the  prophet  keeps 
up  the  idea  of  the  harlot  that  had  bee* 


B.C.llZ.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


40t 


17  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
after  the  end  of  seventy  years, 
that  the  Lord  will  visit  Tyre, 
and  she  shall  turn  to  her  hire, 
and  "shall  commit  fornication 
with  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 
world  upon  the  face  of  the  earth. 

a  Rev.  17.  2. 

forgotten,  and  that  would  now  call  her 
lovers  again  to  her  dwelling.  The 
sense  is,  that  Tyre  would  rise  to  her 
former  splendour,  and  that  the  nations 
would  be  attracted  by  the  proofs  of 
returning  prosperity  to  renew  their 
commercial  intercourse  with  her. 

17.  The  Lord  will  visit  Tyre.  He 
will  restore  her  to  her  former  wealth 
and  magnificence.  If  And  she  shall 
turn  to  her  hire.  The  word  hire  here 
denotes  the  wages,  or  reward  that  is 
given  to  an  harlot ;  and  the  idea  which 
was  commenced  in  the  previous  verses 
is  here  continued — of  Tyre  as  an  harlot 
— gay,  splendid,  licentious,  and  holding 
intercourse  with  strangers  and  foreign- 
ers. The  gains  of  that  commerce  with 
other  nations  are  here  represented  as 
her  hire.  H  And  shall  commit  forni- 
cation, &c  Shall  again  be  the  mart 
of  commerce  (ver.  3)  ;  shall  have  inter- 
course with  all  the  nations,  and  derive 
her  support,  splendour,  luxury,  from 
all.  The  idea  is,  that  she  would  be 
restored  to  her  former  commercial  im- 
portance, and  perhaps  also,  the  prophet 
intends  to  intimate  that  she  would  pro- 
cure those  gains  by  dishonest  acts,  and 
by  fraudulent  pretexts.  After  the  de- 
struction of  Tyre  by  Nebuchadnezzar, 
it  remained  desolate  until  the  close  of 
the  Babylonian  monarchy.  Then  a 
new  city  was  built  on  the  island  that 
soon  rivalled  the  former  in  magnificence. 
That  new  city  was  besieged  and  taken 
by  Alexander  the  Great  on  his  way  to 
the  conquests  of  the  East. 

18.  And  her  merchandise.  The  pro- 
phecy here  does  not  mean  that  this 
would  take  place  immediately  after  her 
rebuilding,  but  that  subsequent  to  the 
seventy  years  of  desolation  this  would 
occur.     U  Shall  be  holiness  to  the  Lord. 


18  And  her  merchandise  and 
her  hire  shall  be  holiness**  to  the 
Lord  :  it  shall  not  be  treasured 
nor  laid  up  ;  for  her  merchan- 
dise shall  be  for  them  that  dwell 
before  the  Lord,  to  eat  sufficient- 
ly, and  for1  durable  clothing. 

d  Zee.  H.  20,  21.  1  old. 

This  undoubtedly  means,  that  at  some 
future  period  after  the  rebuilding  of 
Tyre,  the  true  religion  would  prevail 
there,  and  her  wealth  would  be  devoted 
to  his  service  That  the  true  religion 
prevailed  at  Tyre  subsequently  to  its 
restoration  and  rebuilding  there  can  be 
no  doubt.  The  Christian  religion  was 
early  established  at  Tyre.  It  was  vis- 
ited by  the  Saviour,  Matth.  xv.  21,  and 
by  Paul.  Paul  found  several  disciples 
of  Christ  there  when  on  his  way  to 
Jerusalem.  Acts  xxi.  3-6.  It  suffered 
much,  says  Lowth,  under  the  Diocletian 
persecution.  Eusebius  (Hist.  Lib.  x. 
cap.  iv.)  says  that  "  when  the  church 
of  God  was  founded  in  Tyre,  and  in 
other  places,  much  of  its  wealth  was 
consecrated  to  God,  and  was  brought 
as  an  offering  to  the  church,  and  was 
presented  for  the  support  of  the  minis- 
try agreeable  to  the  commandments  ot 
the  Lord  "  Jerome  says,  "  We  have 
seen  churches  built  to  the  Lord  in 
Tyre  ;  we  have  beheld  the  wealth  of 
all,  which  was  not  treasured  up  nor 
hid,  but  which  was  given  to  those  who 
dwelt  before  the  Lord."  It  early  be- 
came a  Christian  bishopric  ;  and  in  the 
fourth  century  of  the  Christian  era, 
Jerome  speaks  of  Tyre  as  the  most 
noble  and  beautiful  city  of  Phenicia, 
and  as  still  trading  with  all  the  world. 
Comm.  in  Ezek.  xxvi.  7,  xxvii.  2. 
Reland  enumerates  the  following  list 
of  bishops  as  having  been  present  from 
Tyre  at  various  councils  ;  viz.  Cassius, 
Paulinus,  Zeno,  Vitalis,  Uranius,  Zeno, 
Photius,  and  Eusebius.  See  Reland's 
Palest  pp.  1002-1011,  in  Ugolin,  Tom. 
vi.  Tyre  continued  Christian  until  it 
was  taken  by  the  Saracens  in  639  ; 
but  was  recovered  again  by  Christians 
in  1124.     Iu   1280  it  was  conquered 


410  ISAIAH.  [B.C.  713 

by  the  Mamelukes,  and  was  taken  by  |  priests  dwell  at  Jerusalem.    The  mean> 

the  Turks  in   1516.     It  is  now  under  ing  is,  that  the  wealth  of  Tyre  wouli 

the   dominion  of  the  Sultan  as  a  pact  be  consecrated  to  the  service  and  sup- 

of  Syria.      H  It  shall  not  be  treasured,  port  of  religion,      t  For  durable  cloth- 

&.c.     It  shall  be   regarded    as   conse-  j  ing.     Wealth  formerly  consisted  much 

crated  to  the  Lord,  and  freely  expended  in   changes  of  raiment ;  and   the  idea 

in  his  service.     IT  For  them  that  dwell  here  is,  that  the  wealth  of  Tyre  would 

before  the  Lord.     For  the  ministers  of  be   devoted    to  God,  and  that  it  would 

religion.     The  language  is  taken  from  |  be  furnished  for  the   support  of  those 

the    custom    of    the    Jews,    when    the  i  who  ministered  at  the  altar. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  previous  chapters,  from  tho  xiiith  to  the  xxiiid  inclusive,  hava  been  occupied  mainlv  in  de- 
scribing the  destruction  of  nations  that  were  hostile  to  the  Jews,  or  great  and  distressing  calamities 
that  would  come  upon  them.  The  prophet  had  thus  successively  depict,  d  the  calamities  that  would 
come  upon  Babylon,  Damascus,  Moub,  Nubia,  Egypt,  Dumali,  and  Tyre  In  eh.  x\n.  he  had,  how- 
ever, described  the  calamities  which  would  come  upon  Jiulea  and  Jerusalem  by  the  invasion  of  Sen- 
nacherib 

In  this  chapter,  the  prophet  returns  to  the  calamities  which  would  come  upon  the  people  of  God 
themselves.  This  chapter,  and  the  three  following  to  the  end  of  I  he  I  wn'h  .seem  to  have  been 
uttered  about  the  same  time,  and  perhaps  may  be  regarded  as  constituting  one  vision,  or  prophecy. 
So  Noyea  Lowth  and  Rosenm  iller,  regard  it  H  these  chapters  be  included  in  the  prophecy,  then 
it  cousins  1 1)  of  a  description  of  calamities  in  eh.  x.xiv. ;  (Sj  oi  a  song  of  praise  expressive  of  deliver 
ance  from  those  calamities  any  of  the  consequent  spread  of  the  true  religion,  in  ch.  xxv.  j  (3)  of  a 
font'  of  praise  suitable  to  celebrate  the  triumphs  of  the  true  religion  in  ch.  xxvi.:  and  (4)  of  the 
effect,  of  this  deliverance  in  purifying  the  Jews  irrch.  xxvii. 

When  the  prophecy  was  uttered  is  wholly  unknown.  In  regard  to  the  events  to  which  it  relates, 
there  lias  been  a  great  diversity  ot  opinion,  and  scarcely  are  any  two  interpreters  agreed,  Groiius 
regards  it  as  relating  to  the  carrying  away  oi  the  ten  tribes  by  Shalroaneser.  Hensler  supposes  that  it 
refers  to  the  invasion  of  .Sennacherib.  Vitringa  supposes  that  it  relates  to  the  .imes  of  the  Macca- 
bees, and  to  Hie  trials  and  calamities  which  came  upon  the  Jews  under  the  persecutions  of  Antio- 
chus  Bpiphanes.    Noyea  regards  it  as  di  scriptive  of  the  destruction  of  the  land  by  Nebuchadnezzar, 

uud  of  the  return  of  the  Jews  from  exile.  I'alvin  considers  the  account  in  t'e-e  four  chapters  as  a 
summing  up.  or  r<  capitulation  of  what  the  prophet  had  said  in  the  previous  prophecies  respecting 
Babylon,  Moab,  Egypt,  &c.  ;  and  then  of  the  prosperity,  and  of  the  spread  of  the  true  religion  which 
would  succeed  these  general  and  far  spread  devastations.  .Subsequently  to  each  of  these  predictions 
respecting  calamity,  the  prophet  had  foretold  prosperity  and  the  advance  of  truth  i  and  he  supposes 
that  this  is  a  mere  condensing,  or  summing  up  of  what  he  had  said  more  at  length  iii  the  preceding 
chapters.  Lowth  supposes  that  it  may  have  reference  to  alt  the  great  desolations  of  the  country  by 
Bhalmaneser,  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  by  the  Romans,  especially  to  that  of  the  Romans,  to  which 
some  parts  of  it.  he  says,  seem  to  be  peculiarly  applicable.  II  is  certain  that  the  prophet  employs 
general  terms  ;  and  as  he  gives  no  certain  indications  of  the  time,  or  the  circumstance-  under  « Inch 
it  was  delivered,  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  determine  either.  Tin  general  drift  of  the  prophec]  i-, 
however,  plain.  It  is  a  prediction  of  prosperity,  and  of  the  prevalence  ol  true  religion  after  a  series 
of  oppressive  judgments  should  have  come  upon  the  land  It  is  designed,  ther.  lore,  to  lie  consola- 
tory to  the  Jews  under  impending  calamities,  and  to  convey  the  assurance  that  though  they  would 
be  oppressed,  yet  their  sufferings  would  be  succeeded  by  occasions  of  gratitude  and  joy.  In  tins 
respect,  it  accords  with  the  general  strain  of  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah,  that  the  people  of  God  would 
be  protected;  that  their  name  and  nation  should  not  be  wholly  obliterated  ,  and  that  the  durkest 
seasons  of  trial  would  be  succeeded  by  deliverance  and  joy. 

On  the  whole,  it  seems  to  me,  that  the  prophecy  relates  to  the  calamities  that  would  come  upon 
the  nation  by  the  invasion  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  the  carrying  away  to  Babylon,  and  the  subsequent 
deliverance  from  that  oppressive  bondage,  and  the  joy  consequent  on  that— According  to  llus  inter- 
pretation, the  xxivth  chapter  is  occupied  mainly  with  the  description  of  the  calamities  that  would 
come  upon  the  land  by  the  invasion  of  Nchurhudnez.ur ;  the  xxvth  describes  the  deliverance  from 
that  oppressive  bondage  and  the  re-establishment  of  the  true  religion  on  Mount  Zion.  with  a  rapid 
glance  at  the  ultimate  prevalence  of  religion  under  the  Messiah  suggested  by  the  deliverance  from 
the  Babylonish  bondage ;  the  xxvith  chapter  is  a  song  expressive  of  joy  at  this  signal  deliverance— 
in  language,  in  the  main,  so  general  that  it  is  as  applicable  to  rue  redemption  under  the  Messiah  aa 
to  the  deliverance  from  Babylon  ;  and  the  xxviith  chapter  is  descriptive  of  the  effect  of  this  capuvitj 
and  subsequent  deliverance  in  purifying  Jucob  (ch.  XAvii.  6— 9),  and  recovering  the  nation  to  right 
•oneness. 

The  xxivth  chapter  is  composed  of  threo  parts.  The  first  <ver.  1—12),  contains  a  description  oi 
the  calamities  that  would  come  upon  the  whole  land,  amounting  to  far-spread  and  wide  desolution— 
with  a  graphic  description  of  the  etl'ucU  ui  |i  on  the  inhabitants  tver.  8),  on  the  laud  (vs.  3— «),  on  the 


B.C.  7  13.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV, 


411 


wine,  the  amusements,  the  song,  *c.  'vs.  7—12).  causing  all  gayety  ,.nd  prosperity  to  tome  to  ap 
end.  Secondly  (vs.  13—  7),  a  statement  by  the  prophet  that  a  few  would  be  left  in  the  land  amidst 
the  general  desolation,  and  that  they  would  he  lilled  with  joy  that  they  hail  escaped  from  their 
retreats  and  refuges,  their  fasti. esses  anil  places  of  security,  they  would  lift  up  the  sons  of  praise 
that  they  had  heen  preserved.  Third  (vs.  18— '-'3),  a  further  description  of  augmented  judgment  that 
would  come  upon  the  land— a  more  severe  and  lengthened  calamity  stretehingovcrthc  eouniry.  agitat- 
ing it  like  an  earthquake  Yet  there  is  even  here  (vs.  22, 23).  an  indication  that  there  would  he  deliver- 
ance, and  that  the  Lord  of  hosts  would  reign  on  Mount  Zion— a  description  which  is  extended 
through  the  next  chapter,  and  which  constitutes  he  scope  and  substance  of  that  chapter.  In  the 
division  of  the  prophecy  into  chapters,  that  chapter  should  have  been  connected  with  this  as  a  part 
of  the  same  prophecy,  and  a  continuance  of  the  same  subject.  Indeed,  but  for  the  length  of  the 
prophecy  these  four  chapters  should  have  been  thrown  into  one,  or  if  the  prophecy  had  been  broken  up 
into  Chapters,  important  aids  would  have  been  rendered  to  a  correct  understanding  of  it  had  there  been 
some  indication  in  the  margin  that  they  constituted  one  prophecy  or  vision. 


1  Behold,  the  Lord  maketh 
the.  earth  empty  ;  and  maketh  it 
waste,  and  turneth3  it  upside 
down,  and  scattereth  abroad  the 
inhabitants  thereof. 

2  And  it  shal'l  be,  as  with  the 
people,  so  with"  the  4priest ;  as 
'with  the  servant,  so  with  his 
master ;  as  with  the  maid,  so 
with   her    mistress ;   as  with  the 

3  perverteth  the  face  thereof.       a  Hos.  4.  9. 

1.  Maketh  the  earth  empty  That 
is,  will  depopulate  it,  or  take  away  its 
inhabitants,  and  its  wealth.  The  word 
earth  here,  "f'"!^  ,  is  used  evidently  not 
to  denote  the  whole  world,  but  the  land 
to  which  the  prophet  particularly  refers 
— the  land  of  Judah.  It  should  have 
been  translated  the  land.  See  Joel  i. 
2.  It  is  possible,  however,  that  the 
word  here  may  be  intended  to  include 
so  much  of  the  nations  that  surrounded 
Palestine  as  were  allied  with  it,  or  as 
were  connected  with  it  in  the  desola- 
tions under  Nebuchadnezzar.  IT  And 
turneth  it  upside  down.  Marg.  "  Per- 
verteth the  face  thereof."  That  is, 
every  thing  is  thrown  into  confusion  ; 
the  civil  and  religious  institutions  are 
disorganized,  and  derangement  every 
Where  prevails.  IT  And  scattereth 
abroad,  &.c.  This  was  done  in  the 
invasion  by  the  Chaldeans  by  the  car- 
rying away  of  the  inhabitants  into  their 
long  and  painful  captivity. 

2.  As  with  the  people,  so  with  the 
priest.  This  does  not  mean  in  moral 
character,  but  in  destiny.  It  does  not 
mean  that  the  character  of  the  priest 
would  have  any  iniluence  on  that  of 
the   people,  r>r   that   because    the    one 


buyer,  so  with  the  seller ;  as 
with  the  lender,  so  with  the  bor- 
rower ;  as  with  the  taker  of  usu- 
ry, so  with  the  giver  of  usury  to 
him. 

3  The  land  shall  be  utterly 
emptied,  and  utterly  spoiled  :  for 
the  Lord  hath  spoken  this  word. 

4  The  earth  mourneth,  and 
fadeth     away :     the    world    lan- 

4  or,  prince.     Gen   41.  45.         b  Ep.  6.  8,  9. 

was  corrupt  the  other  would  be  ;  but 
it  means  that  all  would  be  involved  in 
the  same  calamity,  and  there  would  be 
no  favoured  class  that  would  escape. 
The  prophet,  therefore,  enumerates  the 
various  ranks  of  the  people,  and  shows 
that  all  classes  would  be  involved  in 
the  impending  calamity.  IT  .4s  with 
the  taker  of  usury.  He  who  loans  hia 
money  at  interest.  It  was  contrary  to 
the  Mosaic  law  for  one  Israelite  to 
take  interest  of  another  (Lev.  xxv.  36, 
Deut.  xxiii.  19,  Neh.  v.  7,  10)  ;  but  it 
is  not  probable  that  this  law  was  very 
carefully  observed,  and  especially  in 
the  corrupt  times  that  preceded  r!ie 
Babylonian  captivity. 

3.  The  land.  Heb.  the  earth,  as  in 
ver.  1.  It  is  here  rendered  correctly 
"  the  land,"  as  it  should  have  been 
there — meaning  the  land  of  Canaan. 
IT  And  spoiled.  Its  valuable  posses- 
sions shall  become  the  prey  of  the 
invading  foe.  This  is  an  emphatic 
repetition  of  the  declaration  in  ver.  1 
to  show  the  absolute  certainty  of  that 
which  was  threatened. 

4.  The  earth  mourneth.  The  word 
"earth"  here,  as  in  ver.  1,  means  the 
land  of  Judea,  or  that  and  so  much  of 


412 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.713. 


guishetli  and  fadeth  away ;  the 
haughty8  people  of  the  earth  do 
languish. 

5  The  earth  also  is  defiled  un- 
der the  inhabitants  thereof,  be- 
cause* they  have  transgressed 
the  laws,  changed  the  ordinance, 

6  height  of  the.        t  Gen.  3.  17.     Num.  35.  33. 

the  adjacent  countries  as  would  be 
subject  to  the  desolation  described. 
The  figure  here  is  taken  from  flow- 
ers when  they  lose  their  beauty  and 
languish  ;  or  when  the  plant  that  lacks 
moisture,  or  is  cut  down,  loses  its 
vigour  and  its  vitality,  and  soon  with- 
ers. Comp.  Note  ch.  i.  30,  ch.  xxxiv. 
4.  Ps.  i.  3  II  The  world.  ^3JH — lit- 
erally, the  inhabitable  world,  but  used 
here  as  synonymous  with  the  "  land" 
and  denoting  the  kingdoms  of  Judea 
and  Israel.  Comp.  Note  ch.  xiii.  11. 
U  T/ir  haughty  people.  Margin,  as  in 
the  Hebrew,  "  height  of  the  people." 
It  denotes  the  great,  the  nobles,  the 
princes  of  the  land.  The  phrase  is 
expressive  of  rank,  not  of  their  moral 
character. 

5.  The  earth  also  is  defiled  under 
the  inhabitants  thereof.  The  state- 
ments in  this  verse  are  given  as  a 
reason  why  the  curse  had  been  pro- 
nounced against  them,  and  why  these 
calamities  had  come  upon  them,  ver.  6. 
The  first  reason  is,  that  the  very  earth 
had  become  polluted  by  their  crimes. 
This  phrase  may  denote  that  injustice 
and  cruelty  prevailed  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  very  earth  was  stained  with 
gore,  and  covered  with  blood  under 
the  guilty  population.  So  the  phrase 
is  used  in  Num.  xxxiii.  33,  Ps.  cvi.  38. 
— Or  it  may  mean  in  general,  that  the 
wickedness  of  the  people  was  great  and 
was  accumulating,  and  the  very  earth 
under  them  was  polluted  by  sustaining 
such  a  population.  But  the  former  is 
probably  the  correct  interpretation 
\  Changed  the  ordinance.  Or  the 
ttatute,  pn  .  This  word,  from  Pp^ 
to  engrave,  and  then  to  make  or  insti- 
tute a  law  or  an  ordinance,  is  usually 
applied  to  the  positive  statutes  appoint- 


broken  the  everlasting  covenant. 
6  Therefore  /hath  the  curse 
devoured  the  earth,  and  they 
that  dwell  therein  are  desolate  : 
therefore  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  are  burned/'  and  few  men 
left. 


/  Mai.  4.  6. 


h  1  Pet.  3.  10. 


ed  by  Moses.  The  word  statute  accu- 
rately expresses  the  idea.  These  they 
had  changed  by  introducing  new  stat- 
utes, and  had  in  fact,  if  not  in  form, 
repealed  the  laws  of  Moses,  and  intro- 
duced others.  U  Broken  the  eccrlMst- 
ing  covenant.  The  word  covenant  here 
is  evidently  used,  as  it  is  often,  in  the 
sense  of  law.  By  the  term  '  everlasting 
covenant,'  Vitringa  correctly  supposes 
is  denoted  the  laws  of  nature,  the 
immutable  laws  of  justice  and  right, 
which  are  engraven  on  the  conscience, 
and  which  are  inflexible  and  perpetual. 
(>.  Therefore  hath  the  curse  de- 
voured. Eaten  it  up  ;  a  figurative 
expression  that  is  common  in  the 
Scriptures,  denoting  that  the  desolation 
is  wide-spread  and  ruinous.  f  Are 
burned.  !pn  •  Instead  of  this  reading, 
Lowth  proposes  to  read  I2"iri ;  are 
destroyed.  The  LXX  read  it,  "  there- 
fore the  inhabitants  of  the  land  shall 
be  poor."  The  Syriac,  "  the  inhabit- 
ants ot  the  land  shall  be  slain."  But 
there  is  no  authority  from  the  MSS.  to 
change  the  text  as  proposed  by  Lowth. 
Nor  is  it  necessary.  The  prophet  does 
not  mean  that  the  inhabitants  of  th« 
land  were  consumed  by  fire.  The 
expression  is  evidently  figurative.  He 
is  speaking  of  the  effect  of  wrath  or 
the  curse,  and  that  effect  is  often  de- 
scribed in  the  Scriptures  as  burning, 
or  consuming  as  a  fire  does.  The 
sense  is,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the 
land  are  brought  under  the  wither- 
ing, burning,  consuming  effect,  of  that 
wrath  ;  and  the  same  effects  are  pro- 
duced by  it  as  are  seen  when  a  fire 
runs  over  a  field  or  a  forest.  Hence 
the  word  here  used,  ,"17'^  to  bum,  to  bt 
kindled,  is  often  used  in  connection 
with  wrath,  to  denote  burning  or  raging 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


413 


7  The  *new  wine  mourneth, 
the  vine  languisheth,  a  1  the  mer- 
ry-hearted do  sigh. 

8  The  mirth  of  fctabrets  ceas- 
eth,  the  noise  of  them  that  re- 
joice endeth,  the  joy  of  the  harp 
ceaseth. 

i  c.  16.  8,  9.     Joel  1.  10,  12. 


anger.  Ex.  xxii.  23 :  "  His  anger 
burns."  Gen.  xxx.  2  :  "  And  the  anger 
of  Jacob  was  kindled  against  Rachel." 
xliv.  18.  Job  xxvii.  2,  3,  xlii.  7.  Gen. 
xxxi  6:  "His  anger  was  kindled" 
Ps  xxxvii.  1,  7,  8.  Prov.  xxiv.  19. 
Comp.  Job  xxx.  30 : 

My  skin  is  Mark  upon  me, 

And  my  nones  are  nurnt  witli  lieu t. 

The  sense  is,  that  the  inhabitants  of 
the  land  were  wasted  away  under  the 
wrath  of  God  so  that  few  were  left — 
as  the  trees  of  the  forest  are  destroyed 
before  a  raging  tire.  H  And  few  men 
are  left.  This  was  literally  true  after 
the  invasion  of  the  land  by  the  Chal- 
deans   2  Kings  xxiv.  14—16 

7.  The  new  icine  languisheth.  The 
new  wine,  ^"H^PI  tirosh,  denotes  pro- 
perly must,  or  wine  that  was  newly 
expressed  from  the  grape,  and  that 
was  not  fermented,  usually  translated 
new  wine,  or  sweet  wine.  The  ex- 
pression here  is  poetic.  The  wine 
languishes  or  mourns  because  there  are 
none  to  drink  it  ;  it  is  represented  as 
grieved  because  it  does  not  perform  its 
usual  office  of  exhilarating  the  heart, 
and  the  figure  is  thus  an  image  of  the 
desolation  of  the  land.  IT  The  vine 
languisheth.  It  is  sickly  and  unfruit- 
ful, because  there  are  none  to  cultivate 
it  as  formerly.  The  idea  is,  that  all 
nature  sympathizes  in  the  general  cala- 
mity, tf  All  the  merry-hearted.  Pro- 
bably the  reference  is  mainly  to  those 
who  were  once  made  happy  at  the 
plenteous  feast,  and  at  the  splendid 
entertainments  where  wine  abounded. 
They  look  now  upon  the  wide-spread 
desolation  of  the  land,  and  mourn. 

8.   The  mirth  of  tabrets.     The  joy 
ttiid  exultation   which  is  produced  by 


9  They  shall  not  drink  wine 
with  a  song;  strong  drink  shall 
be  bitter  to  them  that  drink  it. 

10  The  city  of  confusion  is 
broken  down :  every  house  is 
shut  up,  that  no  man  may  come 
in. 

k  Jer.  7.  34.    Hos.  2.  11.    Rev.  18.  28. 

tabrets.  On  the  words  tabret,  E|Ptj 
and  harp,  1133 ,  see  Notes  on  ch.  v. 
12. 

9.  Drink  wine  with  a  song.  That 
is,  accompanied  with  a  song,  as  the 
usual  mode  was  in  their  feasts.  IT  Strong 
drink.  On  the  word  "1?1*? ,  sec  Note 
ch.  v.  1 1 .  If  Shall  be  bitter,  &c.  They 
shall  cease  to  find  pleasure  in  it  in 
consequence  of  the  general  calamities 
that  have  come  upon  the  nation. 

10.  The  city  of  confusion.  That 
Jerusalem  is  here  intended  there  can 
be  no  doubt.  The  name  "  city  of  con- 
fusion," is  probably  given  to  it  by  an- 
ticipation of  what  it  would  be  ;  that  is, 
as  it  appeared  in  prophetic  vision  (see 
Note  ch.  i.  1)  to  Isaiah.  He  gave  to 
it  a  name  that  would  describe  its  state 
when  these  calamities  should  have 
come  upon  it.  The  word  rendered 
confusion,  in  PI  tohic,  does  not  denote 
disorder  or  anarchy,  but  is  a  word  ex- 
pressive of  emptiness,  vanity,  destitu- 
tion of  form,  waste.  It  occurs  Gen.  i. 
2  :  "  And  the  earth  was  without  form." 
In  Job  xxvi.  7,  it  is  rendered  "  the 
empty  place  ;"  in  1  Sam.  xii  21,  Isa. 
xlv.  18,  19,  in  vain  ;  and  usually  emp- 
tiness, vanity,  confusion.  See  Isa. 
xxiv  10,  xl.  17,  xii.  29.  In  Job  xii. 
24,  Ps  cvii.  40,  it  denotes  a  wilder- 
ness. Here  it  means  that  the  city 
would  be  desolate,  empty,  and  depopu- 
lated H  Is  broken  down.  Its  walls 
and  dwellings  are  in  ruins.  IT  Every 
house  is  shut  up.  That  is,  either  be- 
cause every  man,  fearful  of  danger, 
would  fasten  his  doors  so  that  enemies 
could  not  enter  ;  or  more  probably, 
the  entrance  to  every  house  would  be 
so  obstructed  by  ruins  as  to  render  it 
impossible  to  enter  it. 


414 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


11  There  is  a  crying  for  wine 
in  the  streets  ;  all  joy  is  darken- 
ed, the  mirth  of  the  land  is  gone. 

12  In  TOthe  city  is  left  desola- 
tion, and  the  gate7*  is  smitten 
with  destruction. 

13  When  thus  it  shall  be  in 
the  midst  of  the  land  among  the 
people,    there    shall   he   °as    the 

m  Urn.  1.  1.  n  Lam.  2.  9. 

0  c.  6.   13.  17.5,6.    Mic.  2.  12. 

11.  There  is  a  crying  for  iDine  in 
the  streets.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
city,  turned  from  their  dwellings,  would 
cry  for  wine  to  alleviate  their  distress, 
and  to  sustain  them  in  their  calamity. 
Comp.  ch.  xvi.  6-10.  H  All  joy  is 
darkened.  Is  gone,  or  has  departed, 
like  the  joyful  light  at  the  setting  of  the 
eun. 

12.  And  the  gate  is  smitten  with 
destruction.  The  word  rendered  "  de- 
struction" may  denote  "a  crash." 
Gesenius.  The  idea  is,  that  the  gates 
of  the  city,  once  so  secure,  are  now 
battered  down  and  demolished,  so  that 
the  enemy  can  enter  freely.  Thus  far 
is  a  description  of  the  calamities  that 
would  come  upon  the  nation.  The 
following  verses  show  that,  though  the 
desolation  would  be  general,  a  few  of 
the  inhabitants  would  be  left, — a  cir- 
cumstance thrown  in  to  mitigate  the 
prospect  of  the  impending  ruin. 

13.  In  the  midst  of  the  land.  That 
is,  in  the  midst  of  the  land  of  Canaan. 
IT  There  shall  be  as  the  shaking  of  an 
olive-tree.  A  few  shall  be  left,  as  in 
gathering  olives  a  few  will  remain  on 
the  highest  and  outermost  boughs.  See 
Notes  on  ch.  xvii.  5,  6. 

1-t  They  shall  lift  xtp  their  voice. 
They  who  are  left  in  the  land  ;  or  who 
are  not  carried  away  to  Babylon.  To 
lift  up  the  voice  in  the  Scriptures  may 
denote  either  grief  or  joy.  Comp.  Gen. 
xxi.  6.  1  Sam.  xxiv.  16.  Judges  ii.  4. 
Ruth.  i.  9,  &c,  where  to  lift  up  the 
voice  is  connected  with  weeping ;  and 
E/ek.  xxi.  22,  Ps.  xciii.  3,  Isa.  xl.  29, 
xlii.  11,  &c,  where  it  is  connected  with 
exultation  and  joy.     The  latter  is  evi- 


shaking  of  an  olive-tree,  and  as 
the  gleaning-grapes  when  the 
vintage  is  done. 

14  They  <>shall  lift  up  their 
voice,  they  shall  sing  for  the  ma- 
jesty of  the  Lord,  they  shall  cry 
aloud  from  the  sea. 

15  Wherefore*  glorify  ye  the 
Lord  in  the  ^fires,  even  the  name 

q  Zep.  2.  14,  15.       8  1  Pet.  3.  15.       4  or,  valleys. 

dently  the  idea  here,  that  the  few  who 
would  escape  from  captivity  by  fleeing 
to  neighbouring  countries,  would  lift 
up  their  voice  with  exultation  that  they 
had  escaped.  II  Thry  shall  sing  for 
the  majesty  of  the  Lord.  They  shall 
sing  on  account  of  the  glory,  or  good- 
ness of  Jehovah,  who  had  so  mercifully 
kept  and  preserved  them..  IT  They 
shall  cry  aloud  from  the  sea.  From 
the  isles  and  coasts  of  the  Mediterra 
Dean,  whither  they  would  have  escaped; 
and  where  they  would  find  a  refuge 
No  doubt  many  of  the  inhabitants  ad 
jacent  to  the  sea,  when  they  found  the 
land  invaded,  would  betake  themselves 
to  the  neighbouring  islands,  and  find 
safety  there  until  the  danger  should  be 
overpast.     Lowth  renders  this, 

"  The  waters  shall  resound  with  the  exaltation 
of  Jehovah," 

where  he  supposes  E"1^  should  be  ren- 
dered as  if  pointed  E*13  waters,  not  as 
it  is  in  the  present  Hebrew  text,  3*^3 
from  the  sea.  The  sense  is  not  ma- 
terially different  ;  but  there  seems  to 
be  no  good  reason  for  departing  from 
the  usual  interpretation. 

15.  Wherefore  glorify  ye  the  Lord. 
The  prophet,  in  this  verse,  calls  upon 
the  people  to  join  in  the  praise  of  Jeho- 
vah wherever  they  are  scattered.  In 
the  previous  verse  he  describes  the 
scattered  few  who  were  left  in  the 
land,  or  who  had  escaped  to  the  ad- 
jacent islands  in  the  sea,  as  cele- 
brating the  praises  of  God  where  they 
were.  In  this  verse  he  calls  on  all  to 
join  in  this  wherever  they  were  scat- 
tered.    V  In  the  fires.     Margin,  val- 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


4H 


of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  in  the 
isle'  of  the  sea. 

i  Zep.  2.  11. 

leys.  The  LXX  read,  in  the  islands, 
iv  rots  vriooig.  The  Chaldee,  "  There- 
fore, when  light  shall  come  to  the  just, 
they  shall  glorify  the  Lord."  Lowth 
supposes  that  the  word  En"lX2  should 
have  been  ^"XS  )  j„  f],e  islands,  or 
coasts.  But  the  MSS.  do  not  give 
authority  for  this  reading  ;  the  only 
authority  which  Lowth  refers  to  being 
that  of  the  LXX.  Other  conjectures 
have  been  made  by  others,  but  all  with- 
out any  authority  from  MSS.  The 
Hebrew  word  in  the  plural  form  does 
not  occur  elsewhere  in  the  Scriptures. 
The  proper  signification  of  the  word 
lifit  or  is  light,  and  it  is  applied  (a)  to 
daylight,  or  daybreak,  1  Sam.  xiv.  36, 
Neh.  viii.  3 ;  (6)  to  light  from  day- 
break to  mid-day,  Job  xxiv.  14  ;  (c) 
the  sun,  Job  xxxi.  26,  xxxvii  21 ;  (d) 
light  as  the  emblem  of  happiness  ;  (e) 
light  as  the  emblem  of  knowledge.  It 
is  also  used  to  denote  fire,  Ezek.  v.  2, 
Isa.  xliv.  16,  xlvii.  14.  In  the  plural 
form  it  is  applied,  in  connection  with 
the  word  Thummim  to  the  gems,  or 
images  which  were  on  the  breastplate 
of  the  High  Priest,  and  from  which  re- 
sponses were  obtained.  Ex.  xxviii.  30: 
"  And  thou  shalt  put  in  the  breastplate 
of  judgment  the  Urim  (D'Haxn)  and 
the  Thummim  "  Comp.  Lev.  viii.  8. 
Ezra  ii.  63.  Probably  it  was  thus  used 
to  denote  the  splendour  or  beauty  of 
the  gems  there  set,  or  perhaps  the  light 
jr  instruction  which  was  the  result  of 
consulting  the  oracle.  The  proper 
meaning  of  the  word  is,  however,  light, 
and  it  usually  and  naturally  suggests 
the  idea  of  the  morning  light,  the 
aurora ;  perhaps  also  the  northern 
light,  or  the  Aurora  Borealis.  It  in  no 
instance  means  caves,  or  valleys.  Vi- 
♦.ringa  supposed  it  referred  to  caves,  and 
that  the  address  was  to  the  Troglodytes, 
or  those  who  had  been  driven  from 
their  homes,  and  compelled  to  take  up 
their  residence  in  caves.  The  word 
probably  refers  either  to  the  regions  of 


16  From  the  8uttermost  part 
of  the  earth  have  we  heard  songs, 

5  wing. 

the  morning  light,  the  rising  of  the 
sun  ;  or  of  the  northern  light,  the 
Aurora  Borealis — and  in  either  case, 
the  reference  is  doubtless  to  those  who 
would  be  carried  away  to  Babylon,  and 
who  were  called  on  there  by  the  pro- 
phet to  glorify  God.  '  In  those  regions 
of  light,  where  the  morning  dawns ; 
or  where  the  northern  skies  are  illumi- 
nated at  night,  there  glorify  God  '  See 
Note  on  ch.  xiv.  13.  The  reasons  for 
this  opinion  are,  (1.)  That  such  is  the 
natural  and  proper  sense  of  the  word. 
It  properly  refers  to  light,  and  not  to 
caves,  to  valleys,  or  to  islands.  (2.) 
The  parallelism,  the  construction  de- 
mands such  an  interpretation. — It 
would  then  be  equivalent  to  calling  on 
the  scattered  people  to  glorify  God  in 
the  East,  and  in  the  West ;  in  the  re- 
gions of  the  rising  sun  and  in  the  coasts 
of  the  sea ;  or  wherever  they  were 
scattered.  And  the  sense  is,  (1)  that 
they  should  be  encouraged  to  do  this  by 
the  prospect  of  a  return  ;  (2)  that  it 
was  thpir  duty  still  to  do  this  wher- 
ever they  were  ;  and  (3)  that  the  wor- 
ship of  the  true  God  would  be  in  fact 
continued  and  celebrated,  though  his 
people  were  scattered,  and  driven  to 
distant  lands.  IT  In  the  isle  of  the 
sea.  The  coasts  and  islands  of  the 
Mediterranean,  ver.  14. 

16.  From  the  uttermost  part  of  the 
earth.  The  word  earth  here  seems  to 
be  taken  in  its  usual  sense,  and  to  de- 
note countries  without  the  bounds  of 
Palestine,  and  the  phrase  is  equivalent 
to  remote  regions,  or  distant  countries. 
See  Note  ch.  xi.  12.  The  prophet 
here  represents  himself  as  hearing 
those  songs  from  distant  lands  as  a 
grand  chorus,  the  sound  of  which  came 
in  upon  and  pervaded  Palestine.  Th.5 
worship  of  God  would  be  still  contin- 
ued, though  the  temple  should  be  de- 
stroyed, the  inhabitants  of  the  land 
dispersed,  and  the  land  of  Judea  be  a 
wide-spread  desolation.  Amidst  the 
general  wreck  and    wo,  it  was  som* 


416 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


even  glory  to  the  righteous.  But 
I  said,  *My  leanness,  my  lean- 
ness, woe  unto  me  !  the  treacher- 
ous dealers  have  dealt  treacher- 

6  leanness  to  me,  or,  my  secret  to  me. 

consolation  that  the  worship  of  Jeho- 
vah was  celebrated  any  where.  II  Have 
we  heard  songs.  Or,  we  do  hear  songs. 
The  distant  celebrations  of  the  good- 
ness of  God  break  on  the  ear,  and 
amidst  the  general  calamity  these  songs 
of  the  scattered  people  of  God  comfort 
the  heart.  If  Glory  to  the  righteous. 
This  is  the  burden  and  substance  of 
those  songs.  Their  general  import  and 
design  is,  to  show  that  there  shall  be 
honour  to  the  people  of  God.  They 
are  now  afl.  icted  and  scattered.  Their 
temple  is  destroyed,  their  land  waste, 
and  ruin  spreads  over  the  graves  of 
their  fathers  Yet  amidst  these  deso- 
lations, their  confidence  in  God  is  un- 
shaken ;  their  reliance  on  him  is  firm. 
They  still  believe  that  there  shall  be 
honour  and  glory  to  the  just,  and  that 
God  will  be  their  protector  and  avenger. 
These  assurances  served  to  sustain 
them  in  their  afflictions,  and  to  shed  a 
mild  and  cheering  influence  on  their 
saddened  hearts.  IT  But  I  said.  But 
1,  the  prophet,  am  constrained  to  say. 
This  the  prophet  says  respecting  him- 
self, viewing  himself  as  left  in  the  land 
ofCanaan  ;  or  more  probably  he  personi- 
fies, in  this  declaration,  Jerusalem, and 
the  inhabitants  of  the  land  that  still 
remained  there.  The  songs  that  came 
in  from  distant  lands ;  the  echoing 
praises  from  the  exiles  in  the  east  and 
the  west  seeming  to  meet  and  mingle 
over  Judea,  only  served  to  render  the 
abounding  desolation  more  manifest 
and  distressing.  Those  distant  praises 
recalled  the  solemn  services  of  the 
temple,  and  the  happiness  of  other 
times,  and  led  each  one  of  those  re- 
maining, who  witnessed  the  desolations, 
to  exclaim,  '  my  leanness.'  H  My 
leanness,  my  leanness.  The  language 
of  Jerusalem,  and  the  land  of  Judea. 
This  language  expresses  calamity. 
The  loss  of  flesh  is  emblematic  of 
a    condition   of    poverty,    want,   and 


ously  ;v  yea,  the  treacherous 
dealers  have  dealt  very  treacher 
ously. 

17  Fear,'"   and    the    pit,    and 

»ch.  48.  8.    Jer.  5   11.        w  Jer.  48.  43,  44. 

wretchedness— as  sickness  and  afflic- 
tion waste  away  the  flesh,  and  take 
away  the  strength.     Ps.  cix.  24: 

My  kneea  are  weak  throuph  fasting, 
And  my  flush  fai  etli  of  fatness. 

Ps.  cii.  5  : 

By  reason  of  the  voice  of  my  groanine 
My  bones  cleave  lu  my  flesh. 

See,  also,  Lam.  iii.  4.  Job  vi.  12,  jrix. 
20.  Leanness  is  also  put  to  de.iote 
the  displeasure  of  God  in  Ps.  cvi    15: 

Ami  he  {rave  them  their  request; 
But  sent  leanness  into  their  soul. 

Comp.  Isa.  x.  16.  IT  The  treacherous 
dealers.  The  foreign  nations  that  dis- 
regard covenants  and  laws  ;  that  pur- 
sue their  object  by  deceit,  and  strata- 
gem, and  fraud.  Most  conquests  are 
made  by  what  are  called  the  strata- 
gems of  war ;  that  is,  by  a  course  of 
perfidy  and  deception.  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  usual  mode  of  con- 
quest was  pursued  in  regard  to  Jerusa- 
lem. This  whole  clause  is  exceedingly 
emphatic.  The  word  implying  trearh- 
ery  C*1?^)  is  repeated  no  less  lhanjice 
times  in  various  forms  in  this  single 
clause,  and  shows  how  strongly  the 
idea  had  taken  possession  of  the  mind 
of  the  prophet  The  passage  furnishes 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  examples 
of  the   paronomasia   occurring  in   the 

Bible,    c-nrn    -1221    was    a^ia'a 

*n;i2  — Enghedim  baghadu  ubesehd 
boghedhim  baghadu.  In  fact,  this  figure 
abounds  so  much  in  this  chapter  that 
Gesenius  contends  that  it  is  not  the 
production  of  Isaiah,  but  a  composition 
belonging  to  a  later  and  less  elegant 
period  of  Hebrew  literature. 

17.  Fear,  and  the  pit.  This  verse 
is  an  explanation  of  the  cause  of  the 
wretchedness  referred  to  in  the  pre- 
vious verse.  The  same  expression  is 
found  in  Jer.  xlviii  43,  in  his  account 
of   the   destruction   that    would  co»"e 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


41? 


the  snare,  are  upon  thee,  O  in- 
habitant of  the  earth. 

18  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
that  he  who  fleeth  from  the  noise 
of  the  fear  shall  fall  into  the  pit ; 


upon  Moab,  a  description  which  Jere- 
miah probably  copied  from  Isaiah. — 
There  is  also  here  in  the  original  a 
paronomasia  that  cannot  be  retained 
in  a  translation — nsj  rns}  "ins 
pdhhddh  v&pahhath,  vdpdh/i — where 
the  form  pdfih  occurs  in  each  word. 
The  sense  is,  that  they  were  nowhere 
safe  ;  that  if  they  escaped  one  danger, 
they  immediately  fell  into  another 
The  expression  is  equivalent  to  that 
which  occurs  in  the  writings  of  the 
Latin  class;cs: 
Incidit  in  Scyllam  cupiens  vitare  Charybdin. 

The  same  idea,  that  if  a  man  should 
escape  from  one  calamity  he  would  fall 
into  another,  is  expressed  in  another 
form  in  Amos  v.  19  : 

As  if  a  man  did  flee  froWi  a  lion,  and  a  bear  met 

him ; 
Or  went  into  a  house,  and  leaned  his  hand  on  the 

wall, 
And  a  serpent  bit  him. 

In  the  passage  before  us,  there  is  an 
advance  from  one  danger  to  another,  or 
the  subsequent  one  is  more  to  be  dread- 
ed than  the  preceding.  The  figure  is 
taken  from  the  mode  of  taking  wild 
beasts,  where  various  nets,  toils,  or  pit- 
falls were  employed  to  secure  them. 
The  word  "■fear,"  T1S  ,  denotes  any 
thing  that  was  used  to  frighten  or 
arouse  the  wild  beasts  in  hunting,  or  to 
drive  them  into  the  pit-fall  that  was 
prepared  for  them.  Among  the  Romans 
the  name  "fears,"  formidines,  was 
given  to  lines  or  cords  strung  with  fea- 
thers of  all  colours,  which,  when  they 
fluttered  in  the  air  or  were  shaken, 
frightened  the  beasts  into  the  pits,  or 
the.  birds  into  the  snares  which  were 
prepared  to  take  them.  Seneca  de  Ira 
B.  ii  ch.  xii.  Virg.  JEn.  xii.  749. 
Geor.  iti.  372.  It  is  possible  that  this 
J.. ay  be  referred  to  here  under  the  name 
»f  "fear."  The  word  "pit,"  PHS , 
18* 


and  he  ihat  cometh  up  out  of  the 
midst  of  the  pit  shall  be  taken  in 
the  snare  :  for  the  ^windows  from 
on  high  are  open,  and  the  founda- 
tions2' of  the  earth  do  shake. 

V  Ps.  18.  7. 

denotes  the  pit-fall  ;  a  hole  dug  in  the 
ground,  and  covered  over  with  bushes, 
leaves,  &c,  into  which  they  might  fail 
unawares.  The  word  "  snare,"  HS  , 
denotes  a  net,  or  gin,  and  perhaps  re- 
fers to  a  series  of  nets  enclosing  at  first 
a  large  space  of  ground,  in  which  the 
wild  beasts  were,  and  then  drawn  by 
degrees  into  a  narrow  compass,  so  that 
they  could  not  escape. 

IS.  From  the  noise  of  the  fear.  A 
cry  or  shout  was  made  in  hunting,  de- 
signed to  arouse  the  game,  and  drive  it 
to  the  pit-fall  The  image  means  here 
that  calamities  would  be  multiplied  in 
all  the  land,  and  that  if  the  inhabitants 
endeavoured  to  avoid  one  danger  they 
would  fall  into  another.  H  And  he 
that  cometh  up  out  of  the  midst  of  the 
pit.  A  figure  taken  still  from  hunting. 
It  was  possible  that  some  of  the  more 
strong  and  active  of  the  wild  beasts 
driven  into  the  pit-fall  would  spring 
out,  and  attempt  to  escape,  yet  they 
might  be  secured  by  snares  or  gins  pur- 
posely contrived  for  such  an  occurrence. 
So  the  prophet  says,  that  though  a  few 
might  escape  the  calamities  that  would 
at  first  threaten  to  overthrow  them,  yet 
they  would  have  no  security.  They 
would  immediately  fall  into  others,  and 
be  destroyed.  IT  For  the  windows  on 
high  are  open.  This  is  evidently 
taken  from  the  account  of  the  deluge 
in  Gen.  vii.  i  1  :  "In  the  six  hundredth 
year  of  Noah's  life,  in  the  second  month, 
the  seventeenth  day  of  the  month, 
the  same  day  were  all  the  fountains  of 
the  great  deep  broken  up,  and  the  win- 
dows (or  flood-gates,  Margin)  of  heaven 
were  opened."  The  word  windows 
here,  ri"'^^  ,  is  the  same  which  occurs 
in  Genesis,  and  properly  dentes  a  grate, 
a  lattice,  a  window,  and  then  any 
opening,  as  a  sluice  or  flood-gate,  and 
is  applied  to  a  tempest  or  a  deluge,  be 


418 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


19  The  earth*  is  utterly  bro- 
ken down,  the  earth  is  clean  dis- 
solved, the  earth  is  moved  ex- 
ceedingly. 

20  The   earth    shall    reel6    to 


cause  when  the  rain  descends  it  seems 
like  opening  sluices  or  flood-gates  in 
the  sky.  The  sense  here  is,  that  cala- 
mities had  come  upon  the  nation  re- 
sembling the  universal  deluge.  1T  And 
the  foundations  of  the  earth  do  shake. 
An  image  derived  from  an  earthquake 
— a  figure  also  denoting  far-spreading 
calamities. 

19.  The  earth  is  utterly  broken 
down.  The  effect  as  it  were  of  an 
earthquake  where  every  thing  is  thrown 
into  commotion  and  ruin  IT  The  earth 
is  moved  exceedingly.  Every  thing  in 
this  verse  is  intense  and  emphatic. 
The  verbs  are  in  the  strongest  form 
of  emphasis :  "  By  breaking,  the  land 
is  broken  ;"  "  by  scattering,  the  land 
is  scattered ;"  "  by  commotion,  the 
land  is  moved."  The  repetition  also 
of  the  expression  in  the  same  sense 
three  times  is  a  strong  form  of  em- 
phasis ;  and  the  whole  passage  is  de- 
signed to  denote  the  utter  desolation 
and  ruin  that  had  come  upon  the  land. 

20  The  earth  shall  reel  to  and  fro 
like,  a  drunkard.  This  is  descriptive 
of  the  agitation  that  occurs  in  an 
earthquake  when  every  thing  is  shaken 
from  its  foundation,  and  when  trees 
and  towers  are  shaken  by  the  mighty 
concussion.  The  same  figure  is  used 
in  ch.  xxix.  9.  See  also  the  descrip- 
tion of  a  tempest  at  sea,  in  Ps.  cvii. 
27: 

"  They  reel  to  and  fro, 
And  stumer  like  a  drunken  man, 
And  are  at  their  wit's  end." 

T  And  shall  be  removed  like  a  cot- 
tage. Or  rather  shall  move  or  vacillate 
(nnnisn!-!)  like  a  cottage.  The  word 
cottage  (HJilb^Q  from  V"1'  to  pass  the 
night,  to  lodge  for  a  night)  means  pro- 
perly a  temporary  shed  or  lodge  for  the 
watchman  of  a  garden  or  vineyard. 
See  Note  ch.  i.  b.     Sometimes  these 


and  fro  like  a  drunkard,  and 
shall  be  removed6  like  a  cottage; 
and  the  transgression  thereof 
shall  be  heavy*  upon  it:  and  it 
shall  fall,  and  not  rise  again. 

c  Kev.  21.  I.       e  Zee.  5.  5—8. 

cottages  were  erected  in  the  form  of  a 
hut ;  and  sometimes  they  were  a  spe- 
cies of  hanging  bed  or  couch,  that  was 
suspended  from  the  limbs  of  trees. 
They  were  made  either  by  interweav- 
ing the  limbs  of  a  iree,  or  by  suspending 
them  by  cords  from  the  branches  of  trees, 
or  by  extending  a  cord  or  cords  from 
one  tree  to  another  and  laying  a  couch 
or  bed  on  the  cords.  They  were  thus 
made  to  afford  a  convenient  place  for 
observation,  and  also  to  afford  security 
from  the  access  of  wild  beasts.  Tra- 
vellers in  the  East  even  now  resort  to 
such  a  temporary  lodge  for  security. 
See  Niebuhr's  Description  of  Arabia. 
Those  lodges  were  easily  moved  to  and 
fro,  and  swung  about  by  the  wind — 
and  this  is  the  idea  in  the  verse  before 
us.  The  whole  land  was  agitated  as 
with  an  earthquake  ;  it  reeled  like  a 
drunkard  ;  it  moved,  and  was  unset- 
tled, as  the  hanging  couch  on  the  trees 
was  driven  to  and  fro  by  the  wind. 
IT  And  the  transgression  thereof  shall 
be  heavy  upon  it.  Like  a  vast  incum- 
bent weight  on  a  dwelling  which  it 
cannot  sustain, and  beneath  which  it  is 
crushed.  IT  And  it  shall  fall, and  not 
rise  again.  This  does  not  mean,  as  I 
apprehend,  that  the  nation  should  never 
be  restored  to  its  former  dignity  and 
rank  as  a  people — for  the  prophet  im- 
mediately (ver.  ^3)  speaks  of  such  a 
restoration,  and  of  the  re-establishment 
of  the  Theocracy  ;  but  it  must  mean 
that  in  those  convulsions  it  would  not 
rise.  It  would  not  be  ajble  to  recover 
itself;  it  would  certainly  be  prostrated. 
As  we  say  of  a  drunkard,  he  may 
stumble  often,  and  partially  recover 
himself,  yet  he  will  certainly  fall  so  as 
not  then  to  be  able  to  recover  himself, 
so  it  would  be  with  that  agitated  and 
convulsed  land.  They  would  make 
many  efforts  to  recover  themselves,  and 
they  would   partially  succeed,  yet  they 


B.C.  713.} 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


419 


21  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
in  lhat  day,  (hat  the  Lord  shall 
'punish  the  host  of  the  high  ones 
that  are  on  high,  and  the  kings6 
of  the  earth  upon  the  earth. 


I  visit  upon. 


b  Ps.  76.  12. 


would  ultimately  be  completely  pros- 
trate in  the  dust. 

21.  In  that  day.  In  the  time  of  the 
captivity  at  Babylon.  H  Shall  punish. 
Heb.  as  in  the  margin,  shall  visit  upon. 
See  Note  ch.  x  12.  IT  The  host  of  the 
high  ones.  There  have  been  various 
interpretations  of  this  expression.  Je- 
rome understands  it  of  the  host  of 
heaven,  and  thinks  it  refers  to  the  fact 
that  in  the  day  of  judgment  God  will 
judge  not  only  earthly  things  but  celes- 
tial, and  especially  the  sun  and  moon 
and  stars,  as  having  been  the  objects 
of  idolatrous  worship  See  Deut.  iv. 
19  Dan.  viii.  10,  xi.  13.  Comp.  Ps. 
xviii.  17.  Jer.  xxv.  30,  where  the  words 
"  on  high"  are  used  to  denote  heaven. 
Aben  Ezra  supposes  that  by  the  phrase 
is  meant  angels,  who  preside  over  the 
governors  and  kings  of  the  earth,  in 
accordance  with  the  ancient  opinion 
that  each  kingdom  was  under  the  tute- 
lage of  guardian  angels.  To  this  Ro- 
senniilller  seems  to  assent, and  to  sup- 
pose that  the  beings  thus  referred  to 
were  evil  spirits  or  demons  to  whom 
the  kingdoms  of  the  world  were  sub- 
ject. Others,  among  whom  is  Grotius, 
have  supposed  that  the  reference  is  to 
the  images  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
which  were  erected  in  high  places  and 
worshipped  by  the  Assyrians.  But 
probably  the  reference  is  to  those  who 
occupied  places  of  power  and  trust  in 
the  ecclesiastical  arrangement  of  Judea, 
the  High  Priest  and  Priests,  who  exer- 
cised a  vast  dominion  over  the  nation, 
and  who,  in  many  respects,  were  re- 
garded as  elevated  even  over  the  kings 
and  princes  of  the  land.  The  compa- 
rison of  rulers  with  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars,  is  common  in  the  Scriptures  ; 
and  tkis  comparison  was  supposed  pe- 
culiarly to  befit  ecclesiastical  rulers, 
who  were  regarded  as  in  a  particular 


22  And  they  shall  be  gathered 
together2  as  prisoners  are  ga- 
thered in  sthe  pit,  and  shall  be 
shut  up  in  the  prison,  and  after 
many  days  shall  they  be  4visited. 

2  with  the  gathering  of  prisoner". 

3  or,  dungeon.       4  or,  found  xoanting. 

manner  the  lights  of  the  nation.  IT  Upon 
the  earth.  Beneath,  or  inferior  to  those 
who  had  places  of  the  highest  trust 
and  honour.  The  ecclesiastical  rulers 
are  represented  as  occupying  the  supe- 
rior rank  ;  the  princes  and  rulers  in  a 
civil  sense  as  in  a  condition  of  less 
honour  and  responsibility.  This  waa 
probably  the  usual  mode  in  which  the 
ecclesiastical  and  civil  offices  were  esti- 
mated in  Judea. 

22.  IT  And  they  shall  be  gathered 
together.  That  is,  those  who  occupy 
posts  of  honour  and  influence  in  the 
ecclesiastical  and  civil  polity  of  the 
land.  IT  As  prisoners.  Margin  as  ir. 
the  Hebrew,  "  with  the  gathering  of 
prisoners."  The  reference  is  to  the 
custom  of  collecting  captives  taken  in 
war,  and  chaining  them  together  by 
the  hands  and  feet  and  thrusting  them 
in  large  companies  into  a  prison.  II  In 
the  pit.  Marg.  "  or  dungeon."  The 
sense  is,  that  the  rulers  of  the  land 
should  be  made  captive,  and  treated  as 
prisoners  of  war.  This  was  undoubted- 
ly true  in  the  captivity  under  Nebuchad- 
nezzar. The  people  were  assembled  ; 
were  regarded  as  captives  ;  and  were 
conveyed  together  to  a  distant  land. 
IT  And  shall  be  shut  up  in  the  prison. 
Probably  this  is  not  intended  to  be 
taken  literally,  but  to  denote  that  they 
would  be  as  secure  as  if  they  were  shut 
up  in  prison.  Their  prison-house  would 
be  Babylon,  where  they  were  inclosed 
as  in  a  prison  seventy  years.  IT  And 
after  many  days.  If  this  refers,  as  I 
have  supposed,  to  the  captivity  at  Baby- 
lon, then  these  "many  days"  refer  to 
the  period  of  seventy  years.  1T  Shall 
they  be  visited.  Marg.  found  wanting. 
The  word  here  used,  1(^3  ,  may  be  used 
either  in  a  good  or  bad  sense,  either  to 
visit  for  the  purpose  of  reviewing,  num- 
bering, or  aiding ;  or  to  visit  for  the 


420 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C  713 


23  Then  A\ie  moon  shall  be 
confounded,  and  the  sun  asham- 
ed, when  *he  Lord  of  hosts  shall 

t  Ezek.  32.  7. 

purpose  of  punishing.  It  is  probably, 
in  the  Scriptures,  most  frequently  used 
in  the  latter  sense.  See  Job  xxxi.  14, 
xxxv.  15.  Isa.  xxvi.  14.  1  Sam.  xv.  2. 
Ps.  lxxxix.  33.  Jer.  ix.  24.  But  it  is 
often  used  in  the  sense  of  taking  ac- 
count of,  reviewing,  or  mustering  as  a 
military  host.  See  Num.  i.  44,  iii.39. 
1  Kings  xx  15.  Isa.  xiii.  4.  In  this 
place  it  may  be  taken  in  either  of  these 
senses,  as  may  be  best  supposed  to  suit 
the  connection.  To  me  it  seems  that 
the  connection  seems  to  require  the 
idea  of  a  visitation  for  the  purpose  of 
relief  or  of  deliverance  ;  and  to  refer  to 
the  fact  that  at  the  end  of  that  time 
there  would  be  a  reviewing,  a  muster- 
ing, an  enrolment  of  those  who  should 
have  been  carried  away  to  their  distant 
prison-house,  to  ascertain  how  many 
remained,  and  to  marshal  them  for 
their  return  to  the  land  of  their  fathers. 
See  the  books  of  Ezra  and  Nehemiah. 
The  word  here  used  has  sometimes  the 
sense  expressed  in  the  margin,  "found 
wanting" — (comp.  Isa.  xxxviii  10.  1 
Sam.  xx.  6,  xxv.  15) — but  such  a  sense 
does  not  suit  the  connection  here.  I 
regard  the  verse  as  an  indication  of 
future  mercy  and  deliverance.  They 
would  be  thrown  into  prison,  and  treat- 
ed as  captives  of  war  ;  but  after  a  long 
time  they  would  be  visited  by  the  Great 
Deliverer  of  their  nation,  their  cove- 
nant-keeping God,  and  reconducted  to  i 
the  land  of  their  fathers. 

23.  Then  the  mom  shall  be  con- 
founded. The  heavenly  bodies  are  | 
often  employed  in  the  sacred  writings 
to  denote  the  princes  and  kings  of  the 
earth.  These  expressions  are  not  to 
be  pressed  ad  unguetn  afl  if  the  sun  de- 
noted one  thing  and  the  moon  another  ; 
but  they  are  general  poetic  expressions 
designed  to  represent  rulers,  princes, 
and  magistrates  of  all  kinds.  Comp. 
Joel  ii.  30,31  Ezek  xxxii.  7.  IT  Shall 
be  confounded.  Shall  be  covered  with 
•bame.     That  is,  shall  appear  to  shine 


reign  in  mount  Zion,  and  in  Je. 
rusalem,  and  'before  his  ancients, 
gloriously. 

5  or,  there  shall  be  glory  before  his  ancients. 

with  diminished  beauty,  as  if  it  were 
ashamed    in    the    superior    glory    that 
would  shine  around  it.     The  sense  is, 
that  when  the  people  should  be  returned 
to  their  land   the  theocracy  would   be 
restored,  and    the   magnificence  of  the 
kings   and  other   civil  rulers  would  be 
dimmed  in  the  superior   splendour  of 
the  reign  of  God.    Probably  there  is  re- 
ference here  to  the  time  when  Jehovah 
would  reign  in  Jerusalem  through,  or  by 
means  of,  the  Messiah      II  In  Mount 
Zion.  Note  ch.  i.  8.     This  would  take 
place  subsequently  to  the  captivity, and 
pre-eminently  under  the   reign  of  the 
Messiah.      If  And  before  his  ancients. 
That  is,  before  the  elders  of  the  people  ; 
in  the  presence  of  those  intrusted  with 
authority  and  rule.     IT  Gloriously.   He 
would  reign  gloriously  when  his   laws 
should  be  respected  and  obeyed  ;  when 
his  character  as  King  and  Ruler  should 
be    developed  ;  and    when,    under    his 
sceptre,  his  kingdom  should    be  aug- 
mented  and   extended.     On   this  glad 
prospect   the   eye   of   the  prophet  was 
fixed ;    and    this    was    the    bright   and 
splendid  object   in   the   "vision"   that 
served  to  relieve  the  darkness  that  was 
coming  upon  the  nation.     Present  ca- 
lamities may  be    borne,  with  the  hope 
that  Jehovah  will  reign  more  gloriously 
hereafter  ;  and   when   the  effect  of  all 
shall  be  such  as  to  exalt  Jehovah  in  the 
view  of  the  nations      It  may  be  added 
that   when    Jehovah,   by  the  Messiah, 
shall   reign  over  all   the  earth,  all  the 
glory  of  princes  and  monarchs  shall   be 
dimmed  ;  the  celebrity  of  their  wisdom 
and  power  and  plans  shall  be  obscured 
in  the  superior  splendour  of  the  wisdom 
of  God,  in    reigning    through   his  Son 
over    the    human    race.     Come     that 
blessed  day  ;  and  speedily  let  the  glory 
of  the  moon  be  confounded,  and   the 
sun  be  ashamed,  and  all  inferior  mag- 
nificence fade   away  before  the  splen 
dour  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness ! 


H.C.113.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


421 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


ANALYSIS. 


For  tlie  general  design  and  scope  of  this  chapter,  see  the  Analysis  to  ch.  xxiv.     It  is  a  song  \A 

firaise  to  God  lor  the  anticipated  deliverance  of  his  people  from  the  bondage  in  Babylon.  The  deso- 
alion  of  Jerusalem  and  Judali  had  been  described  in  eh.  xxiv. ;  that  chapter  had  closed  with  an  inti- 
mation that  JEHOVAH  would  again  reign  in  glory  on  Mount  Zion  (ver.  33);  and  in  view  ol  thil 
future  deliverance  the  prophet  breaks  out  into  this  beautiful  song  of  pra'se.  It  was  not  unusual  for 
the  prophets  to  express  by  anticipation  such  songs  of  praise  as  would  be  celebrated  by  the  people  in 
times  of  signal  deliverance.  See  Notes  on  ch.  xii.  This  song  of  praise  is  one  of  the  most  beauiilu. 
that  is  to  be  lound  in  the  writings  of  Isaiah  The  essential  idea  is,  that  which  was  hinted  at  in  ch. 
xxiv.  23.  that  JEHOVAH  would  reign  with  a  glory  that  would  obscure  the  brightness  of  the  sun  and 
the  moon  on  Mount  Zion.  Filled  with  the  idea,  the  prophet  fixes  the  eye  on  those  future  glories, 
and  declares  what  shall  occur  under  that  reign  He  sees  JEHOVAH  reigning  there  for  a  long  series 
of  years  ;  and  during  that  reign  he  sees  (ver.  6)  that  he  would  provide  a  way  by  which  the  dark- 
ness might  be  removed  from  all  nations  (ver.  7  ;  that  he  would  orignate  that  plan  by  which  death 
would  be  sw  allow  ed  up  in  victory  (ver.  8) ;  and  that  there  he  would  execute  a  plan  by  which  all  his 
enemies  would  be  laid  low,  vs.  S— 12.  The  hymn  is  designed  therefore,  to  celebrate  the  faithful 
ness  of  God  in  fulfilling  his  ancient  promises,  and  delivering  his  people  from  their  long  captivity  by 
the  destruction  of  Babylon  (vs.  1—5)  ;  and  the  future  glories  that  would  shine  forth  under  the  reigu 
«.f  JEHOVAH  on  Mount  Zion,  including  the  arrangements  of  redeeming  mercy  for  the  world. 


1  O  Lord,  thou  art  my  God  ; 
I  will  -7'exalt  thee,  J  will  praise 
thy  name  :  for  thou-  hast  done 
wonderful   things ;  thy   counsels 

j  Ps.  46.  10. 

1.  0  Lord,  thou  art  my  God.  The 
prophet  speaks,  not  in  his  own  name, 
but  in  the  name  of  the  people  that 
would  be  delivered  from  bondage.  The 
sense  is,  that  Jehovah  had  manifested 
himself  as  their  covenant-keeping  God  ; 
and  that  in  view  of  his  faithfulness 
in  keeping  his  promises,  they  now  had 
demonstration  that  he  was  their  God. 
1T  /  jo///  exult  thee.  A  form  of  ex- 
pression often  used  to  denote  praise 
(Ps  cxviii.  28,  cxlv.  1),  meaning  that 
the  worshipper  would  exalt  God  in  the 
view  of  his  own  mind,  or  would  regard 
him  as  above  all  other  beings  and  ob- 
;ects.  If  For  thou  hast  done  wonder- 
ful things.  On  the  meaning  of  the 
Heb.  X?Q,  wonderful,  see  Note  ch. 
ix.  6.  if  Thy  counsels  of  old.  Which 
were  formed  and  revealed  long  since. 
The  counsels  referred  to  are  those 
respecting  the  delivery  of  his  people 
from  bondage,  which  had  been  express- 
ed even  long  before  their  captivity 
commenced,  and  which  would  be 
now  completely  and.  triumphantly  ful- 
filled. IT  Are  faithfulness.  Have  been 
brought  to  pass  ;  do  not  fail.  IT  And 
•ruth.     Heb.  ■»& — whence  our  word 


of  old  are  faithfulness'"  and 
truth. 

2  For  thou  hast  made  of  a 
city  an  heap  ;  of  a  defenced  city 

m  Num.  23.  19. 

Amen.  LXX.  yivoiTo,  Let  it  be.  The 
word  denotes  that  the  purposes  of  God 
were  firm,  and  wonld  certainly  be  ful- 
filled. 

2.  For  thou  hast  made.  This  is 
supposed  to  be  uttered  by  the  Jews  who 
should  return  from  Babylon,  and  there- 
fore refers  to  what  would  have  been 
seen  by  them.  In  their  time  it  would 
have  occurred  that  God  had  made  of 
the  city  an  heap,  f  Of  a  city.  I 
suppose  the  whole  scope  of  the  passage 
requires  us  to  understand  this  of  Baby- 
lon. There  has  been,  however,  a  great 
variety  of  interpretation  of  this  passage. 
Grotius  supposed  that  Samaria  was  in- 
tended. Calvin  that  the  word  is  used 
collectively,  and  that  various  cities  are 
intended.  Piscator  that  Rome,  the  seat 
of  Antichrist,  was  intended.  Jerome 
says  that  the  Jews  generally  under- 
stand it  of  Rome.  Aben  Ezra  and 
Kimchi,  however,  understand  it  to  re- 
fer to  many  cities  which  they  say  will 
be  destroyed  in  the  times  of  Gog  and 
Magog.  Nearly  all  these  opinions  may 
be  seen  subjected  to  an  examination, 
and  shown  to  be  unfounded,  in  Vitringa. 
IT  An  heap.  It  is  reduced  to  ruins.  See 


4'i'i 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.ll'd. 


a  ruin  :°  a  palace  of  strangers  to 
be  no  city  j  it  shall  never  be 
built. 

3  Therefore  shall  the  strong 
people  glorifyr  thee,  the  city  of 
the  terrible  nations  shall  fear 
thee. 


Notes  on  ch.  xiii.  xiv.  The  ruin  of 
Babylon  commenced  when  it  was  taken 
by  Cyrus,  and  the  Jews  were  set  at 
liberty ;  it  was  not  completed  until 
many  centuries  after.  The  form  of  the 
Hebrew  here  is,'  thou  hast  placed  from 
a  city  to  a  ruin  ;'  that  is,  thou  hast 
changed  it  from  being  a  city  to  a  pile 
of  ruins.  If  Of  a  defenced  city.  A 
city  fortified,  and  made  strong  against 
the  approach  of  an  enemy.  How  true 
this  was  of  Babylon  may  be  seen  in  the 
description  prefixed  to  chapter  xiii. 
1T  A  palace.  This  word  properly  sig- 
nifies the  residence  of  a  prince  or  mon- 
arch Jer.  xxx.  18.  Amos  i.  4,  7,  10, 
12.  Here  it  is  applied  to  Babylon  on 
account  of  its  splendour,  as  if  it  were  a 
vast  palace,  the  residence  of  princes. 
V  Of  strangers.  Foreigners  ;  a  term 
often  given  to  the  inhabitants  of  foreign 
lands,  andespecially  to  the  Babylonians. 
See  Note  ch.  i.  7.  Comp.  Ezek.  xxviii. 
7.  Joel  iii.  17.  It  means  that  this  was 
by  way  of  eminence  the  city  of  the 
foreigners ;  the  capital  of  the  whole 
Pagan  world  ;  the  city  where  foreign- 
ers congregated  and  dwelt.  If  It  shall 
never  be  built.  See  Notes  on  ch.  xiii. 
19-22. 

3.  The  strong  people.  The  reference 
here  is  not  probably  to  the  Babylonians, 
but  to  the  surrounding  nations.  The 
deliverance  of  the  Jews,  and  the  de- 
struction of  Babylon,  would  be  such 
striking  events  that  they  would  lead 
the  surrounding  nations  to  acknow- 
ledge that  it  was  the  hand  of  God. 
%  The  city  of  the  terrible  nations.  The 
word  "  city  "  here  is  taken  probably  in 
a  collective  sense,  to  denote  the  cities 
or  the  strong  places  of  the  surrounding 
nations  which  would  be  brought  thus  to 
tremble  before  God.     The  destruction 


4  For  thou  hast  been  a  strength 
to  the  poor,  a  strength  to  the 
needy  in  his  distress,  a  refuge 
from  the  storm,  a  shadow  from 
the  heat,  when  the  blast  of  the 
terrible  ones  is  as  a  storm  against 
the  wall. 

r  Rev.  II.  13. 


of  a  city  so  proud  and  wicked  as  Baby- 
lon would  alarm  them,  and  would  lead 
them  to  fear  that  they  might  share  the 
same  fate,  especially  as  many  of  them 
had  been  associated  in  oppressing  tlte 
now  delivered  people  of  Jie  land  of 
Judea. 

4.  For  thou  hast  been  a  strength  to 
the  poor.  Thou  hast  sustained  and  up- 
held them  in  their  trials,  and  hast  de- 
livered them.  God  is  often  spoken  of 
as  the  strength  of  his  people.  Isa. 
xxvi.  4 :  "  In  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  ever- 
last  ng  strength."  Ps.  xxvii.  1  :  "  The 
Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life, of  whom 
shall  I  be  afraid  ?"  Ps  xxviii.  8,  xxix. 
1 1 ,  xxxi.  2.  xlvi  1 .  Isa.  xlv.  24. — By  the 
"  poor"  and  the  "  needy"  here  undoubt- 
edly are  meant  the  captive  Jews  who  had 
beenstripped  of  their  wealth,  and  carried 
from  their  homes  and  confined  in  Baby- 
lon. If  A  rrfuge.  A  place  of  safety  ;  a 
retreat ;  a  protection.  God  is  often  spok- 
en of  as  such  a  refuge.  Deut.  xxxiii. 
27:  "The  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge." 
2"  Sam.  xxii.  3.  Ps.  ix  9,  xiv  6,  xlvi. 
1,7,11,  lvii.  1,  lix  16.  1f  From  the 
storm.  This  word — D*T — usually  de- 
notes a  tempest  of  wind  and  rain. 
Here  it  is  put  for  calamity  and  affliction. 
The  figure  is  common  in  all  languages. 
IT  A  shadow  from  the  heal.  See  Note 
ch.  iv.  6,  xvi.  3.  Comp.  ch.  xxxii.  2. 
1T  When  the  blast  of  the  terrible  ones. 
Of  the  fierce,  mighty,  invading  enemies 
When  they  sweep  down  all  before  them 
as  a  furious  tempest  does.  If  Is  as  a 
storm  against  the  wall.  For  wall  here, 
"r^p  ,  Lowth  proposes  to  read  n!,P,  from 

T3P  t0  be  co'd  or  coo'.  all(I  supposef 
that  this  means  a  winter's  storm.  In 
this  interpretation  also  Vitringa  and 
Cappellus  coincide.      But  there   is  no 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


425 


5  Thou  shalt  bring  down  the 
noise  of  strangers,  as  the  heat  in 
a  dry  place ;  even  the  heat  with 
the  shadow  of  a  cloud  :  the  branch 
of  the  terrible  ones  shall  be 
brought  low. 


need  of  supposing  an  error  ill  the  text. 
The  idea  is,  probably,  that  of  a  fierce 
drivingstorm  that  would  prostrate  walls 
and  houses  ;  meaning  a  violent  tem- 
pest, and  intending  to  describe  in  a 
striking  manner  the  severity  of  the 
calamities  that  had  come  upon  the 
nation 

5.  Thou  shalt  bring  down  the  noise. 
The  tumult  ;  the  sound  which  they 
make  in  entering  into  battle  ;  or  the 
note  of  triumph,  and  the  sound  of  revel- 
ry. The  phrase  may  refer  either  to 
their  shout  of  exultation  over  their  van- 
quished foes  ;  or  to  the  usual  sound  of 
revelry  ;  or  to  the  hum  of  business  in  a 
vast  city.  IT  Of  strangers.  Of  foreign- 
ers. Note  ver.  2  H  As  the  heat  in  a 
dry  place.  The  parallelism  here  re- 
quires that  we  should  suppose  the  phrase 
"  with  the  shadow  of  a  cloud"  to  be 
supplied  in  this  hemistich,  as  it  is  ob- 
scurely expressed  in  our  translation  by 
the  word  "  even,"  and  it  would  then 
read  thus : 

As  the  heat  in  a  dry  place  [by  the  shadow  of  a 

cloud), 
The  noise  of  the  strangers  shalt  thou  humble; 
As  the  heat  by  the  shadow  of  a  cloud, 
The  exultation  of  the  formidable  ones  shalt  thou 

bring  low. 

The  idea  thus  is  plain.  Heat  pours 
down  intensely  on  the  earth,  and  if 
unabated  would  wither  up  every  green 
thing,  and  dry  up  every  stream  and 
fountain  But  a  cloud  intervenes,  and 
checks  the  burning  rays  of  the  sun.  So 
the  wrath  of  the  "  terrible  ones,"  the 
anger  of  the  Babylonians,  raged  against 
the  Jews.  But  the  mercy  of  God  in- 
terposed. It  was  like  the  intervening 
of  a  cloud  to  shut  out  the  burning  rays 
of  the  sun.  It  stayed  the  fury  of  their 
wrath,  and  rendered  them  impotent  to 
do  injury,  just  as  the  intense  burning 
rays  of  the  sun  are  completely  checked 
hy  an  interposing  cloud.     H  The  branch 


6  And  in  this  mountain1"  slml! 
the  Lord  of  hosts  make  unto  all 
people  a  feast*  of  fat  things,  a 
feast  of  wines  on  the  lees,  of  fat 
things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines^ 
on  the  lees  well  refined. 

w  ch.  2.  2,  3.     x  Matt.  22.  2,  &c.     y  Cant.  5  1. 

of  the  terrible  ones.  This  is  a  very 
unhappy  translation.  The  word  "^'OJ 
zumir  is  indeed  used  to  denote  a  branch, 
or  bough,  as  derived  from  ""?J  to  prune 
a  vine  ;  but  it  also  has  the  sense  of  a 
song  ; — a  song  of  praise,  or  a  song  of 
exultation,  from  a  second  signification 
of  "'EJ  to  sing  ;  perhaps  from  the  song 
with  which  the  work  of  the  vineyard 
was  usually  accompanied.  See  the 
verb  used  In  this  sense  in  Judges  v.  3, 
Ps.  ix.  12,  xxx.  5,  xlvii.  7  ;  and  the 
word  which  occurs  here  (zamir)  used 
in  the  sense  of  a  song  in  Ps  cxix.  54, 
2  Sam.  xxiii.  1,  Job  xxxv  10.  Here 
it  is  undoubtedly  used  in  the  sense  of  a 
song,  meaning  either  a  shout  of  victory 
or  of  revelry  ;  and  the  idea  of  the 
prophet  is,  that  this  would  be  brought 
low  by  the  destruction  of  Babylon,  and 
by  the  return  of  the  captive  Jews  to 
their  own  land. 

6.  And  in  this  mountain.  In  Mount 
Zion  ;  that  is,  in  Jerusalem.  The  fol- 
lowing verses  undoubtedly  refer  to  the 
times  of  the  Messiah  Several  of  the 
expressions  used  here  are  quoted  in  the 
New  Testament,  showing  that  the  refer- 
ence is  to  the  Messiah,  and  to  the  fact 
that  his  kingdom  would  commence  in 
Jerusalem,  and  then  extend  to  all  peo- 
ple. H  Shall  the  Lord  of  hosts.  See 
Note  ch.  i  9.  V  Make  unto  all  people. 
Provide  for  all  people.  He  shall  adapt 
the  provisions  of  salvation  not  only  to 
the  Jews,  but  to  men  every  where. 
This  is  one  of  the  truths  on  which 
Isaiah  loved  to  dwell,  and  which  in  fact 
constitutes  one  of  the  peculiarities  of 
his  prophecy.  It  is  one  of  the  chief 
glories  of  the  gospel  that  it  is  unto  all 
people.  See  Isa.  lvii.  7.  Dan.  v.  19, 
vii.  14.  Comp.  Luke  ii.  10:  "I  bring 
you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which 
shall  be  toto  all  people."     V  A  feast. 


424 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  718 


7  And  he  will  'destroy  in  this 
mountain  the  face  of  the  cover- 
ing9 cast  over  all  people,  and  the 


8  swallow  up. 


9  covered. 


A  feast,  or  entertainment,  was  usually 
observed,  as  it  is  now,  on  occasion  of 
a  great  victory,  or  any  other  signal  suc- 
cess. It  is,  therefore,  emblematic-  of 
an  occasion  of  joy.  Here  it  is  used  in 
the  two-fold  sense  of  an  occasion  of 
joy,  and  ot  an  abundance  of  provisions 
for  the  necessities  of  those  who  should 
be  entertained.  This  feast  was  to  be 
prepared  on  Mount  Zion — in  the  pro- 
vision which  would  be  made  in  Jerusa- 
lem by  the  Messiah  for  the  spiritual 
wants  of  the  whole  world.  The  ar- 
rangements for  salvation  are  often  rep- 
resented under  the  image  of  an  ample 
and  rich  entertainment.  See  Luke  xiv. 
16,tfcc.  Rev.  xix.  19.  Matth.  xiii.  11. 
IT  Oj <  fat  things.  Of  rich  delicacies. 
Fat  things  and  marrow  are  often  used 
as  synonymous  with  a  sumptuous  en- 
tertainment, and  are  made  emblematic 
of  the  abundant  provisions  of  divine 
mercy.  See  Isa.  lv.  2.  Ps.  lxiii.  5. 
xxxvi.  y  :  "  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  the 
fatness  of  thy  house."  IT  A  feast  of 
wines  on  the  Lees.  The  word  which  is 
here  used  (D",l12®)  is  derived  from 
"I32T2J  io  keep,  preserve,  retain,  and  is 
applied  usually  to  the  Ices  or  dregs  of 
wine,  because  they  retain  the  strength 
and  colour  of  the  wine  which  is  left  to 
stand  on  them.  It  is  also  in  this  place 
applied  to  wine  which  has  been  kept  on 
the  lees,  and  is  therefore  synonymous 
with  old  wine  ;  or  wine  of  a  rich  colour 
and  flavour.  This  fact,  that  the  colour 
and  strength  of  wine  are  retained  by  its 
being  suffered  to  remain  without  being 
poured  from  one  vessel  into  another,  is 
more  fully  expressed  in  Jer.  xlviii.  11  : 

Moab  hath  been  at  ease  from  his  youth, 

And  he  hath  settled  on  his  lees, 

And  hath  not  been  emptied  from  vessel  to  vessel, 

Neither  hath  he  Kont-  into  captivity: 

Therefore  his  ta=te  remainelh  in  him, 

And  his  scent  is  not  changed. 

Comp.  Zeph.  i.  12.  It  is  well  known 
that  wines,  unless  retained  for  a  con- 
siderable time  on  the  lees,  lose  their 
flavour  and  strength,  and  are  much  less 


vail"  that  is  spread  over  all  na 
tions. 

8  He  will6  swallow  up  death 

a  2  Cor.  3   16,  18.        b  Hos.  13.  14.     1  Cor.  15.  54 

valuable.  Comp  Notes  on  John  ii.  10, 
11.  If  Of  fit  things  fall  of  marrow. 
Marrow  is  also  an  emblem  of  richness, 
or  the  delicacy  of  the  entertainment. 
Ps.  lxiii.  5.  IT  Of  wines  on  the  lees 
well  rejined.  The  word  rendered  well 
refined  (D^p^l^)  is  usually  applied  to 
the  purifying  of  metals  in  a  furnace. 
Job  xxviii.  1.  1  Chron.  xxviii.  18, 
xxix.  4.  When  applied  to  wine,  it  de- 
notes that  which  has  been  suffered  to 
remain  on  the  lees  until  it  was  entirely 
refined  and  purified  by  fermentation, 
and  had  become  perfectly  clear. 

7.  And  he  will  destroy.  Heb.  He 
will  swallow  up.  That  is,  he  will 
abolish,  remove,  or  take  away.  U  In 
this  mountain  the  face  of  the  covering. 
In  Mount  Zion,  or  in  Jerusalem.  This 
would  be  done  in  Jerusalem,  or  on  the 
mountains  of  which  Jerusalem  was  a 
part,  where  the  great  transactions  of 
the  plan  of  redemption  would  be  ac- 
complished. The  word"  face  "  here  is 
used  as  it  is  frequently  among  the  He- 
brews, where  the  face  of  a  thing  de- 
notes its  aspect,  or  appearance  and 
then  the  thing  itself.  Thus  "  the  face 
of  God  "  is  put  for  God  himself;  the 
"face  of  the  earth"  for  the  earth 
itself ;  and  the  "  face  of  the  vail  " 
means  the  vail  itself,  or  the  appearance 
of  the  vail.  To  cover  the  head  or  the 
lace  was  a  common  mode  of  expressing 
grief.  See  2  Sam.  xv.  30,  xix.  5. 
Est.  vi.  12.  It  is  probable  that  the  ex- 
pression here  is  taken  from  this  custom, 
and  the  vail  over  the  nations  here 
is  to  be  understood  as  expressive  of  the 
ignorance,  superstition,  crime,  and 
wretchedness  that  covered  the  earth 

8-  He  will  swallow  up.  This  m- 
age  is  probably  taken  from  a  whirlpoo' 
or  maelstrom  in  the  ocean  that  absorbs 
all  that  comes  near  it.  It  is,  therefore, 
equivalent  to  saying  he  will  destroy  or 
remove,  ver.  7.  In  this  place  it  means 
that  he  will  abolish  death  that  is,  he 
will  cause  it  to  cease  from  its  ravages 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


425 

for  the  Lord 


in   victory  ;  and  Lie   Lord  God  |  off  all   the  earth 

will   wipe  eaway  tears  from  off  '  hath  spoken  it. 

all  faces ;   and  the  rebuke  of  his         9  And  it  shall   be  said  in  that 

people  shall  be  taken  away"*  from  I  c  Rev-81 


d  Mai.  3.  17, 


and  triumphs.  This  passage  is  quoted 
by  Paul  in  his  argument  respecting  the 
resurrection. of  the  dead,  1  Cor.  xv.  54 
He  does  not  however  quote  directly 
from  the  Hebrew,  or  from  the  LXX, 
but  gives  the  substance  of  the  passage. 
His  quoting  it  is  sufficient  proof  that  it 
refers  to  the  resurrection,  and  that  its 
primary  design  is  to  set  forth  the 
achievements  of  the  gospel — achieve- 
ments that  will  be  fully  realized  only 
when  death  shall  cease  its  dominion, 
and  when  its  reign  shall  be  for  ever  at 
an  end  IT  Death.  Vitringa  supposes 
that  by  death  here  is  meant  the  wars 
and  calamities  with  which  the  nation 
had  been  visited,  and  which  would 
cease  under  the  Messiah.  In  this  in- 
terpretation Rosenmuller  concurs.  It 
is  possible  that  the  word  may  have  this 
meaning  in  some  instances  ;  and  it  is 
possible  that  the  calamities  of  the  Jews 
may  have  suggested  this  to  the  prophet, 
but  the  primary  sense  of  the  word  here, 
I  think,  is  death  in  its  proper  significa- 
tion, and  the  reference  is  to  the  tri- 
umphs of  God  through  the  Messiah  in 
completely  abolishing  its  reign,  and  in- 
troducing eternal  life.  This  was  de- 
signed doubtless  to  comfort  the  hearts 
of  the  Jews  by  presenting  in  a  single 
graphic  description  the  gospel  as  adapt- 
ed to  overcome  all  evils,  and  even  to 
remove  the  greatest  calamity  under 
which  the  race  groans — death.  IT  In 
Victory.  Heb.  H2£:b .  paui  jn  i  Cor. 
xv.  54,  has  translated  this,  els  viitos, 
unto  victory.  The  word  vttos,  victory, 
is  often  the  translation  of  the  word 
(see  2  Kings  ii.  26,  Job  xxxvi.  7,  Lam. 
iii  18,  Amos  i.  2,  viii.  7)  ;  though 
here  the  LXX  have  rendered  it  *'  strong 
(or  prevailing)  death  shall  be  swallow- 
ed up "  The  v/ord  may  be  derived 
from  the  Chaldee  verb  HX3  to  conquer, 
surpass  ;  and  then  may  denote  victory. 
It  often,  however,  has  the  sense  of 
vennanency,    duration,     completeness, 


eternity;  and  may  mean  for  ever,  and 
then  entirely  or  completely.  This  sen6e 
is  not  materially  different  from  that  of 
Paul,  "  unto  victory  "  Death  shall  be 
completely,  permanently,  destroyed  ; 
that  is,  a  complete  victory  shall  be 
gained  over  it.  The  Syriac  unites  the 
two  ideas  of  victory  and  perpetuity. 
"  Death  shall  be  swallowed  up  in  vic- 
tory for  ever."  This  will  take  place 
under  the  reign  of  the  Messiah,  and 
shall  be  completed  only  in  the  morning 
of  the  resurrection,  when  the  power  of 
death  over  the  people  of  God  shall  be 
completely  and  for  ever  subdued.  IT  Will 
wipe  away  tears  from  off  all  faces. 
This  is  quoted  in  Rev.  xxi.  4,  as  appli- 
cable to  the  gospel.  The  sense  is,  that 
Jehovah  would  devise  a  plan  that  would 
be  fitted  to  furnish  perfect  consolation 
to  the  afflicted  ;  to  comfort  the  broken- 
hearted ;  and  that  would  in  its  final 
triumphs  remove  calamity  and  sorrow 
from  men  for  ever.  The  fulness  of  thia 
plan  will  be  seen  only  in  heaven.  In 
anticipation  of  heaven,  however,  the 
gospel  now  does  much  to  alleviate  hu- 
man woes,  and  to  wipe  away  tears 
from  the  mourner's  eyes.  This  passage 
is  exquisitely  beautiful.  The  poet  Burns 
once  said  that  he  could  never  read  it 
without  being  affected  to  tears.  It  may 
be  added  that  nothing  but  the  gospel 
will  do  this.  No  other  religion  can 
furnish  such  consolation  ;  and  no  other 
religion  is,  therefore,  adapted  to  man. 
T  And  the  rebuke  of  his  people.  The 
reproach  ;  the  contempt ;  the  opposition 
to  them.  This  refers  to  some  future 
period  when  the  Church  shall  be  at 
peace,  and  when  pure  religion  shall 
every  where  prevail.  Hitherto  the  peo- 
ple of  God  have  been  scorned  and  per- 
secuted, but  the  time  will  come  when 
persecution  shall  cease,  the  true  religion 
shall  every  where  prevail,  the  Church 
shall  have  rest,  and  its  triumphs  shall 
spread  every  where  on  the  earth. 
9.  And  it  shall  be  said  in  that  day. 


426 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  via 


day,  Lo,  this  is  our  God  ;  we 
have  waited*  for  him,  and  he  will 
save  us  :  this  is  the  Lord  ;  we 
have  waited  for  him,  we  will  be 
gl;id  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation. 
10  For  in  this  mountain  shall 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  rest,  and 


By  the  people  of  God.  This  shall  be 
the  language  of  exultation  and  joy 
which  they  shall  use.  IT  Lo,  this  is  our 
God.  This  is  the  language  of  those 
who  now  see  and  hail  their  Deliverer. 
It  implies  that  such  deliverance,  and 
Slick  mercy  could  he  bestowed  only  by 
God,  and  that  the  fact  that  such  mer- 
cies had  been  bestowed  was  proof  that 
he  was  their  God.  H  We  have  waited 
for  him.  Amidst  many  trials,  persecu- 
tions, and  calamities,  we  have  looked 
for  the  coming  of  our  God  to  deliver 
us,  and  we  will  rejoice  in  the  salvation 
that  he  brings  IT  This  is  the  Lord. 
This  is  Jehovah.  It  is  Jehovah  that 
has  brought  this  deliverance.  None  but 
he  could  do  it.  The  plan  of  redeem- 
ing mercy  comes  from  him,  and  to  him 
is  to  be  traced  all  the  benefits  which  it 
confers  on  man. 

10.  For  in  this  mountain.  In  Mount 
Zion.  IT  Shall  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
rest.  The  hand  in  the  Scriptures  is 
often  used  as  the  symbol  of  protection 
and  defence.  By  the  expression  that 
the  hand  of  Jehovah  should  rest  on 
Mount  Zion,  is  meant  probably  that  he 
would  be  its  defender ;  his  protection 
would  not  be  withdrawn,  but  would  be 
permanent  there.  For  an  illustration 
of  the  phrase,  see  a  similar  use  of  the 
word  hand  as  denoting  protection,  in 
Ezra  vii.  6,  28,  viii.  18,  22,  31,  Neh. 
ii.  8.  1T  And  Moab.  For  an  account 
of  Moab,  see  Notes  on  chs.  xv.  xvi. 
Moab  here  seems  to  be  used  in  a  gene- 
ral sense  to  denote  the  enemies  of  God, 
and  the  declaration  that  it  would  be 
trodden  down  seems  designed  to  indi- 
cate that  the  foes  of  God  and  his  people 
would  all  be  destroyed.  Comp.  Notes 
on  ch.  xxxiv.  1  Under  him.  The 
Chaldee    renders   this    "  in    his    own 


Moab  shall  be  trodden*  dows 
under  him,  even  as  straw8  is 
trodden  down  for  the  dunghill. 

11  And  he  shall  spread  forth 
his  hands  in  the  midst  of  them, 
as  he  that  swimmeth  spreadcth 
forth  his  hands  to  swim  :  and  he 


3  or.  threshed  in  Madmenah. 


place  "  The  phrase  has  the  sense  of 
'  in  his  place  "  in  Ex.  xvi.  29,  2  Sam. 
ii  23  Here  it  may  mean  that  Moab, 
or  the  enemies  of  God,  would  be  trod- 
den down  and  destroyed  in  their  own 
land,  f  As  straw  is  trodden  down  for 
the  dunghill.  As  straw  is  suffered  to 
lie  in  the  yard  where  cattle  lie,  to  be 
trodden  down  by  them  for  the  parpose  of 
making  manure.     Lowth  renders  this, 

"  As  the  straw  is  threshed  undor  the  wheels  of 
the  car." 

The  LXX  render  it  in  the  same  way. 
Lowth  supposes  that  there  has  been  an 
error  in  transcribing  the  Hebrew  text, 
and  that  the  former  reading  was 
ma  ITS  instead  of  n  3 13  IB  .  But  tnere 
is  not  the  slightest  evidence  from  the 
MSS.  that  any  such  mistake  has  oc- 
curred. Nor  is  it  necessary  to  suppose 
it.  The  image  is  one  that  is  not  of 
unfrequent  occurrence  in  the  Scriptures 
to  denote  the  complete  and  disgraceful 
prostration  of  an  enemy.  See  Ps. 
ixxxiii.  10.  2  Kings  ix.  37.  Jer.  viii.  2, 
ix.  22,  xvi.  4,  xxv.  33. 

11.  And  he  shall  spread  forth  his 
hands.  The  sense  is,  that  Jehovah 
would  stretch  out  his  hands  every 
where,  prostrating  his  enemies,  and 
the  enemies  of  his  people.  Lowth, 
however,  applies  this  to  Moab,  and 
supposes  that  it  is  designed  to  represent 
the  action  of  one  who  is  in  danger  of 
sinking,  and  who  in  swimming  stretches 
out  his  hands  to  sustain  himself.  In 
order  to  this,  he  supposts  that  there 
should  be  a  slight  alteration  t"  a.  single 
letter  in  the  Hebrew.  His  main  reason 
for  suggesting  this  change  is,  that  he 
cannot  conceive  how  the  act  of  the 
stretching  out  of  the  hands  of  a  swim- 
mer can  be  any  illustration  of  the  ac« 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


427 


shall  bring  down  their  pride  toge- 
ther with  the  spoils  of  their  hands. 
12  And  the  fortress  of  the  high 

tion  of  God  in  extending  his  hands 
over  Moab  to  destroy  it.  It  must  be 
admitted  that  the  figure  is  one  that  is 
very  unusual.  Indeed  it  does  not  any 
where  else  occur.  But  it  is  the  obvious 
meaning  of  the  Hebrew  text ;  it  is  so 
understood  in  the  Vulgate,  the  Chaldee, 
the  Syriac,  and  the  figure  is  one  that 
is  not  unintejligible.  It  is  that  of  a 
swimmer  who  extends  his  hands  and 
arms  as  far  as  possible,  and  who  by 
force  removes  all  that  is  in  his  way  in 
passing  through  the  water.  So  Jeho- 
vah would  extend  his  hands  over  all 
Moab.  He  would  not  confine  the 
desolation  to  any  one  place,  but  it 
would  be  complete  and  entire.  He 
would  subject  all  to  himself,  as  easily 
as  a  swimmer  makes  his  way  through 
the  waters  V  With  the.  spoils  of 
their  hands.  The  word  here  rendered 
"  spoils,"  Hl^St  ,  Lowth  renders  "  the 
sudden  gripe."  The  Chaldee  renders 
it  substantially  in  the  same  manner, 
"  with  the  laying  on  of  his  hands,"  i.  e. 
with  all  his  might.     Kirnchi  also  un- 


fbrt  of  thy  w  ills  shall  he  brino* 
down,  lay  low,  and  bring  to  the 
ground,  even  to  the  dust. 

derstands  it  of  the  gripe  of  the  hands 
or  the  arms.  The  LXX  render  it 
"  upon  whatsoever  he  lays  his  hands," 
i  e.  God  shall  humble  the  pride  of 
Moab  in  respect  to  every  thing  on 
which  he  shall  lay  his  hands.  The 
word  properly  and  usually  signifies 
snares,  ambushes,  craft ;  and  then,  by 
a  natural  metonymy,  the  plunder  or 
spoils  which  he  had  obtained  by  snares 
and  ambushes — which  seems  to  be  t£.e 
seii3e  here.  It  would  all  perish  with 
Moab,  and  the  land  would  thus  be 
completely  subdued. 

12.  And  the  fortress,  &c.  Thy 
strong  defences  shall  be  destroyed. 
This  is  spoken  of  Moab  (comp.  Notes 
ch.  xv  xvi  )  ;  and  is  designed  to  be 
emblematic  of  the  enemies  of  the  people 
of  God.  Comp.  Notes  on  ch.  xxxiv. 
The  repetition  of  the  expressions"  bring 
down,"  "  lay  low,"  and  "  bring  to  the 
ground,"  is  designed  to  make  the  sen- 
tence emphatic,  and  to  indicate  that  it 
would  certainly  be  accomplished. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


ANALYSIS. 

For  the  general  scope  and  desien  of  this  chapter  see  the  remarks  at  the  commencement  of  ch. 
xxiv.  and  ch.  xxv.  It  is  a  song  of  praise  supposed  to  be  sung  by  the  Jews  on  their  return  to  their  own 
land,  and  n  the  re-establishment  of  the  government  of  God  with  the  ordinances  of  worst  ip  on  Mount 
Zion.  It  was  usual,  as  has  been  already  remarked,  to  celebrate  any  great  event  with  a  si  ng  of  praise, 
and  the  prophet  supposes  that  the  recovered  Jews  would  thus  be  disposed  to  celebrate  the  goodness 
of  JEHOVAH  in  again  restoring  them  to  their  own  land,  and  to  the  privileges  of  their  own  temple- 
service.  There  are  some  indications  that  this  was  designed  to  be  sung  with  a  chorus  and  with  al- 
ternate responses,  as  many  of  the  Psalms  were.  The  ode  opens  (ver.  1)  with  a  view  of  terusalem  as 
a  string  city,  in  which  they  might  lind  protection  under  the  guardianship  of  God.  '^hen  (ver.  2) 
there  is  a  response,  or  a  call  that  the  gates  of  the  strong  city  should  be  open  to  receive  the  returning 
nation.  This  is  followed  by  a  declaration  of  the  safety  of  trusting  in  JEHOVAH,  and  s.  call  on  all  to 
confide  in  him,  vs.  3—4,  The  reason  of  this  is  stated  in  vs.  5—7,  that  JEHOVAH  humbled  the  proud, 
and  guarded  the  ways  of  the  j  ist.  The  confidence  of  the  Jews  in  JEHOVAH  is  next  described  (vs. 
8,  9) ;  and  this  is  followed  by  a  declaration  (vs.  10,  11)  that  the  wicked  would  not  recognize  the  hand 
of  God  ;  and  by  an  assertion  D.at  all  their  deliverance  'ver.  Vi)  had  been  wrought  by  God.  This  is 
succeeded  by  an  acknowledgment  that  they  had  submitted  to  other  Lords  than  JEHOVAH  ;  but  that 
now  they  would  submit  to  him  alonp.  vs.  13.  14.  The  declaration  succeeds  that  God  had  enlarged 
their  nation  (ver.  15):  and  this  is  followed  by  a  description  of  their  calamities,  and  their  abortive 
efforts  to  save  themselves  (vs.  16—18).  Many  had  died  in  their  captivity,  yet  there  is  now  the  as- 
surance (ver.  19)  that  they  should  live  again,  and  a  genera)  call  on  the  people  of  God  (ver.  20)  to  en- 
ter into  their  chambers,  and  hide  themselves  there  until  the  indignation  should  be  overpast,  with  lha 
assurance  (ver.  21)  that  JEHOVAH  would  come  forth  to  punish  the  oppressors  for  their  iniquity 
With  this  assurance  the  poem  closes 


428 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.I,  a 


1  In  that  day  shall  this  song  righteous  nation  which   keepetn 
be   sung   in  the   land  of  Judah  ;  the  'truth  may  enter  in. 

We  have  a  strong*   city ;   salva-  3.   Thou    wilt     keep    him7    in 

tion  will  God  appoint  for  walls'  perfect    peace,'"  whose8  mind    is 

and  bulwarks.  stayed  on  thee  :  because  he  trusl- 

2  Open  'yu  the  gates,  that  the  eth  in  thee. 


h  P«   31.  21. 
I  Ps.  118   IS. 


i  rh.  SO.  18. 
C  truths. 


1.  In  that  dull  shall  this  sorts  be 
tuag.  By  the  people  of  God,  on  their 
restoration  to  their  own  land.  1T  II V 
hurr  it  strong  c/ii'.  Jerusalem.  This 
ill  rs  not  mean  that  it  was  then  strongly 
fertifie  ',  but  that  God  would  guard  it, 
and  that  thus  it  would  be  strong.  Je- 
rusalem was  easily  capable  of  being 
strongly  fortified  (Ps  xxv.  2);  but  the 
idea  here  is,  that  Jehovah  would  be  a 
protector,  and  that  this  would  consti- 
tute its  strength,  f  Salvation  trill 
God  appoint  lor  walls.  That  is,  he 
will  himself  be  the  defender  of  his  peo- 
ple in  the  place  of  walls  and  bulwarks. 
A  similar  expression  occurs  in  ch.  lx. 
18.  See  also  Jer.  iii  23,  and  Zech  ii. 
5.  IT  Bulwarks.  This  word  means 
properly  bastions,  or  ramparts.  The 
original  means  properly  a  pomoeriiiin, 
or  antemurai  defence  ;  a  space  without 
the  wall  of  a  city  raised  up  like  a  small 
wall.  The  Syriac  renders  it,  "  Son  of 
a  wall,"  Bar  shuro,  meaning  a  small 
wall.  It  was  usually  a  breastwork,  or 
heap  of  earth  thrown  up  around  the 
city  that  constituted  an  additional  de- 
fence, so  that  if  they  were  driven  from 
that  they  could  retreat  within  the  walls. 

2.  Open  ye  the  gates.  This  is  pro- 
bably the  language  of  a  chorus  respond- 
ing to  the  sentiment  in  ver.  1.  Tho 
captive  people  are  returning  ;  and  this 
cry  is  made  that  the  gates  of  the  city 
may  be  thrown  open,  and  that  they 
may  be  permitted  to  enter  without 
obstruction.  Comp.  Ps.  cxviii.  19, 
xxiv.  7,  9.  IT  That  the  righteous  na- 
tion which  kcepeth  the  truth.  Who 
during  their  long  captivity  and  inter- 
course with  heathen  nations  have  not 
apostatized  from  the  true  religion,  but 
have  adhered  firmly  to  the  worship  of 
■he  true  God.     This  was  doubtless  true 


7  peace,  ■peace,      m.  Ph.  4.  7. 

8  or,  thought,  or,  imagination. 


of  the   great  body  of  the  captive  Jews 
in  Babylon. 

3  Thou  wilt  keep  him.  The  fol- 
lowing verses  to  ver.  11,  contain  more] 
and  religious  reflections,  and  seem 
designed  to  indicate  the  resignation 
evinced  by  the  "righteous  nation" 
during  their  long  afflictions  Their 
own  feelings  they  are  here  represented 
as  uttering  in  the  form  of  general  truths 
to  be  sources  of  consolation  to  others. 
f  7/1  perfect  peace.  Heb.  as  in  the 
margin,  "peace,  peace  ;"  the  repetition 
of  the  word  denoting,  as  is  usual  in 
Hebrew,  emphasis,  and  here  evidently 
meaning  undisturbed,  perfect  peace. 
That  is,  the  mind  that  has  confidence 
in  God  shall  not  be  agitated  by  the  tri- 
als to  which  it  shall  be  subject ;  by 
persecution,  poverty,  sickness,  want, 
or  bereavement.  The  inhabitants  of 
Judea  had  been  borne  to  a  far  distant 
land.  They  had  been  subjected  to 
reproaches  and  to  scorn  (Ps.  exxxvii.)  ; 
had  been  stripped  of  their  property  and 
honour  ;  and  had  been  reduced  to  the 
condition  of  prisoners  and  captives. 
Yet  their  confidence  in  God  had  not 
been  shaken.  They  still  trusted  in 
him  ;  still  believed  that  he  could  and 
would  deliver  them.  Their  mind  was, 
therefore,  kept  in  entire  peace.  So  it 
was  with  the  Redeemer  when  he  w  is 
persecuted  and  maligned.  1  Pet.  ii. 
23.  Comp.  Luke  xxiii.  46.  And  so  it 
has  been  with  tens  of  thousands  of  the 
confessors  and  martyrs,  and  of  the  per- 
secuted and  afflicted  people  of  God, 
who  have  been  enabled  to  commit  their 
cause  to  him,  and  amidst  the  storms  of 
persecution,  and  even  in  the  prison  and 
at  the  stake,  have  been  kept  in  perfect 
peace.  U  Whose  mind  is  stayed  on 
thee.   Various  interpretations  have  been 


B.C  7J3.J 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


429 


4  Trust  p  ye  in  the  Lord  for 
ever:'  lor  in  the  Lord  JEHO- 
VAH is  'everlasting  strength. 

5  For  he  bringeth  down  thetn 
that    dwell    on    high  ;   the    lofty 

p  Ps.  62.  8.  q  Ps.  125.  1. 

9  the  rncJr  of  ages. 

given  of  this  passage,  but  our  trans- 
lation has  probably  hit  upon  the  exact 
sense.  The  word  which  is  rendered 
"  mind,"  "|2P ,  is  derived  from  "^ 
ydtzdr  to  form,  create,  devise  ;  and  it 
properly  denotes  that  which  it  formed 
or  made.  Is.  xxix.  16.  Heb.  ii.  IS.  Ps. 
ciii.  14.  Then  it  denotes  any  thing  that 
is  formed  by  the  mind — its  thoughts, 
imaginations,  devices.  Gen.  viii.  21. 
Deut.  xxxi.  21.  Here  it  may  mean  the 
thoughts  themselves,  or  the  mind  that 
forms  the  thoughts.  Either  interpreta- 
tion suits  the  connection,  and  will  make 
sense.  The  expression,  "  is  stayed  on 
thee,"  in  the  Hebrew  does  not  express 
the  idea  that  the  mind  is  stayed  on 
God,  though  that  is  evidently  implied. 
The  Hebrew  is  simply,  whose  mind   is 

stayed,  suppi  rted,  T^O  ;  that  is,  evi- 
dently, supported  by  God.  There  is 
no  other  support  but  that  ;  and  the 
connection  requires  us  to  understand 
this  of  him. 

4.  Trust  ye  in  the  Lord  for  ever. 
The  sense  is,  '  Let  your  confidence  in 
God  on  no  occasion  fail  Let  no  cala- 
mity, no  adversity,  no  persecution,  no 
poverty,  no  trial  of  any  kind,  prevent 
your  reposing  entire  confidence  in  him.' 
This  is  spoken  evidently  in  view  of  the 
fact  stated  in  the  previous  verse,  that 
the  mind  that  is  stayed  on  him  shall 
have  perfect  p»ace.  IT  For  in  the  Lord 
JEHOVAH.  This  is  one  of  the  four 
places  where  our  translators  have  re- 
tained the  original  word  JEHOVAH. 
Comp.  Ex.  vi.  3.  Ps.  lxxxiii.  18. 
Notes  on  Isa.  xii.  2.  The  original  is 
riirn  Pns  BeJAH  Jehovah;  the  first 
word,  ft*}  Jah  (comp.  Ps.  lxviii.  4), 
being  merely  an  abridged  form  of  Je- 
hovah. The  same  form  occurs  in 
th  xii.  2.  The  union  of  these  two 
forms  seems  designed  to  express,  in 


city,  he  layeth  it  low  ;  he  la/eth 
it  low,  even  to  the  ground ;  he 
bringeth  it  even  to  the  dust. 

6  The  foot  "shall  tread  it  down, 
even  the  feet  of  the  poor,  and  the 
steps  of  the  needy. 

a  Mai.  4.  3. 

the  highest  sense  possible,  the  majesty, 
glory,  and  holiness  of  God  ;  to  excite 
the  highest  possible  reverence  where 
language  fails  of  completely  conveying 
the  idea.  If  Is  everlasting  strength. 
Heb.  as  in  the  margin,  "  the  rock  of 
ages;"  a  more  poetic  and  beautiful 
expression  than  in  our  translation. 
The  idea  is,  that  God  is  firm  and  un- 
changeable like  an  eternal  rock  ;  and 
that  in  him  we  may  find  protection 
and  defence  for  everlasting  ages.  See 
Deut.  xxxii.  4,  15,  18,30,31.  1  Sam. 
ii  2.  Ps.xriii.31.  2  Sam.  xxii.  32,47, 
xxiii.  3  Ps  xix.  14,  xxviii.  1,  xlii.  9, 
lxii.  2,  6,  7,  &.c,  where  God  is  called 
a  rock. 

5.  The  lofty  city,  he  layeth  it  low. 
The  city  of  Babylon.  See  Note  ch. 
xxv.  12.  Comp.  Notes  on  chs.  xiii., 
xiv. 

6.  The  foot  shall  tread  it  down,  the 
feet  of  the  poor.  That  is,  evidently, 
those  who  had  been  despised  by  them, 
and  who  had  been  overcome  and  op- 
pressed by  them.  The  obvious  refer- 
ence here  is  to  the  Jews  who  had  been 
captives  there.  The  idea  is  not  neces- 
sarily that  the  "poor"  referred  to  here 
would  be  among  the  conquerors,  but 
that  when  the  Babylonians  should  be 
overcome  and  their  city  destroyed, 
those  who  were  then  oppressed  should 
be  in  circumstances  of  comparative 
prosperity.  No  doubt  the  Jews,  who 
in  subsequent  times  travelled  to  the 
site  of  Babylon  for  purposes  of  traffic, 
would  trample  indignantly  on  the  re- 
mains of  the  city  where  their  fathers 
were  captives  for  seventy  years,  and 
would  exult  in  the  idea  that  their  own 
once  downtrodden  city  Jerusalem  was 
in  a  condition  ol  comparative  prosperi- 
ty. That  there  were  many  Jews  in 
Babylon  after  that  city  began  to  decline 
from  its  haughtiness  and  grandeur,  w« 


430 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


7  The  way c of  the  just  is  up- 
rightness :d  ihou,  most  upright, 
dost  weigh  the  path  of  the  just. 

8  Yea,  in  the  way  of  thy  "judg- 
ments, O  Lord,  have   we  waited 

learn  expressly  from  both  Philo  and 
Josephus.  Thus  Philo  (in  Libro  de 
Legatione  ad  Caiom,  p.  792)  says, 
that  "  it  is  known  that  Babylon  and 
many  other  satraps  were  possessed  by 
the  Jews,  not  only  by  rumour,  but  by 
experience."  So  Josephus  (Ant.  B. 
xv.  c  ii.)  says  thai  there  were  in  the 
time  of  Hyioanus  many  Jews  at 
Babylon 

7.  The  way  of  the  just  is  upright- 
ness.  The  Hebrew  is  literally  '  The 
way  to  the  just  is  uprightness ;'  the' 
word  "way"  probably  refers  to  God's 
way,  or  his  dealings  with  the  ritrlit- 
eous.  The  sentiment  is,  that  his  deal- 
ings with  them  are  just;  that  though 
they  are  afflicted  and  oppressed,  yet  that 
his  ways  are  right,  and  they  will  yet 
perceive  it.  This  is  language  supposed 
to  be  used  by  the  captive  Jews  after 
they  had  seen  the  proud  city  of  Babylon 
taken,  and  after  God  had  come  forth  to 
restore  them  to  their  own  land.  The 
word  "  uprightness  "  in  the  original  is 
in  the  plural  number,  but  is  often  used 
in  the  sense  of  straightness  (Prov. 
xxiii.  31.  Cant.  vii.  10)  ;  of  sincerity, 
or  uprightness  (Cant.  i.  4) ;  or  of  right- 
eousness as  a  judge.  Ps.  xcix.  4,  ix.  9. 
lviii.  2.  IT  Thou  most  upright.  Evi- 
dently an  address  to  God,  as  being 
most  just,  and  as  having  now  evinced 
his  uprightness  in  the  deliverance  of  his 
people.  The  same  epithet  is  applied 
to  him  in  Deut  xxxii.  4  Ps.  xxv.  8, 
xcii.  16.  IT  Dost  weigh  the  path  of  the 
just.  The  word  here  used,  0?3  ,  may 
mean  to  weigh  as  in  a  balance  (Ps. 
lviii.  3)  ;  but  it  may  also  mean,  and 
does  usually,  to  make  straight  or 
smooth  ;  to  beat  a  path  ;  to  make  level. 
Ps.  lxxviii.  50.  Prov.  iv.  26,  v.  21. 
Here  it  probably  means,  that  God  had 
made  the  way  smooth,  or  exactly  1<  vel. 
He  had  removed  all  obstacles,  and  had 
conducted  his  people  in  a  plain  and 
eveiled  way.   See  Note  son  ch.  xl.  3,  4. 


for  thee  ;  the  desire*  of  our  soul 
is  to  thy  name,  and  to  the  remein, 
brance  of  thee. 

9   With  my  soul  have  I  desired 
c  Ep.  a.  to. 


d  Ps.  37.  23. 
g  Ps.  63.  1, 


8.  1  eo,  in  the  way  of  thy  judgments. 
The  word  judgments  often  refers  to  the 
statutes,  or  laws  of  God.  But  it  may 
also  refer  to  the  afflictions  and  trials 
with  which  he  visits  or  judges  men  ; 
the  punishments  which  they  endure  for 
their  sins.  In  which  sense  the  word 
is  used  here  it  is  not  easy  to  determine. 
Lowth  understands  it  of  the  "  laws"  of 
Jehovah.  So  Kimchi,  who  says  that 
the  sense  is,  that  during  their  captivity 
and  trials,  they  had  not  remitted  any 
thing  of  their  love  and  piety  towards 
God.  I  am  inclined  to  the  belief  that 
this  is  the  true  interpretation,  because 
in  the  corresponding  member  of  the 
parallelism  they  are  represented  as 
saying  that  the  desire  of  their  soul  was 
to  God,  and  to  the  remembrance  of 
him,  implying  that  they  sought  by  an 
observance  of  his  laws  to  please  him, 
and  to  secure  his  favour.  If  The  desire 
of  our  soul  is  to  thy  name.  The  word 
"  name  "  is  here  used,  as  it  is  often,  to 
denote  God  himself.  They  desired 
that  he  would  come  and  deliver  them  ; 
they  earnestly  wished  that  he  would 
manifest  himself  to  them  as  their  friend. 
IT  And  to  the  remembrance  of  thee.  The 
word  "  remembrance,"  "OT  ,  is  often 
equivalent  to  name,  appellation,  or  that 
by  which  any  one  is  remembered,  or 
known.     Thus  Ex.  iii.  15: 

This  is  my  name  for  ever; 

And  this  is  my  memorial  ("''13T)  unto  all  jren»- 
raliona. 

So  Ps.  xxx.  4 : 

Sins  unto  JEHOVAH,  O,  ye  saints  ofhia; 
And  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  ot  hi9  holi- 
ness; 

that  is,  at  his  holy  memorial  (Margin), 
or  name.  In  the  place  before  us  it 
seems  to  be  used  in  the  sense  of  name 
or  appellation :  that  is,  that  by  which 
God  would  be  remembered  or  known. 
!).  With  my  soul — in  the  night.  By 
desiring  God  in  the  night,  and  by  seek. 


BC.118.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


431 


thee  in  the  night  j^yea,  with  my 
spirit  within  me  will  I  seek  thee 
early  ;  for  when  ''thy  judgments 
are  in  the  earth,  the  inhabitants 
of  the  world  will  learn  righteous- 
ness. 

10  Let  ^favour  be  shewed  to 
the  wicked,  yet  will  he  not  learn 
righteousness :    in  'the    land   of 

h  Ca.  3   1.  t  Ps.  58.  II. 

k  Ec.  8.  11.     Re.  2.  21.     /  Ec.  3.  16. 

ing  him  early,  is  meant  that  the  desire 
to  seek  him  was  unremitted  and  con- 
stant. The  prophet  speaks  of  the  pious 
Jews  who  were  in  captivity  in  Baby- 
lon ;  and  says  that  it  was  the  object  of 
their  unremitted  anxiety  to  please  God, 
and  to  do  his  will.  IT  For  when  thy 
judgments  are  in  the  earth.  This  is 
given  as  a  reason  for  what  had  just 
been  said,  that  in  their  calamity  they 
had  sought  God  without  ceasing.  The 
reason  is,  that  the  punishments  which 
he  inflicted  were  intended  to  lead  men 
to  learn  righteousness.  The  sentiment 
is  expressed  in  a  general  form,  though 
there  is  no  doubt  that  the  immediate 
reference  is  to  the  calamities  which  the 
Jews  had  suffered  in  their  removal  to 
Babylon  as  a  punishment  for  their  sins. 
IT  Learn  righteousness.  The  design  is 
to  warn,  to  restrain,  and  to  reform 
them.  The  immediate  reference  hero 
was  undoubtedly  to  the  Jews,  in  whom 
this  effect  was  seen  in  a  remarkable 
manner  in  their  captivity  in  Babylon. 
But  it  is  also  true  of  other  nations  ; 
and  though  the  effect  of  calamity  is 
not  always  to  turn  a  people  to  God,  or 
to  make  them  permanently  righteous, 
yet  it  restrains  them,  and  leads  them 
at  least  to  an  external  reformation.  It 
is  also  true  in  regard  to  nations  as  well 
as  individuals,  that  they  make  a  more 
decided  advance  in  virtue  and  piety  in 
days  of  affliction  than  in  the  time  of 
great  external  prosperity.  Comp.  Deut. 
vi.  11,  12. 

10.  Let  favour  b*  showed  to  the  wick- 
ed. This  is  designed  as  an  illustration 
of  the  sentiment  in  the  previous  verse 
— that  judgments  were  needful  in  order 
that  wicked  men  might  be  brought  to 


uprightness  will  he  deal  unjustly, 
and  will  not  behold  the  majesty" 
of  the  Lord. 

11  Lord,  when  thy  hand  is 
lifted  up,  they  ?will  not  see  :  but 
they  shall*  see,  and  be  ashamed 
for  their  envy  sat  the  people  ; 
yea,  the  fire*  of  thine  enemies 
shall  devour  them. 

n  c.  2.  10.       p  Je.  5.  3        q  Re  1.  7. 
6,  or,  toward  thy.         »  Da.  3.  22,  25. 

the  ways  of  righteousness.  The  truth 
is  general,  that  though  wicked  men 
are  favoured  with  success  in  their  en- 
terprises, yet  the  effect  will  not  be  to 
lead  them  to  the  ways  of  virtue  and 
religion.  How  often  is  this  illustrated 
in  the  conduct  of  wicked  men  !  How 
often  do  they  show,  whe^  rolling  in 
wealth,  or  when  surrounded  with  the 
comforts  of  the  domestic  circle,  that 
they  feel  no  need  of  the  friendship  of 
God,  and  that  their  heart  has  no  re- 
sponse of  gratitude  to  make  for  all  his 
mercies  !  Hence  the  necessity,  accord- 
ing to  the  language  of  the  song  before 
us,  that  God  should  take  away  their 
property,  remove  their  friends,  or  de- 
stroy their  health,  in  order  that  they 
may  be  brought  to  honour  him.  To  do 
this,  is  benevolence  in  God  ;  for  what- 
ever is  needful  to  bring  the  sinner  to 
the  love  of  God  and  to  the  ways  of 
virtue,  is  kindness  to  his  soul.  *f  In 
the  land  of  uprightness.  Even  when 
others  are  just  and  pious  around  him  ; 
when  this  is  so  much  the  general  cha- 
racteristic that  it  may  be  called  '  the 
land  of  integrity,'  yet  he  will  pursue 
his  way  of  iniquity  though  in  it  he  may 
be  solitary.  Such  is  his  love  of  sin, 
that  neither  the  favour  of  God  nor  the 
general  piety  around  him,  neither  the 
mercy  of  his  Maker  nor  the  influence 
of  holy  examples,  will  lead  him  in  the 
way  of  piety  and  truth.  IT  Will  not 
behold  the  majesty  of  the  Lord.  Will 
not  see  that  which  makes  the  Lord 
glorious  in  his  dealings  with  men,  so 
as  to  love  and  adore  him.  He  is  blind, 
and  sees  no  evidence  of  loveliness  in 
the  character  of  God. 

11.   Lord,  when  thy  hand  is  lifted 


432 


ISAIAH. 


[77.C.713. 


12  Lord,  thou  wilt  ordain 
peace'  for  us  :  for  thou  also  hast 
wrought  all  our  works7  in  us. 

13  O  Lord  our  God,  other" 
lords  beside  thee  have  had  do- 
minion   over    us :  but0    by   thee 

I  ver.  3.       7  or,  for.        u  2  Ch.  28.  5,  6.        Ro.  6. 
16—18.    V  Ph.  71.  15,  16. 

vp.  This  is  an  explanation  of  the  sen- 
timent expressed  in  the  former  verse. 
The  lifting  up  of  the  hand  here  refers, 
doubtless,  to  the  manifestation  of  the  ma- 
jesty and  goodness  of  the  Lord.  If  They 
will  not  «r.  They  are  blind  to  all  the 
exhibitions  of  power,  mercy,  and  good- 
ness. Ti  But  they  shall  see.  They  shall 
yet  be  brought  to  recognize  thy  hand. 
They  shall  see  thy  favour  towards  thy 
children,  and  thy  judgment  on  thy  foes. 
The  divine  dealings  will  be  such  that 
they  shall  be  constrained  to  recognize 
nim,  and  to  acknowledge  his  existence 
and  perfections.  If  And  be  ashamed. 
Be  confounded  because  they  did  not 
sooner   recognize  the  divine  goodness. 

1  Far  their  envy  at  thy  people.  The 
word  "their"  is  not  in  the  Hebrew, 
and  the  sense  is,  that  they  shall  see  the 
/eal  of  Jehovah  in  behalf  of  his  people, 
and  shall  be  ashamed  that  they  did  not 
sooner  recognize  his  hand.  The  word 
rendered  envy,  "^5*3p  ,  may  mean  envy 
(Eccl.  iv.  4,  ix.  6),  but  it  more  properly 
and    frequently    means    zeal,    ardour. 

2  Kings  x  It)  Isa  ix.  6.  If  Yea,  the 
fire  of  thine  enemies  shall  devour  thrm. 
Or,  rather,  '  Yea,  the  fire  in  regard  to 
thy  enemies  shall  devour  them.'  The 
sense  is,  that  when  his  people  were  de- 
livered, his  foes  would  be  destroyed  ; 
his  zeal  for  his  people  would  also  be 
connected  with  indignation  against  his 
foes.  The  deliverance  of  his  people 
from  Babylon,  and  the  commencement 
of  the  downfall  of  that  city  were  simul- 
taneous, and  the  cause  was  the  same. 

12.  Thou  wilt  ordain  peace.  The  word 
peace  here  seems  to  stand  opposed  to 
the  evils  of  various  kinds  which  they 
had  experienced  in  the  captivity  at  Ba- 
bylon ;  and  to  refer  not  only  to  peace, 
but  also  to  prosperity,  and  to  the  con- 
tinued divine  favour.     1i  For  thou  hast 


only  will  we  make  mention  of 
thy  name. 

14  They  are  dead,  they  shall 
not  live  ;  they  are  deceased,  they 
shall  not  rise  :  therefore  hast  thou 
visited  and  destroyed  them,  and 
made  all  their  memory  to  perish. 

wrought  all  our  tcorks  in  us.  Or, 
rather,  for  us,  133  .  It  is  owing  to  thy 
hand  that  we  are  saved. 

13.  Other  lords  beside  thee  hare  had 
dominion.  The  allusion  here  is  to  'he 
kings  of  Babylon  who  had  subdued  and 
oppressed  them,  and  who  in  their  long 
captivity  had  held  them  in  subjection 
to  their  laws.  IT  But  by  thee  only  will 
ire  imike  mention  of  thy  name.  This 
may  be  better  rendered,  '  bat  only  thee, 
thy  name  will  we  henceforward  com- 
memorate.' The  words  "  by  thee," 
and  "  thy  name,"  are  put  in  apposition, 
and  denote  the  same  thing.  The  word 
"make  mention,"  "l",3>"?  ,  means  lite- 
rally to  cause  to  be  remembered  ;  to 
commemorate  ;  to  celebrate.  The  idea 
is,  that  during  their  ions  captivity  they 
had  been  subject  to  the  dominion  of 
other  lords  than  Jehovah  ;  but  now  that 
they  vere  restored  to  their  own  land 
they  would  acknowledge  only  Jehovah 
as  their  Lord,  and  would  henceforward 
celebrate  only  his  name. 

14.  They  are  dead.  That  is,  the 
kings  and  tyrants  to  whom  reference  ia 
made  in  ver.  13.  The  principal  ene- 
mies of  the  Jews,  who  had  oppressed 
them,  were  slain  when  Babylon  was 
taken  by  Cyrus.  See  Notes  chs.  xiii. 
xiv.  If  They  shall  not  live.  They 
shall  not  again  live,  and  be  permitted 
to  harass  and  enslave  us.  1f  They 
are  deceased.  Heb.  E^XS1!  —  a  name 
given  to  the  shades  or  wanes  of  the 
dead,  from  an  idea  that  they  were  weak 
and  powerless.  See  Notes  ch.  xiv  9, 
10.  Co'mp.  Ps.  lxxxviii.  11.  Prov.  ii. 
18,  ix.  IS,  xxi  16.  The  sense  here  is, 
that  they  had  died  and  gone  to  the  land 
of  shades,  and  were  now  unable  any 
more  to  reach  or  injure  the  people  of 
God.     H    Therefore.     Or    rather  for ; 


fi.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


433 


15  Thou    hast   increased    the  ] 
nation,  O    Lord,    thou    hast   in- 
creased   the     nation  :    thou    art 
glorified  :  thou  hadst  removed  it  ' 
far  unto  all  the  ends  of  the  earth,  j 

16  Lord,    in     trouble*   have  ! 
they   visited   thee,    they    poured 
out  a  'prayer  when  thy  chasten, 
ing  was  upon  them. 

17  Like    as    a    woman    with 

x  Hos.  5.  15.       1  secret  speech. 

the  word  "?'  being  used  evidently  in 
the  sense  of  because  that,  as  in  Gen. 
xxxviii.  26.  Ps.  xlii.  7,  xlv.  3.  Num.  xi. 
31,  xiv.  13.  The  declaration  that  fol- 
lows is  given  as  the  reason  why  they 
were  dead,  and  incapable  of  again  in- 
juring or  annoying  them.  H  Hast  thou 
visited,  &,c.  See  Note  ch.  xxiv.  22. 
The  word  visit  here  is  used  in  the  sense 
of  to  punish,  f  And  made  all  their 
memory  to  perish.  Hast  blotted  out 
their  name  ;  hast  caused  their  celebrity 
to  cease 

15.  Thou  hast  increased  the  nation. 
That  is,  the  Jewish  nation.  Note  ch. 
ix  3.  The  nation  was  not  only  en- 
larged by  its  regular  increase  of  popu- 
lation, but  many  converts  attended 
them  on  their  return  from  Babylon, and 
probably  many  came  in  from  surround- 
ing nations  on  the  rebuilding  of  their 
capital.  1T  Thou  hadst  removed  it  far, 
&c.  Or,  rather,  thou  hast  extended 
far  all  the  borders  of  the  land.  The 
word  rendered  "  removed,"  pH^  , 
means  usually  to  put  far  away,  and 
here  it  may  mean  to  put  far  away  the 
borders  or  boundaries  of  the  nation  ; 
that  is,  to  extend  them  far.  The  word 
"  unto  "  is  not  in  the  original ;  and  the 
phrase  rendered  "  ends  of  the  earth," 
may  mean  the  borders,  or  boundaries 
of  the.  land.  The  parallelism  requires 
this  construction,  and  it  is  indeed  the 
obvious  one,  and  has  been  adopted  by 
Lowth  and  Noyes. 

16.  Powed  out  a  prayer.  Margin, 
teciet  speech.  The  Hebrew  word  lOH? 
meitns  properly  a  whispering,  mutter- 
aig  ;  ai.d  iiu.ii   a  tjigl.ing,  u  calling  for 

1J 


child,  that  draweth  near  the  time 
of  her  delivery,  is  in  pain,  and 
crieth  out  in  her  pangs ;  so  have 
we  been  in  thy  sight,  O  Lord. 

18  We  have  been  with  child, 
we  have  been  in  pain,  we  have 
as  it  were  brought  forth  wind  ; 
we  have  not  wrought  any  de- 
liverance in  the  earth,  neither 
have  the  inhabitants  of  the  world 
fallen. 

help.  This  is  the  sense  here.  In  their 
calamity  they  sighed,  and  called  on 
God  for  help. 

1 7.  Like  as  a  woman  with  child,  &c. 
This  verse  is  designed  to  state  their 
griefs  and  sorrows  during  the  time  of 
their  oppression  in  Babylon.  The 
comparison  here  used  is  one  that  is 
very  frequent  in  the  sacred  writings  to 
represent  any  great  suffering.  See  Ps. 
xlviii.  6.  Jer.  vi.  24,  xiii.  21,  xxii.  23, 
xlix.  24, 1.  43.  Micah  iv.  9,  10. 

18.  We  have  been,  &c.  This  refers 
to  sorrows  and  calamities  which  they 
had  experienced  in  former  times,  when 
they  had  made  great  efforts  for  deliver- 
ance, and  when  those  efforts  had  proved 
abortive.  Perhaps  it  refers  to  the  ef- 
forts of  this  kind  which  they  had  made 
during  their  painful  captivity  of  seventy 
years  There  is  no  direct  proof,  in- 
deed, that  during  that  time  they  at- 
tempted to  revolt,  or  that  they  organ- 
ized themselves  for  resistance  to  the 
Babylouish  power ;  but  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  they  earnestly  desired 
deliverance,  and  that  their  condition 
was  one  of  extreme  pain  and  anguish 
— a  condition  that  is  strikingly  repre- 
sented here  by  the  pains  of  childbirth. 
Nay,  it  is  not  improbable  that  during 
that  long  period  there  may  have  been 
abortive  efforts  made  at  deliverance, 
and  that  here  they  refer  to  those  efforts 
as  having  accomplished  nothing.  IT  We 
have  as  it  were  brought  forth  wind. 
Our  efforts  have  availed  nothing.  Mi- 
chaelis,  as  quoted  by  Lowth,  explains 
this  figure  in  the  following  manner : 
"  Rariofem  moibura  de9cribi,  empneu« 


434 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.713. 


19  Thy  dead  men  shall  live, 
together  with  my  dead  body  shall 
they    arise.      Awake    and    sing, 


matosin,  aut  ventosam  molam  dictum  ; 
quo  quae  laborant  diu  et  sibi,  et  periti9 
roedicis  gravidae  videntur,  tamiemque 
post  onmes  verae  gravitatis  molestias 
et  labores  ventum  ex  utero  emittant; 
queni  morhum  passim  describunt  me- 
dici."  Syntagma  Comment,  vol.  ii.  p. 
lt>.">.  Grotius  thinks  that  the  reference 
is  to  birds,  quae  edunt  ova  subventanea, 
and  refers  to  Pliny  x.  58.  But  the  cor- 
rect reference  is,  doubtless,  that  which 
is  mentioned  by  Michaelis.  11  Neit/irr 
have  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  fal- 
len. We  had  no  power  to  subdue 
them  ;  and  notwithstanding  all  our  ex- 
ertions their  dominion  was  unbroken. 
This  refers  to  the  Babylonians  who  had 
dominion  over  the  captive  Jews. 

19.  Thy  dead  men  shall  live.  Very 
various  interpretations  have  been  given 
of  this  verse,  which  may  be  seen  at 
length  by  comparing  Vitringa,  Rosen- 
mtlller,  Gesenius,  and  Pool's  Synopsis. 
In  ver  14,  the  chorus  is  represented  as 
saying  of  the  dead  men  and  tyrants  of 
Babylon  that  had  oppressed  the  captive 
Jews,  that  they  should  not  rise,  and 
should  no  more  oppress  the  people  of 
God.  In  contradistinction  from  this 
fate  of  their  enemies,  the  choir  is 
here  introduced  as  addressing  Jehovah 
(comp.  ver.  16),  and  saying  '  thv  dead 
shall  live  ;'  that  is,  thy  people  shall 
live  again  ;  shall  be  restored  to  vigour, 
and  strength,  and  enjoyment.  They 
had  been  dead  ;  that  is,  civilly  dead  in 
Babylon  ;  they  were  cut  off  from  their 
privileges,  torn  away  from  their  homes, 
made  captives  in  a  foreign  land.  Their 
king  had  been  dethroned  ;  their  temple 
demolished  ;  their  princes,  priests,  and 
people  made  captive  ;  their  name  blot- 
ted from  the  list  of  nations  ;  and  to  all 
intents  and  purposes  as  a  people  they 
were  deceased.  This  figure  is  one 
that  is  common,  by  which  the  loss  of 
privileges  and  enjoyments,  and  espe- 
cially of  civil  rights,  is  represented  as 
death-     Sp  we  speak  now  of  a  man's 


ye-^that  dwell   in  dust;  for  thy 

dew  is  as  the  dew   of  herbs,  and 

the  earth  shall  cast  out  the  dead. 

/  Da  .  12.  a 

being  dead  in  law  ;  dead  to  his  coun- 
try ;  spiritually  dead  ;  dead  in  sins.  I 
do  not  understand  this,  therefore,  as  re- 
ferring  primarily  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead  ;  but  to  the 
captives  in  Babylon  who  were  civilly 
dead,  and  cut  off  by  their  oppressors 
from  their  rights  and  enjoyments  as  a 
nation.  II  Shall  lire.  Shall  be  re- 
stored to  their  country,  and  be  rein- 
stated in  all  their  rights  tnd  immuni- 
ties as  a  people  among  the  nations  of 
the  earth.  This  restoration  shall  be  as 
striking  as  would  be  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead  from  their  graves  Though, 
therefore,  this  does  not  refer  primarily 
to  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  yet  the 
illustration  is  drawn  from  that  doctrine, 
and  implies  that  that  doctrine  was  one 
with  which  they  were  familiar.  An 
image  which  is  employed  for  the  sake 
of  illustration  must  be  one  that  is  fami- 
liar to  the  mind,  and  the  reference  here 
to  this  doctrine  is  a  demonstration  that 
the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  was 
well  known.  IT  Together  with  my 
dead  body  shall  they  rise.  The  words 
"  together  with  "  are  not  in  the  origi- 
nal. The  words  rendered  "  my  dead 
body,"  T1???  ,  literally  means  '  my 
dead  body,'  and  may  be  applied  to  a 
man,  or  to  a  beast.  Lev  v.  2,  vii.  24. 
It  is  also  applied  to  the  dead  in  gene- 
ral ;  to  the  deceased  ;  to  carcasses,  or 
dead  bodies.  See  Ps  lxxix.  2.  Jer.  vii. 
33,  ix.  22,  xvi.  18,  xxvi  23.  Lev.  xi. 
11.  Jer.  xxxiv.  20.  It  may,  therefore, 
be  rendered  my  deceased,  my  dead ; 
and  will  thus  be  parallel  with  the 
jib  rase  "  thy  dead  men,"  and  is  used 
with  reference  to  the  same  species  of 
resurrection.  It  is  not  the  language 
of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  as  if  he  referred 
to  his  own  body  when  it  should  be 
dead,  but  it  is  the  language  of  the  choir 
that  sings  and  speaks  in  the  name  of 
the  Jewish  people.  That  people  is  thus 
introduced  as  saying  my  dead,  that  is 
our  dead  shall   rise.     Not  only  in   th« 


B.C. US.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


435 


20  Come,  my  people,  enter  self  as  it  were  for  a  little  mo. 
thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  ment,  until  the  indignation  be 
thy  doors  about  thee  :   hide  thy-  j  overpast. 


.address  to  Jehovah  is  this  sentiment 
uttered  when  it  is  said  "  thy  dead  shall 
rise,"  but  when  the  attention  is  turned 
to  themselves  as  a  people  they  say  "  our 
dead  shall  rise  ;"  those  that  appertain 
to  our  nation  shall  rise  from  the  dust, 
and  be  restored  to  their  own  privileges 
and  land  IT  Awake  and  sins.  In 
view  of  the  cheering  and  consolatory 
fact  just  stated  that  the  dead  shall  rise, 
the  chorus  calls  on  the  people  to  awake 
and  rejoice.  This  is  an  address  made 
directly  to  the  dejected  and  oppressed 
people,  as  if  the  choir  were  with  them. 
It  Ye  that  dwell  in  dust.  To  sit  in 
dust,  or  to  dwell  in  the  dust,  is  emble- 
matic of  a  state  of  dejection,  want,  op- 
pression, or  poverty.  Isa.  xlvii  1.  Ps. 
xliv.  25,  cxix.  25.  Isa.  xxv.  12,  xxvi 
5.  Here  it  is  supposed  to  be  addressed 
to  the  captives  in  Babylon,  as  oppress- 
ed, enslaved,  dejected.  The  language 
is  derived  from  the  doctrine  of  the  re- 
surrection of  the  body — and  proves  that 
that  doctrine  was  understood  and  be- 
lieved ; — the  sense  is,  that  those  who 
were  thus  dejected  and  humbled  should 
be  restored  to  their  former  elevated  pri- 
vileges. IF  For  thy  dew.  This  is  evi- 
dently an  address  to  Jehovah.  His 
dew  is  that  which  he  sends  down  from 
heaven,  and  which  is  under  his  direc- 
tion and  control.  Dew  is  the  emblem 
of  that  which  refreshes  and  vivifies. 
In  countries  where  it  rains  but  seldom, 
as  it  does  in  the  East,  the  copious  dews 
at  night  supply  in  some  sense  the  want 
of  rain.  Thence  dew  is  used  in  Scrip- 
ture as  an  emblem  of  the  graces  and 
influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  by  which 
his  people  are  cheered  and  comforted, 
as  the  parched  earth  and  the  withered 
herbs  are  refreshed  by  the  copious  dews 
at  night.     Thus  in  Hos.  xiv.  5 : 

I  will  be  as  the  dew  unto  Israel ; 

He  shall  prow  as  the  lily, 

And  cast  forth  his  roots  as  Lebanon. 

The  prophet  here  speaks  of  the  cap- 
tivity in  Babylon.  Their  state  is  repre- 
sented as  a  state  of  death — illustrated 


by  the  parched  earth,  and  the  decayed 
and  withered  herbs.  But  his  grace 
and  favour  would  visit  them,  and  they 
would  be  revived.  IT  As  the  dew  of 
herbs.  As  the  dew  that  falls  on  herbs, 
This  phrase  has,  however,  been  ren- 
dered very  variously.  The  Vulgate 
renders  it,  "  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of 
light  "  The  LXX,  "  thy  dew  shall  be 
healing,  "a/ta,  unto  them."  The  Chal- 
dee,  "  thy  dew  shall  be  the  dew  of  light." 
But  the  most  correct  arid  consistent 
translation  is  undoubtedly  that  which 
renders  the  word  mix  herbs  or  vege- 
tables. Comp.  2  Kings  ix.  19.  T  And 
the  earth  shall  cast  out  the  dead. 
This  is  language  which  is  derived  from 
the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
body  ;  and  shows  also  that  that  doc- 
trine was  understood  by  the  Hebrews 
in  the  time  of  Isaiah.  The  sense  is, 
that  as  the  earth  shall  cast  forth  its 
dead  in  the  resurrection,  so  the  people 
of  God  in  Babylon  should  be  restored 
to  life,  and  to  their  former  privileges  in 
their  own  land. 

20.  Come,  my  people.  This  is  an 
epilogue  (Rosenmtlller),  in  which  the 
choir  addresses  the  people  and  entreats 
them  to  be  tranquil  during  that  convul- 
sion by  which  their  oppressors  would 
be  punished,  and  the  way  made  for 
their  deliverance.  The  image  is  taken 
from  seeking  a  shelter  when  a  storm 
rages,  until  its  fury  is  spent.  The  ad- 
dress is  to  the  captive  Jews  in  Babylon. 
The  tempest  that  would  rage  would  be 
the  wars  and  commotions  by  which 
Babylon  was  to  be  overthrown.  While 
that  storm  raged,  they  were  exhorted 
to  be  calm  and  serene.  IT  Enter  thou 
into  thy  chambers.  Into  places  of  re- 
tirement, where  the  storm  of  indigna- 
tion on  your  enemies  shall  not  reach  or 
affect  you.  f  Hide  thyself  as  it  were, 
&c.  Do  not  mingle  in  the  scenes  of 
battle,  lest  you  should  partake  of  the 
general  calamity.  11  Fur  a  little  mo- 
ment. Implying  that  the  war  would 
not  rage  long.     Babylon  was  taken  in 


436 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713, 


21  For,  behold,  the  Lord 
Comeths'  out  of  his  place  to  pun- 
ish the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 

g  Jude  14, 15. 

a  single  night  (see  Notes  on  chs.  xiii., 
xiv  ),  and  the  call  here  is  for  the  people 
of  God  to  be  calm  while  this  battle 
should  rage  in  which  the  city  should 
be  taken  If  Until  the  indignation, 
&,c.  Not,  as  Lowth  supposes,  the  in- 
dignation of  God  against  his  people,  but 
the  storm  of  hie  indignation  against 
their  enemies  the  Babylonians.  That 
would  be  soon  "  overpast,"  the  city 
would  be  taken,  the  storms  of  war 
would  cease  to  rage,  and  thru  they 
would  be  delivered,  and  might  safely 
return  to  their  own  land. 

21.  For,  behold,  the  Lord  comet h 
out  of  his  place.  That  is,  from  heaven, 
whioh  is  the  dwelling-place,  or  resi- 
dence, of  God.  Micah  i.  3.  Ps.  cxv.  3. 
Ezek.  iii.  12.  When  God  executes 
vengeance,  he  is  represented  as  coming 
from  his  abode,  his  dwelling-place,  his 
capitol — as  a  monarch  goes  forth  to 
war  to  destroy  his  foes.  If  To  punish 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  The  land 
of  Chaldea,  or  of  Babylon.  IT  The 
earth  also  shall  disclose  her  blood. 
Blood,  in  the  Scriptures,  often  denotes 
guilt.  The  sense  here  is,  that  the 
land  of  Chaldea  would  reveal  its  guilt  ; 
that  is,  the  punishment  which  God 
would  inflict  would  be  a  revelation  of 
the  crimes  of  the  nation.  There  is  a  re- 
semblance here  to  the  language  which 
was  used  respecting  the  blood  of  Abel, 
Gen.  iv  10  :  "  The  voice  of  thy  brother's 
blood  (Heb  as  here,  bloods)  crieth  unto 
me   from    the    ground."     Tf  Arid  shall 


for  their  iniquity  :  the  earth  also. 
shall  disclose  her  4blood,  and 
shall  no  more  cover  her  slain. 

4  Woods. 

no  more  cover  her  slain.  Shall  no 
more  be  able  to  conceal  its  guilt  in 
slaying  the  people  of  God.  Ry  these 
hopes,  the  Jews  were  to  be  comforted 
in  their  calamity  ;  and  no  doubt  this 
song  was  penned  by  Isaiah  long  before 
thnt  captivity,  in  order  that,  in  the 
midst  of  their  protracted  and  severe 
trials,  they  might  be  consoled  with  the 
hope  of  deliverance,  and  might  know 
what  to  do  when  the  storms  of  war 
should  race  around  the  place  of  their 
captivity,  and  when  the  proud  city  was 
to  fall  They  were  not  to  mingle  in 
the  strife  ;  were  to  take  no  part  with 
either  their  foes  or  their  deliverers  ;  but 
were  to  be  calm,  gentle,  peaceful,  and 
to  remember  that  all  this  was  to  effect 
their  deliverance.  Comp  Ex.  xiv.  13, 
14:  "  Fear  ye  not,  stand  still,  and  see 
the  salvation  of  Jehovah  ;  .Ikhovah  shall 
fight  for  you,  and  ye  shall  hold  your 
peace." — There  are  times  when  the 
children  of  God  should  look  calmly  an 

,  the  conflicts  of  the  men  of  this  world. 

!  They  should  mingle  with  neither  party  ; 
for  they  should  remember  that  Jehovah 
presides  over  these  agitations,  and  that 
their  ultimate  end  is  to  bring  deliver- 
ance to  his  church,  and  to  advance  the 
interests  of  his  kingdom  on  the  earth. 
Then  they  should  he  mild,  gentle, 
prayerful  ;  and  should  look  up  to  God 
to  make  all  these  agitations  and  strifes 
the  means  of  advancing  the  interests  of 
his  kingdom. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

ANALYSIS. 

For  the  general  design  ot  this  chapter,  see  the  analysis  of  eh.  xxiv.  Many  different  expositions 
have  been  riven  of  its  design,  and  indeed  almost  even  oorometitatot  ha.,  had  his  own  theory,  and 
Has  differed  from  almost  every  other.  Some  of  the  dhTeronl  views  which  have  been  taken  may  be 
»eei,  in  the  Notes  on  ver  1,  and  may  be  examined  ut  len.'.'ln  in  Vilringa.  I  regtt/d  tin-  most  simple 
and  obvious  interpretation  as  the  correct  one ;  and  thut  is.  thnt  it  is  a  continuation  ol  the  vision  com- 
menced in  th.  xxiv.,  and  referring  to  the  same  groat  oveut— the  captivity  at  Bubyloi:  and  the  deliver 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


43' 


that  crooked  serpent ;  and  he 
shall  slay  the  dragon  that  is  in 
the  sea. 


k  Ps   74.  14. 
i  or,  crossing  like,  a  bar. 


ance  from  that  captivity.  This  subject  has  been  pursued  through  the  xxivth,  the  xxvth,  and  th» 
xxvith  chapters  In  the  xxvth  ami  the  xxvith  chapters  the  main  design  was  to  show  the  joy  which 
would  be  evinced  on  their  rescue  from  that  land.  The  main  purpose  of  this  is,  to  show  the  etlect 
of  that  captivity  and  deliverance  in  purifying  the  Jews  themselves,  and  in  overcoming  their  pro- 
pensity to  idolatry,  on  account  of  which  the  captivity  had  been  suffered  to  take  place.  The  design 
of  the  chapter  is  like  that,  of  many  others  in  Isaiah,  to  comfort  them  when  they  ^luuld  be  oppressed 
during  their  long  and  painful  exile.  The  general  (dan  of  the  chapter  is,  (1)  a  statement  that  their 
jreat  enemy,  the  Leviathan,  should  be  destroyed  (ver.  1);  and  (•:)  a  song,  in  alternate  responses, 
respecting  the  people  of  God,  under  the  image  of  a  vineyard  yielding  rich  wines  (vs.  2—13).  In  this 
song  JEHOVAH'S  protection  over  the  vineyard  is  shown  (ver.  3) ;  he  declares  that  he  is  not  actuated 
by  fury  ver.  4)  ;  his  people  are  exhorted  to  trust  in  him  (ver.  5)  a- full  promise  that  the  Jews  shall 
yet  flourish  is  given  (ver.  6'  ;  JBHOVAH  says  that  his  judgments  are  mild  on  them  vs.  7,  8).  and 
that  the  design  is  to  purify  his  people  (ver.  9)  .  for  their  sins  they  should  be  punished  (vs.  10,  11); 
yet  that  they  should  be  restored  lo  their  own  land,  and  worship  him  in  the  holy  mount  at  Jerusalem 
(vs.  12,  13.) 

1  Iii  that  day  the  Lord,  with 
his  sore,  and  great,  and  strong 
sword,  shall  punish  leviathan*-'  the 
*  piercing  serpent,  even  leviathan 

1.  in  t/iul  day  In  that  future  time 
when  the  Jews  would  be  captive  in 
Babylon,  and  when  they  would  Bigh  tor 
deliverance.  See  Note  ch.  xxvi.  1. 
This  verse  might  have  been  connected 
with  the  previous  chapter,  as  it  refers 
to  the  same  event,  and  then  this  chap- 
ter would  have  more  appropriately 
commenced  with  the  poem  or  song 
which  begins  in  ver.  2.  11  With  his 
sore,  fittjl^rl .  Hard.  Septuagint,  n> 
hyiav — holy.  The  Hebrew  means  a 
sword  that  is  hard,  or  well-tempered 
and  trusty.  11  And  great,  and  strong 
sword.  The  sword  is  an  emblem  of 
war,  and  is  often  used  among  the  He- 
brews to  denote  war.  See  Lev.  xxvi. 
25  Gen.  xxvii.  40.  It  is  also  an 
emblem  of  justice  or  punishment,  as 
punishment  then,  as  it  is  now  in  the 
Turkish  dominions,  was  often  inflicted 
by  the  sword.  Deut.  iii.  41,  42.  Ps. 
vii.  12.  Heb.  xi.  37.  Here,  if  it  refers 
to  the  overthrow  of  Babylon  and  its 
tyrannical  king,  it  means  that  God 
would  punish  them  by  the  armies  of  the 
Medes,  employed  as  his  sword  or  in- 
strument. Thus  in  Ps.  xvii.  13,  David 
prays,  "  Deliver  my  soul  from  the 
wicked,  which  is  thy  sword."  Comp 
Notes    Isa.    x.    5,    6.       H   Leviathan, 

)*}*$>.  The  LXX  render  this,  r&v 
ifiiiKuvra,  the  dragon.  The  word  le- 
viathan is  probably  derived  from  >"<*? 
in  Arabic  to  weave,  lo  twist  (Geseni- 
vs) ;  and  literally  means  the  twisted 
inimal.  The  word  occurs  in  six  places 
\\  the  Old  Testament,  and  is  translated 


in  Job  iii.  8,  "  their  mourning,"  Marg. 
leviathan;  in  Job  xli  1,  leviathan — 
in  which  chapter  is  an  extended  de- 
scription of  the  animal  ;  in  Ps.  lxxiv. 
14,  it  is  rendered  leviathan,  and  seems 
to  be  applied  to  Pharaoh  ;  and  in  Ps. 
civ.  26,  and  in  the  passage  before  us, 
where  it  is  twice  also  rendered  levia- 
than. Bochart  (Hieroz.  P.  ii.  B.  v.  c. 
16—18)  has  gone  into  an  extended  ar- 
gument to  show  that  by  the  leviathan 
the  crocodile  is  intended  ;  and  his  argu- 
ment is  in  my  view  conclusive.  On 
this  subject,  Bochart ;  Dr.  Good  on  Job 
xli.  ;  and  Robinson's  Calmet,  may  be 
consulted.  The  crocodile  is  a  natural 
inhabitant  of  the  Nile  and  of  other  Asi- 
atic and  African  rivers  ;  is  of  enormous 
voracity  and  strength  as  well  as  of 
fjeetness  in  swimming ;  attacks  man- 
kind and  all  animals  with  prodigious 
impetuosity  ;  and  is  furnished  with  a 
coat  of  mail  so  scaly  and  callous  that  it 
will  resist  the  force  of  a  musket  ball  in 
every  part  except  under  the  belly.  It 
is,  therefore,  an  appropriate  image  by 
which  to  represent  a  fierce  and  cruel  ty- 
rant. The  sacred  writers  were  accus- 
tomed to  describe  kings  and  tyrants  by 
an  allusion  to  strong  and  fierce  animals. 
Thus  in  Ezek.  xxix  3-5,  the  dragon,  or 
the  crocodile  of  the  Nile,  represents 
Pharaoh  ;  in  Ezek.  xxii.  2,  Pharaoh  is 
compared  to  a  young  lion,  and  to  a 
whale  in  the  seas  ;  in  Ps.  lxxiv.  13,  14, 
Pharaoh  is  compared  to  the  dragon, 
and  to  the  leviathan.  In  Dan.  vii.  the 
four  monarchs  that  should  arise  are 
likened  to  four  great  beasts.     In  Rev. 


438 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


xii.  Rome,  the  new  Babylon,  is  com- 
oarcd  to  a  great  red  dragon.  In  the 
Dlace  before  us,  I  suppose  that  the 
reference  is  to  Babylon ;  or  to  the 
king  and  tyrant  that  ruled  there,  and 
that  had  oppressed  the  people  of  God. 
But  among  commentators  there  has 
been  the  greatest  variety  of  explana- 
tion. As  a  specimen  of  the  various 
senses  which  commentators  often  as- 
sign to  passages  of  Scripture,  we  may 
notice  the  following  views  which  have 
been  taken  of  this  passage.  The  Chal- 
dee  Paiaphrast  regards  the  leviathans, 
which  are  twice  mentioned, as  referring, 
the  first  one  to  some  king  like  Pharaoh, 
and  the  second  to  a  king  like  Senna- 
cherib Rabbi  Moses  Haccohen  sup- 
posea  that  the  word  denotes  the  most 
select  or  valiant  of  the  rulers,  princes, 
and  commanders  that  were  in  the  army 
of  the  enemy  of  people  of  God.  Jarchi 
supposes  that  by  the  first-mentioned 
leviathan  is  meant  Egypt,  by  the  sec- 
ond Assyria,  and  by  the  dragon  which 
is  in  the  sea,  he  thinks  Tyre  is  intend- 
ed. Aben  Ezra  supposes  that  by  the 
dragon  in  the  sea,  Egypt  is  denoted. 
Kimchi  supposes  that  this  will  be  ful- 
filled only  in  the  times  of  the  Messiah, 
and  that  the  sea-monsters  here  men- 
tioned are  Gog  and  Magog — and  that 
these  denote  the  armies  of  the  Greeks, 
the  Saracens,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
India.  Abarbenel  supposes  that  the 
Saracens,  the  Roman  empire,  and  the 
other  kingdoms  of  Gentiles,  are  in- 
tended by  these  sea-monsters.  Jerome, 
Sanctius,  and  some  others  suppose  that 
Satan  is  denoted  by  the  leviathan. 
Brentius  supposes  that  this  was  fulfilled 
in  the  day  of  Pentecost  when  Satan 
was  overcome  by  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel.  Other  Christian  interpreters 
have  supposed,  that  by  the  leviathan 
first  mentioned  Mahomet  is  intended  ; 
by  the  second,  heretics;  and  by  the 
dragon  in  the  sea,  Pagan  India. 
Luther  understood  it  of  Assyria  and 
Egypt ;  Calvin  supposes  that  the  de- 
scription properly  applies  to  the  king 
of  Egypt,  but  that  under  this  image 
other  enemies  of  the  church  are  em- 
braced, and  does  not  doubt  that  alle- 
Uorically  Satan  and  his  kingdom  are 


intended.  The  more  simple  interpreta- 
tion,  however,  is  that  which  refers  it  to 
Babylon.  This  suits  the  connection  ; 
accords  with  the  previous  chapters  ; 
agrees  with  all  that  occurs  in  this 
chapter,  and  with  the  image  which  is 
here  used.  The  crocodile,  the  dragon, 
the  sea-monster — extended,  vast,  un- 
wieldy, voracious,  and  odious  to  the 
view — would  be  a  most  expressive 
image  to  denote  the  abhorrence  with 
which  the  Jews  would  regard  Babylon 
and  its  king.  II  The  piercing  serpent. 
The  term  serpent,  ^^J  ,  may  be  given 
to  a  dragon,  or  an  extended  sea-mon- 
ster. Conip.  Job  xxvi.  13.  The  term 
piercing  is,  in  the  margin,  "  or  crossing 
like  a  bar."  The  LXX  render  it,  fly- 
ing serpent — 8<ptv  ipciyuvra.  The  Heb. 
nn_12  »  rendered  piercing,  is  derived 
from  n^3  to  flee  ;  and  then  to  stretch 
across,  or  pass  through  as  a  bar  through 
boards.  Exod.  xxxvi.  33.  Hence  this 
word  may  mean  fleeing  ;  extended  ;  a 
cross-bar  for  fastening  gates;  or  the 
cross-piece  for  binding  together  the 
boards  for  the  tabernacle  of  the  con- 
gregation. Ex.  xxvi.  26,  xxxvi.  31. 
Lowth  renders  it  "  the  rigid  serpent  ;" 
probably  with  reference  to  the  hard 
scales  of  the  crocodile.  The  word 
extended,  huge,  vast,  will  probably  best 
suit  the  connection.  In  Job  xxvi.  13, 
it  is  rendered,  "  the  crooked  serpent ;" 
referring  to  the  constellation  in  the 
heavens  by  the  name  of  the  Serpent. 
See  Notes  on  that  place.  The  idea  of 
piercing  is  not  in  the  Hebrew  word, 
nor  is  it  ever  used  in  that  sense. 
IT  That  crooked  serpent.  This  is  cor- 
rectly rendered  ;  and  refers  to  the  fact 
that  the  monster  here  referred  to 
throws  itself  into  immense  volumes  or 
folds,  a  description  that  applies  to  all 
serpents  of  vast  size.  Virgil  has  given 
a  similar  description  of  sea-monsters 
throwing  themselves  into  vast  convo- 
lutions : 

"  Kcce  autem  pemini  aTeneclotranquillaper  alta 
immensia  orbiljusaiiguos."— JEn.  Lib  ii-  M'i. 

And  again  : 

"  Sinuantque  immensa  vuhunine  terga."— Idem. 
908. 

The  reference  in  Isaiah,  I  suppose,  is 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


439 


2  In  that  day  sing  ye  unto  her, 
A  vineyard"  of  red  wine. 

3  I  "the  Lord  do  keep  it ;  I 
will  water  it  every  moment ;  lest 
any  hurt  it,  I  will  keep  it  night 
and  day. 

not  to  different  kings  or  enemies  of  the 
people  of  God,  but  to  the  same.  It  is 
customary  in  Hebrew  poetry  to  refer 
to  the  same  subject  in  different  mem- 
bers of  the  same  sentence,  or  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  same  parallelism. 
11  The  dragon.  Referring  to  the  same 
thing  under  a  different  image — to  the 
king  of  Babylon.  On  the  meaning  of 
the  word  dragon,  see  Note  ch.  xiii.  22. 
IT  In  the  sea.  In  the  Euphrates  ;  or  in 
the  marshes  and  pools  that  encompass 
Babylon.  See  Notes  on  ch.  xi.  15,  and 
ch  xviii.  2.  The  sense  of  the  whole 
verse  is,  that  God  would  destroy  the 
Babylonish  power  that  was  to  the  Jews 
such  an  object  of  loathsomeness  and 
of  terror. 

2.  Sing  ye  unto  her.  That  is,  sing 
unto,  or  respecting  the  vineyard.  The 
word  rendered  "  sing,"  a32 ,  signifies 
properly,  answer,  respond  to;  and  then, 
sing  a  responsive  song,  where  one  por- 
tion of  the  choir  responds  to  another. 
See  Ex.  xv.  21.  This  has  been  well 
expressed  here  by  Lowth  in  his  trans- 
lation : 

"  To  the  beloved  Vineyard,  sing  ye  a  responsive 
song." 

It  is  the  commencement  of  a  song,  or 
hymn  respecting  Judea, represented  un- 
der the  image  of  a  vineyard,  and  which 
is  probably  continued  to  the  close  of 
the  chapter.  IT  A  vineyard.  See  Notes 
ch.  v  1,  &c.  The  Hebrew  phrase 
rendered  '  a  vineyard  of  red  wine'  is 
the  title  to  the  song  ;  or  the  respon- 
sive song  respects  the  "  vineyard  of  red 
wine."  1  Of  red  wine.  "^?n  hhemer. 
Lowth  proposes  to  read  instead  of  this, 
*^.H  hhemedh — pleasantness,  beauty, 
or  beloved.  He  observes  that  many 
MSS.  have  this  meaning,  and  that  it  is  j 
followed  by  the  LXX  and  the  Chaldee.  j 
The  LXX  read  it  dpireXuv  koaAoj,  beau-  j 


4  Fury   is   not    in    me  :  who 

would  set  the  briers  and  thorns 
against  me  in  battle  ?  I  would  Jgo 
through  them,  I  would  burn  them 
together. 

n  Luke  an.  9,  etc.      o  Ps.  m.  4,  5. 
1  or,  inarch  against. 

tijul  vineyard.  This  would  well  suit 
the  connection,  and  this  slight  error 
in  transcribing  might  have  easily  oc- 
curred. But  the  authority  in  the  MSS. 
for  the  change  is  not  conclusive.  The 
word  which  now  occurs  in  the  text 
denotes  properly  wine,  from  "nan  to 
ferment.  The  word  ^?H  also  has  the 
signification  to  be  red  (Ps.  lxxv.  9,  Job 
xvi.  16)  ;  and  according  to  this,  .  is 
translators  have  rendered  it  "  of  red 
wine."  Bochart  (Geogr.  S.  P.  ii.  L.  i. 
c.  xxix  )  renders  it  '  a  vineyard  fertile 
in  producing  wine.'  The  correct  trans- 
lation would  be  one  that  would  not 
seem  very  congruous  in  our  language, 
'  a  vineyard  of  wine,'  or  '  a  wine-vine- 
yard.' 

3.  /  the  Lord  do  keep  it.  There  is 
understood  here  or  implied  an  intro- 
duction ;  as  '  Jehovah  said.'  Comp. 
Ps.  exxi.  35.  IT  /  will  water  it  every 
moment.  That  is,  constantly,  as  a 
vinedresser  does  his  vineyard. 

4.  Fury  is  not  in  me.  That  is,  I  am 
angry  with  it  no  more.  He  had  pun- 
ished his  people  by  removing  them  to  a 
distant  land.  But  although  he  had 
corrected  them  for  their  faults,  yet  he 
had  not  laid  aside  the  affection  of  a 
Father.  H  Who  would  set.  Heb. 
Who  would  give  me.  The  LXX  ren- 
der this,  •  Who  would  place  me  to  keep 
the  stubble  in  the  field  V  Great  per- 
plexity has  been  felt  in  regard  to  the 
interpretation  of  this  passage.  Lowth 
translates  it : 

"  0  that  I  had  a  fence  of  the  thorn  and  the  brier  j" 
evidently  showing  that  he  was  embar- 
rassed with  it,  and  could  not  make  of 
it  consistent  sense.  The  whole  sen- 
tence must  refer  either  to  the  people 
of  God,  or  to  his  enemies.  If  to  his 
people,  it  would  be  an  indication  that 
they  were  Jike  briers  and  thorns,  and 
that  if  his  fury  should  rage  they  would 


440 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


5  Or  let  him  take  hold  of  my 
■strength,  that  he  may  make 
peace0  with  me;  and  lie  shall 
make  peace  with  me. 

a  ch.  45.  24.  c  Job  22.  21. 

d  V*.  92.  13-15.       Hos.  H.  5.  6.      «  Horn.  11.  12. 


be  consumed,  and  hence  he  calls 
upon  thein  (ver.  5)  to  seize  upon  his 
strength,  and  to  be  at  peace  with  him. 
If  it  refers  to  his  enemies,  then  it  ex- 
pressess  a  wish  that  his  enemies  were 
in  his  possession  ;  or  a  purpose  to  go 
against  them,  as  fire  among  thorns,  and 
tp  consume  them  if  they  should  pre- 
sume to  array  themselves  against  his 
vineyard.  This  latter  I  take  to  be  the 
true  sense  of  the  passage.  The  phrase 
'  who  would  set  me,'  or  in  Heb.  'who 
will  give  me,'  may  be  expressed  by 
utinam,  indicating  strong  desire  ;  and 
may  be  thus  paraphrased:  *  1  retain  no 
anger  against  my  people.  I  have  in- 
deed punished  them  ;  but  my  auger 
has  ceased.  I  shall  now  defend  them. 
If  they  are  attacked  by  foes,  I  will 
guard  them.  When  their  foes  approach, 
/  desire,  I  earnestly  wish,  that  they  may 
be  in  my  possession,  that  I  may  de- 
stroy them — as  the  fire  rages  through 
briers  and  thorns.'  It  expresses  a  firm 
determination  to  defend  his  people  and 
to  destroy  their  enemies,  unless  (ver. 
5),  which  he  would  prefer,  they  should 
repent,  and  be  at  peace  with  him. 
V  The  briers  and  thorns.  His  ene- 
mies, and  the  enemies  of  lus  people. 
Comp.  Notes  ch.  ix.  17,  x.  17.  Per- 
haps the  phrase  is  here  used  to  denote 
enemies,  because  briers  and  thorns  are 
so  great  enemies  to  a  vineyard  by  im- 
peding growth  and  fertility.  IT  I  would 
go  through  them.  Or,  rather,  I  would 
go  against  them  in  battle  to  destroy 
them.  TT  I  would  burn  them  up  toge- 
ther. As  fire  devours  the  ihorns  and 
briers  ;  that  is,  I  would  completely  de- 
stroy them. 

5.  Or  let  him.  The  Hebrew  word 
rendered  here  "  or,"  1!t ,  means  unless; 
and  the  sense  is,  the  enemies  of  the  Jew 
ish  people  shall  be  completely  destroy- 
ed as  briers  are  by  fire,  tinless  they  flee 
to  God  ibr  a  refuge.     IT  Take  hold  of 


6  He  shall  cause  them  thai 
come  of  Jacob  to  take  root  :d  Is- 
rael  shall  blossom  and  bud,  anc 
'fill  the  face  of  the  world  with 
fruit. 


my  strength  That  is,  let  the  enemy 
take  hold  of  me  to  become  reconcilea 
to  me.  The  figure  here  is  taken  pro- 
bably from  the  act  of  fleeing  lo  take 
hold  of  the  horns  of  the  altar  for  re- 
fuge when  one  was  pursued  Comp. 
1  Kings  i.  50,  ii.  28.  It  That  he  may 
make  peace  with  me.  With  me  as  the 
guardian  of  the  vine-yard,  "f  this  were 
done  they  would  be  safe.  IT  And  he 
shall  make  peace  with  mi.  That  is, 
even  the  enemy  of  me  and  of  my  vine- 
yard may  be  permitted  to  make  peace 
with  me.  Learn  (1)  that  God  is  wil- 
ling to  be  reconciled  to  his  enemies. 
(2.)  That  that  peace  muot  be  obtained 
by  seeking  his  protection  ;  by  submit- 
ting to  him,  and  laying  hold  of  his 
strength.  (3.)  That  if  this  is  not 
done,  his  enemies  must  be  inevitably 
destroyed.  (4.)  He  will  defend  his 
people,  and  no  weapon  that  is  formed 
against  them  shall  prosper. 

6.  He  shall  cause  them  that  come 
of  Jacob  to  take  root.  This  language 
is  derived  from  the  vine,  as  the  shoots 
or  cuttings  of  the  vine  take  root  and 
flourish.  To  take  root,  therefore,  is  an 
emblem  denoting  that  the  descendants 
of  Jacob,  or  the  people  of  God,  would 
increase  and  prosper,  f  Shall  blossom 
and  bud.  An  image  also  taken  from 
the  vine,  or  from  fruit  trees  in  general, 
and  meaning  that  they  should  greatly 
flourish  in  the  time  succeeding  their 
return  from  the  captivity.  1f  And  fill 
the  face  of  the  world  with  fruit.  On 
the  meaning  of  the  word  "  face,"  see 
Note  ch.  xxv.  7.  The  sense  is,  that 
the  people  of  God  would  so  increase 
and  flourish  that  the  true  religion  wc-'i'd 
ultimately  fill  the  entire  world.  1_j 
same  idea  of  the  universal  prevalence 
of  the  true  religion  is  often  advanced 
by  tliis  prophet,  and  occurs  in  various 
parts  of  the  hymns  or  songs  which  we 
are  now  considering.  See  ch  xxv.  6, 
7,  8.     The  figure  which  is  here  used 


B.C.  ll'i.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


441 


7  Hath  he  smitten  him,4  as  he 
smote  those  that  smote  him  ?  or 
is  he  slain  according  to  the 
slaughter  of  them  that  are  slain 
by  him  ? 

4  according  to  the  stroke  of. 

drawn  from  the  vine,  denoting  prospe- 
rity by  its  increase  and  its  fruit,  is 
beautifully  employed  in  Ps.  xcii.  13,  14  : 

Those  that  he  planted  id  the  house  of  Jehovah 
S..u.i  flourish  in  the  courts  of  our  God. 
They  shall  still  bring  forth  fruit  iu  old  age ; 
They  shall  be  rich  and  green. 

7.  Hath  he  smitten  him,  as  he  smote 
those  that  smote  him  ?  Has  God  pun- 
ished his  people  in  the  same  manner 
and  to  the  same  extent  as  he  has  their 
enemies  ?  It  is  implied  by  this  question 
that  he  had  not.  He  had  indeed  pun- 
ished them  for  their  sins,  but  he  had 
not  destroyed  them.  Their  enemies 
he  had  utterly  destroyed..  IT  Accord- 
ing to  the  slaughter  of  those  that  are 
slain  by  him.  Heb.  '  According  to  the 
slaying  of  his  slain.'  That  is,  not  as 
our  translation  would  seem  to  imply, 
that  their  enemies  had  been  slain  by 
them  ;  but  that  they  were  '  their  slain,' 
inasmuch  as  they  had  been  slain  on 
their  account,  or  to  promote  their  re- 
lease and  return  to  their  own  land.  It 
was  not  true  that  their  enemies  had 
been  slain  by  them  ;  but  it  was  true 
that  they  had  been  slain  on  their  ac- 
count, or  in  order  to  secure  their  return 
to  their  own  country. 

8.  In  measure,  &lc.  This  verse  in 
our  translation  is  exceedingly  obscure, 
and  indeed  almost  unintelligible.  Nor 
is  it  much  more  intelligible  in  Lowth, 
or  in  Noyes  ;  in  the  Vulgate,  or  the  Sep- 
tuagint.  The  various  senses  which 
have  been  given  to  the  verse  may  be 
seen  at  length  in  Vitringa  and  Rosen- 
mailer.  The  idea,  which  I  suppose  to 
be  the  true  one,  without  going  into  an 
examination  of  others  which  have  been 
proposed,  is  the  following,  which  is  as 
near  as  possible  a  literal  translation : 

In  moderation  in  sending  her  [the  vineyard]  away 

didst  thou  mdge  her, 
Though  carrying  her  away  with  a  rough  tempest 

in  the  time  of  the  east  wind. 

The  word  rendered  "measure,"  itNSXD, 
occurs  nowhere  else  in  the  Scriptures. 
19* 


8  In  measure,  when  7it  shoot- 
eth  forth,  thou  wilt  debate  with 
it :  8he  stayeth  his  trough  wind 
in  the  day  of  the  east  wind. 

7  or,  thou  sendest  it  forth. 
8  or,  when  he.  removeih  it.       f  ch.  57.  16. 

It  is  probably  derived  from  HX-O  t  a 
measure  ;  usually  denoting  a  measure 
of  grain,  containing,  according  to  the 
Rabbins,  a  third  part  of  an  ephah,  i  e. 
about  a  peck.  The  word  here  used  is 
probably  a  contraction  of  i",XO  <"1X0, 
literally  measure  by  measure,  i.  e.  mo- 
derately, or  in  moderation.  So  the 
Rabbins  generally  understand  it.  The 
idea  is  '  small  measure  by  small  mea- 
sure,' not  a  large  measure  at  a  time  ; 
or  in  other  words  moderately,  or  in 
moderation.  It  refers,  I  suppose,  to 
the  fact  that  in  inflicting  judgment  on 
his  people  it  had  not  been  done  with 
intolerable  severity.  The  calamity  had 
not  been  so  overwhelming  as  entirely 
to  cut  them  off,  but  had  been  tempered 
with  mercy.  H  When  it  shooteth  forth. 
This  expression  does  not  convey  an  in- 
telligible idea.  The  Hebrew  S^ttS^ 
— literally  "  in  sending  her  forth," 
from  l"l?l«J  to  send,  or  to  put  forth — re- 
fers, I  suppose,  to  the  fact  that  God  had 
sent  her  (i.  e.  his  vineyard,  his  people) 
forth  to  Babylon  ;  he  had  cast  them 
out  of  their  own  land  into  a  distant 
country,  but  when  it  was  done  it 
was  tempered  with  mercy  and  kind- 
ness. In~  this  expression  there  is  in- 
deed a  mingling  of  a  metaphor  with 
a  literal  statement,  since  it  appears  ra- 
ther incongruous  to  speak  of  sending 
forth  a  vineyard,  but  such  changes  in 
expressions  are  not  uncommon  in  the 
Hebrew  poets.  K  Thou  loilt  debate 
with  it.  Or,  rather,  thou  hast  judged 
it ;  or  hast  punished  it.  The  word 
— "H  means  sometimes  to  debate,  con- 
tend, or  strive  ;  but  it  means  also  to 
take  vengeance  (1  Sam.  xxv.  39),  or 
to  punish  ;  to  contend  with  any  one  so 
as  to  overcome  or  punish  him.  Here 
it  refers  to  the  fact  that  God  had  had  a 
contention  with  his  people,  and  had 
punished  them   by  removing  them  to 


442 


ISAIAH. 


[tf.C.713. 


9  By  this  therefore  shall  the 
iniquity  of  Jacob  be  purged  ;A 
and  this  is  all  the  fruit  to  take 
away  his  sin ;  when  he  maketh 
all  the  stones  of  the  altar  as  chalk 
stones  that  are  beaten  in  sunder, 

Babylon  T  He  staycth.  riSH  .  This 
word  means  in  one  form  to  meditate, 
to  think,  to  speak  ;  in  another,  to  sepa- 
rate, as  dross  from  silver,  to  remove,  to 
take  away.  Prov.  xxv.  4,  5.  Here  it 
mums  that  he  had  removed,  or  sepa- 
rated his  people  from  their  land  as  with 
the  sweepings  of  a  tempest.  The 
word  "  Btayeth  "  does  not  express  the 
true  sense  of  the  passage  It  is  bet- 
ter expressed  in  the  margin,  "  when  he 
removeth  it."  IT  Hia  rough  wind.  A 
tempestuous,  boisterous  wind,  which 
God  sends  Winds  are  emblematic 
of  judgment,  as  they  sweep  away  every 
thing  before  them.  Here  the  word  is 
emblematic  of  the  calamities  which 
came  upon  Judea  by  which  the  nation 
was  removed  to  Babylon  ;  and  the 
sense  is,  that  they  were  removed  as  in 
a  tempest  ;  they  were  carried  away  as 
.  a  violent  storm  had  swept  over  the 
.and.  If  tit  the  day  of  the  east  wind. 
The  east  wind  in  the  climate  of  Judea 
■vas  usually  tempestuous  and  violent, 
/ob  xxvii.  21  : 

"ie  east  wind  carrieth  him  away  and  he  dc- 

parti'th ; 
ind,  as  a  storm   hurleth  him  out  of  his  place, 

Jer.  xviii.  17 : 

will  scatter  them  as  with  an  east  wind  before 
the  enemy. 

Domp.  Gen.  xli.  6.  Hab.  i.  6.  Ex.  x. 

13,xiv  21.  Jobxxxviii.  24.  Ps.  lxxviii. 
26.  This  wind  was  usually  hot,  noxious, 
lasting,  and  scorching.      Taylor. 

I).  By  this  This  verse  states  the 
whole  design  of  the  punishment  of  the 
Jews.  They  were  taken  away  from 
their  temple,  their  city,  and  their  land  ; 
they  were  removed  from  the  groves 
and  altars  of  idolatry  by  which  they 
had  been  so  often  led  into  sin  ;  and  the 
design  was  to  preserve  them  hence- 
forward from  relapsing  into  thnr  ac- 
customed idolatry.     H   The  iniquity  of 


the  groves  and   'images  shall  not 
stand  up. 

10  Yet  the  defenced  city  shall 
be  desolate,  and  the  habitation 
forsaken,  and   left   like  a  wilder- 


h  Heb.  12  6. 


9  or,  sun  Images. 


Jacob.  The  sin  of  the  Jewish  people, 
and  particularly  their  tendency  to  idola- 
try, which  was  their  easily  besetting 
sin.  IT  Be  purged.  Note  ch.  i.  25. 
11  And  this  is  all  the  fruit.  And  this 
is  all  the  object  or  design  of  their  cap- 
tivity and  removal  to  Babylon.  IT  When 
he  maketh  all  the  stones  of  the  altar  as 
chalk  stones.  That  is,  Jehovah  shall 
make  the  stones  of  the  altars  reared 
in  honour  of  idols  like  chalk  stones  ; 
or  shall  throw  them  down,  and  scatter 
them  abroad  like  stones  that  are  easily 
beaten  to  pieces.  The  sense  is,  that 
Jehovah,  during  their  captivity  in  Ba- 
bylon, would  overthrow  the  places 
where  they  had  worshipped  idols. 
1T  The  groves  and  images  shall  not 
stand  up.  The  groves  consecrated  to 
idols,  and  the  images  erected  therein. 
See  Note  ch.  xvii.  8. 

10.  Yet  the  defenced  city.  Gese- 
nius  supposes  that  this  means  Jerusa- 
lem. So  Calvin  and  Piscator  under- 
stand it.  Others  understand  it  of  Sa- 
maria, others  of  Babylon  (as  Vitringa, 
Rosenmuller,  and  Grotius),  and  others 
of  cities  in  general,  denoting  those  in 
Judea,  or  in  other  places.  To  mc  it 
seems  plain  that  Babylon  is  referred  to. 
The  whole  description  seems  to  require 
this;  and  especially  the  fact  that  this 
song  is  supposed  to  be  sung  after  the 
return  from  the  captivity  to  celebrate 
their  deliverance.  It  is  natural,  there- 
fore, that  they  should  record  the  fact 
that  the  strong  and  mighty  city  where 
they  had  been  so  long  in  captivity  was 
now  completely  destroyed.  For  the 
meaning  of  the  phrase  ''  defenced  city," 
see  Note  ch.  xxv.  2.  IT  Shall  he  deso- 
late. See  ch.  xxv.  2,  coinp.  Notes  on 
ch.  xiii.  f  The  habitation  forsaken. 
The  habitation  here  referred  to  is  Baby- 
lon. It  means  the  habitation  or  dwell- 
ing-place where  we  have  so  long  dwelt 


B.C. IIS.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


443 


ness  :  there  shall  the  calf  feed, 
and  there  shall  he  lie  down  and 
consume  the  branches  thereof. 

11  When  the  boughs  thereof 
are  withered,  the}'  shall  be  brok- 
en off:  the  women  come  and  set 
them  on  fire  ;  for  'it  is  a  people 
of  no  understanding  :  therefore 
he  that  made  them  will  not  have 

l  Deut.  32  28.     Hos.  4.  6. 

as  captives  Comp.  1'rov.  iii.  33,  xxi. 
2d,  xxiv.  15.  If  And  left  like  a  wilder- 
ness See  the  description  of  Baby- 
Ion  in  the  Notes  on  ch.  xiii  20-22. 
If  There  shall  the  calf  feed.  It  shall 
become  a  vast  desert,  and  be  a  place 
for  beasts  of  the  forest  to  range  in. 
Comp  ch.  vii.  23.  See  Note  ch  v. 
17.  If  Anil  consume  the  branches 
thereof.  The  branches  of  the  trees 
and  shrubs  that  shall  spring  up  spon- 
taneously in  the  vast  waste  where  Ba- 
bylon was. 

11.  JVhen  the  boughs  thereof  are 
withered.  This  is  a  further  description 
of  the  desolation  which  would  come 
upon  Babylon.  The  idea  is,  that  Ba- 
bylon would  be  forsaken  until  the  trees 
should  grow  and  decay,  and  the  bran- 
ches should  fall  to  be  collected  for 
burning  That  is,  the  desolation  should 
be  entire,  undisturbed,  and  long  conti- 
nued. The  idea  of  the  desolation  is, 
therefore, in  this  verse  earned  forward, 
and  a  new  circumstance  is  introduced 
to  make  it  more  graphic  and  striking. 
Lowth,  however,  supposes  that  this  re- 
fers to  the  vineyard,  and  to  the  fact 
that  the  vine-twigs  are  collected  in  the 
East  from  the  scarcity  of  fuel  for  burn- 
ing. But  it  seems  to  me  that  the  ob- 
vious reference  is  to  Babylon,  and  that 
it  is  an  image  of  the  great  and  pro- 
longed desolation  that  was  coming 
upon  that  city  If  They  shall,  be  broken 
off.  That  is,  by  their  own  weight  as 
they  decay,  or  by  the  hands  of  those 
who  come  to  collect  them  for  fuel. 
If  The  women  come.  Probably  it  was 
the  office  mainly  of  the  women  to  col- 
lect the  fuel  which  might  be  necessary 
Jar  culinary  purposes.     In  eastern  cli- 


mercy  on  them,  and  he  that  form- 
ed them  will  shew  them  no 
favour. 

12  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
in  that  day,  that  the  Lord  shall 
beat  off  from  the  channel  of  the 
river  unto  the  stream  of  Egypt, 
and  "ye  shall  be  gathered  one  by 
one,  O  ye  children  of  Israel. 

0  John  6.  37. 


mates  but  little  is  needed  ;  and  that  is 
collected  of  the  twigs  of  vineyards,  of 
withered  stubble,  straw,  hay,  dried 
roots.  &c,  wherever  they  can  be  found. 
If  And  set  them  on  fire.  That  is,  to 
burn  them  for  fuel.  If  Of  no  under- 
standing. Of  no  right  views  of  God 
and  his  government — wicked,  sinful. 
Prov.  vi.  32,  xviii   2.    Jer   v.  21. 

12.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that 
day,  that  the  Lord  shall  beat  off.  The 
word  which  is  here  used,  ^?fj  means 
properly  to  beat  off  with  a  stick,  as 
fruit  from  a  tree.  Deut  xx.  20  It 
also  means  to  beat  out  grain  with  a 
stick.  Judges  vi.  11.  Ruth  xi.  17. 
The  word  which  is  rendered  in  the 
other  member  of  the  sentence,  "  shall 

be  gathered  "  (^p^>  is  applied  to  the 
act  of  collecting  fruit  after  it  has  been 
beaten  from  a  tree,  or  grain  after  it 
has  been  threshed.  The  use  of  these 
words  here  shows  that  the  image  is 
taken  from  the  act  of  collecting  fruit 
or  grain  after  harvest ;  and  the  expres- 
sion means  that  as  the  husbandman 
gathers  in  his  fruit,  so  God  would  ga- 
ther in  his  people.  In  the  figure,  it  is 
supposed  that  the  garden  or  vineyard 
of  Jehovah  extends  from  lie  Euphrates 
to  the  Nile  ;  that  his  people  are  scat- 
tered in  all  that  country  ;  that  there 
shall  be  agitation  or  a  shaking  in  all 
that  region  as  when  a  farmer  beats  off 
his  fruit  from  the  tree,  or  beats  out  his 
grain ;  and  that  the  result  would  be 
that  all  those  scattered  people  would 
be  gathered  into  their  own  land.  The 
time  referred  to  is,  doubtless,  after 
Babylon  should  be  taken  ;  and  in  ex- 
planation of  the  declaration  it  is  to  be 


444 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.lVa 


13  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
in  that  day,  that  the  great  trum- 
pet? shall  be  blown,  and  they 
shall  come  which  were  ready  to 

p  Matt.  24.  31.        1  Thes.  4.  16.        Rev,  11.  15. 


remembered  that  the  Jews  were  not 
only  carried  to  Babylon,  but  were  scat- 
tered in  large  numbers  in  all  the  adja- 
cent regions.  The  promise  here  is, 
that  from  all  those  regions  whither 
they  had  been  scattered  they  should 
be  re-collected  and  restored  to  their  own 
land,  t  From  the  channel  of  the  titer. 
The  river  here  undoubtedly  refers  to 
the  river  Euphrates.  See  Note  ch.  xi. 
15.  IT  Unto  the  stream  of  Egypt. 
The  Nile.  IT  And  ye  shall  be  gathered 
one  by  one.  As  the  husbandman  col- 
lects his  fruits  one  by  one — collecting 
them  carefully,  and  not  leaving  any 
This  means  that  God  will  not  merely 
collect  them  as  a  nation,  but  as  indivi- 
duals. He  will  see  that  none  is  over- 
looked, and  that  all  shall  be  brought  in 
safety  to  their  land 

13.  T ie  isrrnt  trumpet  ekallbeblown. 
This  verse  is  designed  to  descriBe  in 
another  mode  the  same  fact  as  that 
Rated  in  verse  12,  that  Jehovah  would 
re-collect  his  scattered  people.  The 
figure  is  derived  from  the  trumpet 
which  was  blown  to  assemble  a  people 
for  war  (Grotius) ;  or  from  the  blow- 
ing of  the  trumpet  on  occasion  of  the 
great  feasts  and  festivals  of  the  Jews. 
Vitringa.  The  idea  is,  that  God  would 
summon  the  scattered  people  to  return 
to  their  own  land.  The  way  in  which 
this  was  done,  or  in  which  the  will  of 
God  would  be  made  known  to  them,  is 
not  specified.  It  is  probable,  however, 
that  the  reference  here  is  to  the  decree 
of  Cyrus  (Ezra  i.   1),  by  which  they 


perish  in  the  land  of  Assyria,  and 
the  outcasts  in  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  shall  worship  the  Lord  in  the 
holy  mount  at  Jerusalem. 

were  permitted  to  return  to  their  own 
country  f  Which  were  ready  to  per- 
ish. Who  were  reduced  in  numbers, 
aid  in  power,  and  who  were  ready  to 
be  annihilated  under  their  accumulated 
and  long-continued  trials.  IT  In  the 
land  of  Assyria.  The  ten  tribes  were 
carried  away  into  Assyria  (2  Kings 
xvii.  6;  ;  and  it  is  probable  that  many 
ot  the  other  two  tribes  were  also  in  that 
land.  A  portion  of  the  ten  tribes  w-uld 
also  be  re-collected,  and  would  return 
with  the  others  to  the  land  of  their 
fathers.  Assyria  also  constituted  a 
considerable  part  of  the  kingdom  of  the 
Chaldeans,  and  the  name  Assyria  may 
be  given  here  to  that  country  in  gene- 
ral f  And  the  outcasts.  Those  who 
had  fled  in  consternation  to  Egypt  and 
to  other  places  when  these  calamities 
were  coming  upon  the  nation.  See 
Jer.  xli  17,  18.  xlii.  15--22.  V  And 
shall  worship  the  Lord.  Their  temple 
shall  be  rebuilt  ;  their  city  shall  be  re- 
stored ;  and  in  the  place  where  tlvir 
fathers  worshipped  shall  they  also  again 
adore  the  living  God. — This  closes  the 
prophecy  which  was  commenced  in  ch. 
xxiv  ;  and  the  design  of  the  whole  is  to 
comfort  the  Jews  with  the  assurance, 
that  though  they  were  to  be  made  cap- 
tive in  a  distant  land,  yet  they  would 
be  again  restored  to  the  land  of  their 
fathers,  and  again  worship  God  there. 
It  is  needless  almost  to  say  that  this 
prediction  was  completely  fulfilled  by 
the  return  of  the  Jews  to  their  own 
country  under  the  decrei  of  Cyrus. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

ANALYSIS. 

This  chapter  comprises  a  new  prophecy  ami  relates  to  a  new  subject.  Gesenius  supposes  that  it 
is  to  be  connected  with  the  following  to  the  close  of  ch.  xxxiii,  and  that  they  relate  to  the  s:imo  sub- 
ject, and  were  delivered  at  the  samn  time  Munster  supposes  that  the  prophecy  here  corn uu-nced 
lontinues  to  the  close  of  ch.  xxxv.  and  that  it  relates  to  the  Assyrian  war  in  which  the  ten  tribes  were 
tarried  away  captive.    Ooederlin  supposes  that  this  chapter  and  the  two  following  were  uttered  a> 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


445 


the  same  time  and  relate  to  the  same  subject ;  Hensler,  that  the  prophecy  closes-  at  the  xxxiiid 
L-hapter. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  this  chapter  and  the  following  were  delivered  at  the  same  time,  and  that 
they  relate  to  the  same  general  subject— the  approaching  calamities  and  wars  with  the  Assyrians, 
winch  would  terminate  only  in  the  removal  of  the  people  to  a  distant  land,  and  in  the  destruction  of 
the  entire  city  and  nation.  But  the  prophecy  in  this  chapter  has  not  any  necessary  connection  with 
those  which  follow,  and  it  may  be  regarded  as  separate. 

When  it  was  uttered  is  not  certainly  known.  It  is  clear,  however,  that  it  was  before  the  carrying 
away  of  the  ten  tribes,  or  while  the  kingdom  of  Ephraim  or  Samaria  was  still  standing.  Yet  it  would 
6eem  that  it  was  w  hen  that  kingdom  was  exceedingly  corrupt,  and  was  hastening  to  a  fall.  vs.  1 — 4. 
Perhaps  it  was  in  the  time  of  Aliaz,  or  in  the  heginning  of  the  reign  of  Hezekiah  when  Samaria  or 
Ephraim  had  entered  into  a  league  with  Rezin  king  of  Damascus,  and  may  therefore  synchronize 
with  chs.  vii.  viii  Whenever  it  was  uttered,  it  is  certain  that  its  purpose  was  to  predict  the  over- 
throw of  Ephraim  or  Samaria,  and  the  fact  that  when  that  kingdom  should  be  overthrown  the  king- 
oom  of  Juilah  would  still  survive. 

The  prophecy  consists  of  two  parts.  1.  The  overthrow  of  Samaria  or  Ephraim,  vs.  1—4.  2.  The 
faci  that  JEHOVAH  would  preserve,  and  defend  a  portion  of  his  people— thoe  who  comprised  the 
k  ngdom  of  Judah,  vs.  5—29.    The  following  brief  view  v.  ill  present  an  analysis  of  the  orophecy. 

I.  Ephraim  or  Samaria,  fur  ils  sins,  particularly  for  intemperance,  would  be  overlhroxon, 

vs.  1—4. 

II.  God  loouid  preserve  the,  residue  of  his  people,  yet  they  also  deserved  rebukeand  would  be  also 

subje-ted  to  punishment,  vs.  5—29. 

(1.)  He  would  preserve  them  (vs.  5,  6)  and  be  their  glory  and  strength. 

(2.)  Vet  they  deserved,  on  many  accounts,  to  be  reproved,  particularly  because  many  even  of  the 
priests  and  prophets  were  intemperate,  vs   7,  8. 

(3.)  They  also  disregarded  the  messengers  of  God,  and  treated  their  messages  with  contempt  and 
scorn,  as  being  vain  repetitions  and  a  mere  stammering,  vs.  9—13. 

(4.)  They  regarded  themselves  a?  safe,  since  they  were  firm  and  united,  and  had  as  it  wero  made 
a  1  ague  with  death,  vs    14,  15 

(5.)  God,  in  view  of  their  sins,  threatens  them  with  deserved  punishment,  vs.  16—21.  This 
would  occur  in  the  following  manner. 

(a.)  He  would  lay  in  Zion  a  corner  stone,  tried  and  precious,  and  all  that  regarded  that  should 
be  safe,  vet-  16. 

(i.)  Yet  heavy  Judgments  would  come  upon  the  guilty  and  the  unbelieving.  Judgment  would  be 
laid  to  the  line,  and  the  storms  of  divine  vengeance  would  sweep  away  their  false  refuges, 
and  their  covenant  with  death  should  not  avail  them,  vs.  17—21. 

(C.)  The  people  are  therefore  admonished  to  attend  to  this,  for  the  destruction  was  determined 
upon  the  whole  land.  ver.  22. 

{d.)  The  whole  account  of  their  punishment  is  concluded  by  a  reference  to  the  conduct  of  a  hus- 
bandman, and  an  illustration  is  drawn  from  the  fact  that  he  takes  various  methods  to  secure 
his  harvest.  He  ploughs  ;  he  sows ;  and  in  various  ways  he  threshes  his  grain.  So  in  various 
ways  God  would  ileal  with  his  people.  He  would  instruct,  admonish,  correct,  and  punish 
them,  in  order  that  he  might  secure  the  greatest  amount  of  piety  and  good  fruits  from  them. 
Chastisement  was  just  as  necessary  for  them  as  it  was  for  the  husbandman  in  various  modes 
to  beat  out  his  grain,  vs.  23—59. 


1  Wo  to  the  crown  of  pride, 
to  the  drunkards  of  Ephraim, 
whose  glorious   heauty  is  a  fad- 


1.  Wo.  See  Note  ch.  xviii  1.  The 
word  here  is  used  to  denounce  im- 
pending judgment.  If  To  the  croicn  of 
pride.  This  is  a  Hebrew  mode  of  ex- 
pression, denoting  the  proud  or  haughty 
croicn.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  it 
refers  to  the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of 
Ephraim ;  that  is,  to  Samaria.  This 
city  was  built  by  Omri,  who  purchased 
"  the  hill  Samaria "  of  Shemer,  for 
two  talents  of  silver,  equal  in  value  to 
$3011  25,  and  built  the  city  on  the  hill, 
•ind  called  it,  after  the  name  of  Shemer, 
Samaria.  1  Kings  xvi.  24.  Omri  was 
king  of  Israel  (B.  C.  925),  and  he  made 
this  city  the  capital  of  his  kingdom. 
The  city  was  built  on  a  pleasant  and 
fertile  hill,  and  surrounded  with  a  rich 
valley,  with  a  circle   of  hills  beyond  ; 


ing  flower,  which  are  on  the  head 
of  the  fat  valleys  of  them  that  are 
8overcome  with  wine ! 

3  broken. 


and  the  beauty  of  the  hill  on  which  the 
city  was  built  suggested  the  idea  of  a 
wreath  or  chaplet  of  flowers,  or  a  crown. 
After  having  been  destroyed  and  re* 
duced  to  an  inconsiderable  place,  it  was 
restored  by  Herod  the  Great  (B.  C.  21), 
who  called  it  Sebaste  (in  Latin,  Au- 
gusta), in  honour  of  the  emperor  Au- 
gustus. It  is  usually  mentioned  by 
travellers  under  the  name  of  Sebaste. 
Maundrell  (Trav.  p.  58)  says,  "  Sebas- 
te, the  ancient  Samaria,  is  situated  on  a 
long  mount  of  an  oval  figure  ;  having 
first  a  fruitful  valley,  and  then  a  ring 
of  hills  running  round  it."  The  follow- 
ing is  the  account  which  is  given  by 
Richardson.  "  Its  situation  is  ex- 
tremely beautiful,  and  strong  by  nature  ; 
more  so  I   think  than  Jerusalem.     It 


446 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


2  Behold,  the    Lord    hath    a     mighty  and  strong  one,  tvhich  as 


stands  on  a  fine  large  insulated  hill, 
compassed  all  round  by  a  broad,  deep 
valley.  The  valley  is  surrounded  by 
four  hills,  one  on  each  side,  which  are 
cultivated  in  terraces  to  the  top,  sown 
with  grain  and  planted  with  fig  and 
olive  trees,  as  is  also  the  valley.  The 
hill  of  Samaria,  likewise,  rises  in  ter- 
races to  a  height  equal  to  any  of  the 
adjoining  mountains.''  Dr.  Robinson, 
who  visited  this  place  in  1838,  says, 
"  The  fine  round  swelling  hill,  or  al- 
most mountain  of  Samaria,  stands 
alone  in  the  midst  of  the  great  basin 
of  some  two  hours  [seven  or  eight  miles] 
in  diameter,  surrounded  by  higher 
mountains  on  every  side.  It  is  near 
the  eastern  side  of  the  basin  ;  and  is 
connected  with  the  eastern  mountains, 
somewhat  after  the  manner  of  a  pro- 
montory, by  a  much  lower  ridge,  hav- 
ing a-Wudy  both  on  the  south  and  on  the 
north. — The  mountains  and  the  valleys 
around  are  to  a  great  extent  arable, 
and  enlivened  by  many  villages  and  the 
hand  of  cultivation.  From  all  these 
circumstances,  the  situation  of  the  an- 
cient Samaria  is  one  of  great  beauty. 
The  hill  itself  is  cultivated  .o  the  top  ; 
and,  at  about  midway  of  the  ascent,  is 
surrounded  by  a  narrow  terrace  of  level 
land  like  a  belt,  below  which  the  roots 
oi  the  hill  spread  off"  more  gradually 
into  the  valleys. — The  whole  hill  of 
Sebastich  [the  Arabic  form  for  the  name 
Sebaste]  consists  of  fertile  soil  ;  it  is 
cultivated  to  the  top,  and  has  upon  it 
many  olive  and  fig  trees. — It  would  be 
difficult  to  find,  in  all  Palestine,  a  sit- 
uation of  equal  strength,  fertility,  and 
beauty  combined.  In  all  these  par- 
ticulars, it  has  very  greatly  the  advan- 
tage over  Jerusalem."  See  Bibli.  Re- 
search, vol.  iii.  pp.  136-149.  Standing 
thus  by  itself,  and  cultivated  to  the  top, 
and  exceedingly  fertile,  it  was  com- 
pared by  the  prophet  to  a  crown,  or 
garland  of  flowers — such  as  used  to  be 
worn  on  the  head,  especially  on  festival 
occasions.  IT  To  the  drunkards  of 
Ephraim.  Ephraim  here  denotes  the 
kingdom  of  Israel,  whose  capital  was 
Samaria.     See  Note  ch.  vii.  2.     That 


intemperance  was  the  prevailing  sin  in 
the  kingdom  of  Israel  is  not  improbable. 
It  prevailed  to  a  great  extent  also 
in  the  kingdom  of  Judah.  See  vs  7,8. 
Comp  Notes  ch.  v.  11,22.  IT  Whom 
glorious  beauty  is  a  fading  flower. 
That  is,  it  shall  soon  be  destroyed,  as 
a  flower  soon  withers  and  fades  away. 
This  was  fulfilled  in  the  destruction 
that  came  upon  Samaria  under  the 
Assyrians  when  the  ten  tribes  were 
carried  into  captivity.  2  Kings  xvii.  3-6. 
The  allusion  in  this  verse  to  the  "crown  " 
and  "  the  fading  flower"  encircling 
Samaria,  Grotius  thinks  is  de;  rved  from 
the  fact  that  among  the  ancients,  drunk- 
ards and  revellers  were  accustomed  to 
wear  a  crown  or  garland  on  their  heads, 
or  that  a  wreath  or  chaplei  of  flowers 
was  usually  worn  on  their  festival  oc- 
casions. That  this  custom  prevailed 
among  the  Jews  as  well  as  among  the 
Greeks  and  Romans,  is  apparent  from 
a  statement  by  the  author  of  the  book 
of  Wisdom : 

'■  Let  us  fill  ourselves  with  costly  wine  and  orna- 
ments, 
An  d  let  no  flower  of  the  spring  pass  by  us  , 
Let  us  crown  our.-elves  with  rose-bun's  before 
they  are  withered." —  Wisdom,  ii.  7,  8. 

IT  Which  are  on  the  head.  Which 
flowers  or  chapl^ts  are  on  the  eminence 
that  rises  over  the  fat  valleys  ;  that  is, 
on  Samaria,  which  seemed  to  stand  as 
the  head  rising  from  the  valley.  If  Of 
the  fat  valleys  of  them  that  are  over- 
come with  wine.  That  are  occupied 
by,  or  in  the  possession  of  those  who 
are  overcome  with  wine.  The  margin 
reads  '  broken '  with  wine.  The  He- 
brew is,  those  who  are  "  smitten  with 
wine,"  "1^  "|53;l?ri ; — corresponding  to 
the  Greek  p{ito>rXr)f — that  is,  they  were 
overcome  or  subdued  by  it.  A  man's 
reason,  conscience,  moral  feelings,  and 
physical  strength  are  all  overcome  by 
indulgence  in  wine,  and  the  entire  man 
is  prostrate  by  it.  This  passage  is  a  proof 
of  what  has  been  often  denied,  but  which 
further  examination  has  abundantly 
confirmed,  that  the  inhabitants  of  wine 
countries  are  as  certainly  intemperate  as 
those  which  make  use  of  ardent  spirits. 
2.  Behold,  the  Lord  hath  a  mighty 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIH. 


447 


a  tempesf  of  hail,  and  a  destroy, 
ing  storm,  as  a  flood  of  mighty 
waters  overflowing,  shall  cast 
down  to  the  earth  with  the  hand. 
3  The  crown  of  pride,  the 
drunkards  of  Ephraim,  shall  be 
trodden4  under  feet. 

r  Ezek.  13.  11.  4  with. 


one.     The  Hebrew  of  this 
Lo  !  there   is  to  the  Lord 


and  stron 

passage  is 

(nJ^Xr)  mighty  and    strong.'     Lowth 

"eiiders  it, 

'   Behold  the  mighty  one,  the  exceedingly  strong 
one," 

and  supposes  that  it  means  the  Lord 
himself.  It  is  evident,  however,  that 
something  must  be  understood  as  being 
that  which  the  Lord  "  hath,"  for  the 
Hebrew  properly  implies  that  there  is 
something  strong  and  mighty  which  is 
under  his  control,  and  with  which,  as 
with  a  tempest,  he  will  sweep  away 
and  destroy  Ephraim.  Jarchi  supposes 
that  nil  wind  is  understood  ;  Kimchi 
that  the  word  is  CP  day  ;  others  that 
'in  an  army  is  understood.  But,  I 
think,  the  obvious  interpretation  is  to 
refer  it  to  the  Assyrian  king,  as  the 
agent  by  which  Jehovah  wonld  destroy 
Samaria.  2  Kings  xvii.  3-6.  This 
power  was  entirely  under  the  direction 
of  Jehovah,  and  would  be  employed  by 
him  in  accomplishing  his  purpose  on 
that  guilty  people  Comp.  Notes  on  ch. 
x.  5,  6  f  As  a  tempest  of  hail  A 
storm  of  hail  is  a  most  striking  repre- 
sentation of  the  desolation  that  is  pro- 
duced by  the  ravages  of  an  invading 
army.  Comp.  Job  xxvii.  21,  Note  ch. 
xxx.  30  ;  also  Hos.  xiii.  15.  H  A  flood 
of  mighty  waters.  This  is  also  a  strik- 
ing description  of  the  devastating  effects 
of  an  invading  army.  Comp.  Ps.  xc. 
5.  Jer  xlvi.  7,  8.  If  Shall  cast  down 
to  the  earth.  To  cast  it  to  the  earth 
means  that  it  should  be  entirely  hum- 
bled and  destroyed.  Note  ch  xxv.  12. 
T  With  the  hand.  LXX,  (Sia,  force, 
violence.  This  is  its  meaning  here  ; 
as  if  it  were  taken  in  the  hand,  like  a 
cup,  and  dashed  indignantly  to  the 
ground. 


4  And  the  glorious  beauty 
which  is  on  the  head  of  the  fat 
valley  shall  be  ra  fading  flower, 
and  as  the  hasty  fruit  before  the 
summer;  which  token  he  that 
looketh  upon  it  seeth,  while  it  is 
yet  in  his  hand  he  eateth5  it  up. 


V  Ps.  73.  19,  20. 


3  swalloweth. 


4.  As  the  hasty  fruit,  before  the 
summer.  The  word  rendered  "  hasty 
fruit,"  R^Sa  bikkurah,  in  Arabic 
bokkore,  in  Spanish  albacore,  denotes 
the  early  fig.  This  ripens  in  June  ; 
the  common  fig  does  not  ripen  until 
August.  Shaw,  in  his  Travels  p.  370, 
says :  "  No  sooner  does  the  boccore  (the 
early  fig)  draw  near  to  perfection  in  the 
middle  or  latter  end  of  June,  than  the 
kermez  or  summer  fig  begins  to  be 
formed  though  it  rarely  ripens  before 
August,  about  which  time  the  same 
tree  frequently  throws  out  a  third  crop, 
or  the  winter  fig,  as  we  may  call  it. 
This  is  usually  of  a  much  longer  shape 
and  darker  complexion  than  the  ker- 
mez, hanging  and  ripening  on  the  tree 
after  the  leaves  are  shed  ;  and  provided 
the  winter  be  mild  and  temperate  it  is 
gathered  as  a  delicious  morsel  in  the 
spring."  Robinson  [George],  Travels 
in  Palestine  and  Syria,  vol.  i  p.  354, 
says:  "The  fig-tree,  which  delights 
in  a  rocky  and  parched  soil,  and  is 
therefore  often  found  in  barren  spots 
where  nothing  else  will  grow,  is  very 
common  in  Palestine  and  the  East 
The  fruit  is  of  two  kinds,  the  boccore 
and  the  ker mouse.  The  black  and 
white  boccore,  or  early  fig,  is  produced 
in  May ;  but  the  kermouse,  or  the  fig 
properly  so  called,  which  is  preserved 
and  exported  to  Europe,  is  rarely  ripe 
before  September."  Comp.  Hos.  ix.  10. 
The  phrase  "  before  the  summer"  means 
before  the  heat  of  the  summer,  when  the 
common  fig  was  usually  ripe.  The 
idea  here  is  this,  the  early  fig  would  be 
plucked  and  eaten  with  great  greedi- 
ness. So  the  city  of  Samaria  would  be 
seized  upon  and  destroyed  by  its  ene- 
mies. V  Which  when  he  that  looketh 
upon  it  seeth,  &c.  That  is,  as  soon  aa 
he  sees  it  he  plucks  it,  and  eats  it  at 


448 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.713 


5  In  that  day  shall  the  Lord 
of  hosts  be  for  a  crown  of  glory, 
and  for  a  diadem  of  beauty,  unto 
the  residue  of  his  people, 

G  And  for  a  spirit  of  judgment 
to  him  that  sitteth  in  judgment, 
and  tor  strength  to  them  that  turn 
the  battle  to  the  gate. 

7  But    they    also    have  erred 

once.  He  does  not  lay  it  up  tor  future 
use,  but  as  soon  as  he  hash  in  his  hand 
he  devours  it.  So  soon  as  the  Assyrian 
should  see  Samaria  he  would  rush  upon 
it,  and  destroy  it.  It  was  usual  for 
conquerors  to  preserve  the  cities  which 
they  took  in  war  for  future  use,  and  to 
make  them  a  part  of  the  strength  or 
ornament  of  their  kingdom.  But  Sa- 
maria was  to  be  at  once  destroyed.  Its 
inhabitants  were  to  be  carried  away, 
and  it  would  be  demolished  as  greedily 
as  a  hungry  man  plucks  and  eats  the 
first  fig  that  ripens  on  the  tree. 

5.  In  thai  day.  This  verse  com- 
mences a  new  subject,  and  affirms  that 
while  the  kingdom  of  Israel  should  be 
destroyed,  the  kingdom  of  Judah  would 
be  preserved,  and  restored.  Coinp.  ch. 
vii-ix.  If  Be  for  a  crown  of  glory.  He 
shall  reign  there  as  its  king,  and  he 
shall  guard  and  defend  the  remnant  of 
his  people  there  This  reign  of  Je- 
hovah shall  be  to  them  better  than 
palaces,  towers,  walls  and  fruitful  fields, 
and  shall  be  a  more  glorious  ornament 
than  the  proud  city  of  Samaria  was  to 
the  kingdom  of  Israel.  IT  And  for  a 
diadem  of  beauty.  A  beautiful  garland. 
The  phrase  stands  opposed  to  the  wreath 
ot  flowers  or  the  diadem  which  was 
represented  (vs.  1,  3)  as  adorning  the 
kingdom  and  capital  of  Israel.  Je- 
hovah and  his  government  would  be  to 
them  their  chief  glory  and  ornament. 
^  Unto  the  residue  of  his  people.  To 
the  kingdom  of  Judah,  comprising  the 
two  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin. 
This  doubtless  refers  to  the  compara- 
tively prosperous  and  happy  times  of 
the  reign  of  Hezekiah. 

6.  And  for  a  spirit  of  judgment. 
Comp    Note  ch.  i  26,  ch.  si.  2.     The 


through  wine,*and  through  strong 
drink  are  out  of  the  way  :  the 
"priest  and  the  prophet  have  erred 
through  strong  drink,  they  are 
swallowed  up  of  wine,  they  are 
out  of  the  way  through  strong 
drink;  they  err  in  vision,  they 
stumble  in  judgment. 

X  Hos.  4.  U.  y  ch.  56    10—12. 

sense  of  this  passage  is,  that  Jehovah 
would  enlighten  the  judges  of  the  land, 
so  that  they  should  understand  what 
was  right,  and  be  disposed  to  do  it. 
IT  To  him  that  sitteth  in  judgment. 
This  is  to  be  understood  collectively, 
and  means  those  who  sat  upon  the 
bench  of  justice  ;  that  is,  the  magis- 
tracy in  general.  If  And  for  strength 
to  them  that  turn  the  battle  to  the  gate. 
That  is,  to  the  very  gate  of  their  ene- 
mies ;  who  not  only  repel  their  foes 
from  their  own  city,  but  who  drive  them 
even  to  the  gates  of  their  own  cities, 
and  besiege  them  there.  Thus  2  Sam. 
xi.  23,  "  And  we  were  upon  them  even 
unto  the  entering  of  the  gate  ;''  that  is, 
we  drove  them  back  unto  their  own 
gates. 

7.  But  they  also  have  erred  through 
wine.  In  the  previous  verses  the  pro- 
phet had  said  that  the  kingdom  of 
Judah  should  be  saved  while  that  of 
Ephraim  should  be  destroyed.  Yet  he 
does  not  deny  that  they  also  were 
guilty  of  crimes  for  which  punishment 
would  come  upon  them.  To  portray 
these  crimes,  and  to  declare  the  certain 
judgment  which  awaited  them,  is  the 
design  of  the  remainder  of  the  chapter. 
The  word  rendered  "  have  erred,"  130  , 
refers  usually  to  the  fact  that  men 
stagger  or  reel  through  wine,  and  is 
applied  commonly  to  those  who  are  in- 
toxicated. Prov.  xx  i.  The  subse- 
quent part  of  this  verse  shows,  how- 
evsr,  that  it  does  not  refer  merely  to 
the  fact  that  they  stagger  and  reel  as 
intemperate  men  do,  but  that  it  had  an 
effect  on  their  "vision"  and  "judg- 
ment ;"  that  is,  it  disqualified  them  for 
the  discharge  of  their  duties  as  priests 


B.C.  "J  13.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIIL 


449 


8  For  all  tables  are  full  of 
vomit  and  filthiness,  so  that  there 
is  no  place  clean. 

9  Whom  *shall  he  teach  know- 


ledge ?  and  whom  shall  he  make 
to  understand  doctrine  ?  Hhem  that 
are  weaned  from  the  milk,  and 
drawn  from  the  breasts. 


and  as  prophets.  In  this  part  of  the 
verse,  however,  the  simple  idea  is,  that 
they  reel  or  stagger  through  wine,  i.  e. 
they  are  addicted  to  intoxication  In 
the  subsequent  part  of  the  verse  the 
prophet  states  the  effect  in  producing 
indistinctness  of  vision  and  error  of 
judgment.  f  And  through  strong 
drink.  See  Note  ch.  v.  11.  IT  They 
are  out  of  the  way,  WO  .  They  wan- 
der ;  stagger  ;  reel.  Comp.  Notes  ch. 
xix.  14.  IT  The  priest  and  the  prophet. 
Probably  these  persons  are  specified  to 
denote  the  higher  classes  of  society. 
It  is  probable  that  the  prophet  also  de- 
signs to  indicate  the  enormity  of  the 
sins  of  the  nation,  from  the  fact  that 
those  who  were  specially  devoted  to  re- 
ligion, and  who  were  supposed  to  have 
immediate  communication  with  God, 
were  addicted  to  intemperance.  IT  They 
are  swallowed  up  of  wine.  They  are 
completely  absorbed  by  it  (see  Note  ch. 
xxv.  7)  ;  they  not  only  themselves  in- 
dulge in  its  use,  but  they  are  them- 
selves, as  it  were,  swallowed  up  by  it, 
so  that  their  reason,  and  strength,  and 
virtue  are  all  gone — as  a  vessel  is  ab- 
sorbed in  a  maelstrom  or  whirlpool. 
V  They  err  in  vision.  For  the  sense 
of  the  word  "  vision,"  see  Note  ch.  i. 
1.  The  prophet  here  states  the  effect 
of  the  use  of  wine  and  strong  drink  on 
their  mental  and  moral  powers.  It 
was  the  office  of  the  prophets  to  de- 
clare the  will  of  God  ;  probably  also  to 
explain  the  sense  of  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures, and  to  address  the  people  on  their 
duty.  Here  the  prophet  says  that  the 
effect  of  their  intemperance  was  that 
they  had  themselves  no  correct  and 
clear  views  of  the  truth,  and  that  they 
led  the  people  into  error.  U  They 
stumble  in  judgment.  There  were 
many  important  subjects  on  which  the 
priests  sat  in  judgment  among  the  He- 
brews, particularly  in  all  matters  per- 
taining to  religion.     By  the  influence 


of  intoxicating  liquors  they  were  dis- 
qualified for  the  high  and  holy  functions 
of  their  office  ;  and  the  consequence 
was  that  the  nation  was  corrupt,  and 
was  exposed  to  the  heavy  judgments 
of  God. 

8.  For  all  tables,  &c.  The  tables 
at  which  they  sit  long  in  the  use  of 
wine.  See  Note  ch  v.  11.  There 
was  no  place  in  their  houses  which 
was  free  from  the  disgusting  and  loath- 
some pollution  produced  by  the  use  of 
wine. 

9.  Whom  shall  he  teach  knowledge  ? 
This  verse  commences  a  statement  re- 
specting another  form  of  sin  that  pre- 
vailed among  the  people  of  Judah. 
That  sin  was  contempt  for  the  manner 
in  which  God  instructed  them  by  the 
prophets,  and  a  disregard  for  his  com- 
munications as  if  they  were  suited  to 
children  and  not  to  adults.  That  scoff- 
ing was  the  principal  sin  aimed  at  in 
these  verses  is  apparent  from  ver.  14. 
Vitringa  supposes  that  these  words  (vs. 
9,  10)  are  designed  to  describe  the 
manner  of  teaching  by  the  priests  and 
the  prophets  as  being  puerile  and  silly, 
and  adapted  to  children.  Michaelis 
supposes  that  the  prophet  means  to 
signify  that  it  would  be  a  vain  and 
fruitless  labour  to  attempt  to  instruct 
these  persons  who  were  given  to  wine, 
because  they  were  unaccustomed  to 
sound  and  true  doctrine.  Others  have 
supposed  that  he  means  that  these  per- 
sons who  were  thus  given  to  wine  and 
strong  drink,  were  disqualified  to  in- 
struct others,  since  their  teachings  were 
senseless  and  incoherent,  and  resem- 
bled the  talk  of  children.  But  the  true 
sense  of  the  passage  has  undoubtedly 
been  suggested  by  Lowth.  According 
to  this  interpretation,  the  prophet  speaks 
of  them  as  deriders  of  the  manner  in 
which  God  had  spoken  to  them  by  hia 
messengers.  '  What !'  say  they, '  does 
God  treat  us  as  children !     Does    he 


4i)G 


ISAIAH. 


[.B.C.  713 


10  For  precept  3must  be  upon  I      11   For  with  "stammering  lips, 
precept,    precept   upon  precept ;  |  and  another  tongue,6  will  he  speak 
line   upon   line,  line  upon  line ; 
here  a  little,  and  there  a  little  : 


deal  with  us  as  we  deal  with  infants 
just  weaned,  perpetually  repeating  and 
inculcating  tlie  same  elementary  les- 
boiis,  and  teaching  the  mere  rudiments 
of  knowledge  !'  The  expression,  there- 
fore, "  Whom  shall  he  teach  know- 
ledge \"  or  '  whom  does  he  teach  ('  is 
an  expression  of  contempt  supposed  to 
be  spoken  by  the  intemperate  priests 
and  prophets — the  leaders  of  the  peo- 
ple. '  Whom  does  God  take  us  to  be  I 
Does  he  regard  us  as  mere  children  I 
VV1  y  are  we  treated  as  children  with 
an  endless  repetition  of  the  same  ele- 
mentary instruction  V  II  To  under- 
stand doctrine.  Hebrew,  as  in  the 
margin,  "hearing,"  or  report  Tsa.  liii. 
1).  The  sense  is,  For  whom  is  that  in- 
struction intended  I  Whom  does  he 
wish  to  be  taught  by  it  I  H  Them  that 
are  weaned  from  the  milk,  &c.  Does 
he  regard  and  treat  us  as  mere  babes  I 
10.  For  precept  must  be  upon  precept. 
This  is  probably  designed  to  ridicule 
the  concise  and  sententious  manner 
of  the  prophets,  and  especially  the  fact 
that  they  dwelt  much  upon  the  same 
elementary  truths  of  religion.  In  teach- 
ing children  we  are  obliged  to  do  it  by 
often  repeating  the  same  simple  lesson. 
So  the  profane  and  scoffing  teachers 
of  the  people  said  it  had  been  with  the 
prophets  of  God.  It  had  been  precept 
upon  precept,  and  line  upon  line,  in  the 
same  way  as  children  had  been  in- 
structed. The  meaning  is,  '  there  is  a 
constant  repetition  of  the  command, 
without  ornament,  imagery,  or  illustra- 
tion ;  without  an  appeal  to  our  under- 
standing, or  respect  for  our  reason  ;  it 
is  simply  one  mandate  after  another, 
just  as  lessons  are  inculcated  upon 
children.'  II  Line  upon  line.  This 
word  *P  got),  properly  means  a  cord, 
a  Hue;  particularly  a  measuring  cord 
or  line.  Ezek.  xlvii  3  2  Kings  xxi.  13. 
See  Note  eh.  xviii.  2.  Here  it  seems 
to  be  used  in  the  9ense  of  a  rule,  law, 
or   precept.     Grotius  thinks  that   the 


to  his  people. 

3  or,  huth  been. 
5  stammerings  of.  6  or,  he  hath  spoken. 


idea  is  taken  from  schoolmasters  whe 
instruct  their  pupils  by  making  lines  or 
marks  for  them  which  they  are  to  trace 
or  imitate.  There  is  a  repetition  of 
similar  sounds  in  the  Hebrew  in  this 
verse  which  cannot  be  conveyed  in  a 
translation,  and  which  shows  their  eon- 
tempt  in  a  much  more  striking  manner 
than  any  version  could  do. —  IS  "'jp 
•£b  ip_  njsb  1J2  !Xi  -X  lib  —hi  tzdv 

tdtzdo  tzdv  latzdv  qdv  luqdv  qdv 
luqdv.  U  Here  a  little  and  there  a  lit' 
t  e.  In  the  manner  of  instructing  chil- 
dren, inculcating  elementary  lessons 
constantly.  It  may  be  observed  litre 
that  God's  method  of  imparting  reli- 
gious truth  has  often  appeared  to  a. 
scoffing  world  to  be  undignified  and 
foolish.  Sinners  suppose  that  he  does 
not  sufficiently  respect  their  under- 
standing and  pay  a  tribute  to  the  dig- 
nity of  their  nature.  The  truths  of 
God,  and  his  modes  of  inculcating  them, 
are  said  to  be  adapted  to  the  under- 
standings of  childhood  and  of  age  ;  to 
imbecility  of  years,  or  to  times  when 
the  mind  is  enfeebled  by  disease. 

11.  For.  This  verse  is  to  be  under- 
stood as  a  response  to  what  the  com- 
plaining and  dissatisfied  people  had 
said  as  expressed  in  the  previous  verse. 
God  says  that  he  will  teach  them,  but 
it  should  be  by  another  tongue — a 
foreign  language  in  a  distant  land. 
Since  they  refused  to  hearken  to  the 
messages  which  he  sent  to  them,  and 
which  they  regarded  as  adapted  only  tc 
children,  he  would  teach  them  in  a 
manner  that  should  be  much  more  hu- 
miliating ;  he  would  make  use  of  the 
barbarous  language  of  foreigners  to 
bring  them  to  the  true  knowledge  of 
God.  IT  With  stammering  lips.  The 
word  which  is  used  here  is  derived  from 
a  verb  (^P),  which  means  to  speak  un- 
intelligibly ;  especially  to  speak  in  a 
foreign  language,  or  to  stammer  ;  and 
then  to  mock,  deride,  laugh  at,  scorn. 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


451 


]  2  To  whom  he  said,  This  is 
the  rest  lohereicith  ye  may  cause 
the  weary  to  rest  ;  and  this  is  the 
refreshing  ;  yet  they  would  not 
hear. 

13  But  s'the  word  of  the  Lord 
was  unto  them  precept  upon  pre- 
cept, precept  upon  precept ;  line 
upon  line,  line  upon  line  ;  here  a 
little,  and  there  a  little ;  that 
'they  might  go,  and  fall  back- 
ward, and  be  broken,  and  snared, 
and  taken. 

g  Hos   6.  5.     8.  12.  i  Matt.  13.  14. 

Comp.  Isa.  xxxiii.  19.  Prov.  i.  26, 
xvii,  5.  Ps.  ii.  4,  lis.  9.  Job  xxii.  19. 
Here  it  means  in  a  foreign  or  barba- 
rous tongue  ;  and  the  sense  is,  that  the 
lessons  which  God  wished  to  teach 
would  be  conveyed  to  them  through 
the  language  of  foreigners — the  Chal- 
deans. The^r  should  be  removed  to  a 
distant  land,  and  there,  in  hearing  a 
strange  speech,  in  living  long  among 
foreigners,  they  should  learn  the  lesson 
which  they  refused  to  do  when  address- 
ed by  the  prophets  in  their  own  land. 

12.  To  whom  he  said.  To  whom 
God  had  said  ;  i.  e.  to  the  Jews.  He 
had  taught  them  the  way  of  rest 
through  the  prophets,  but  they  had  re- 
fused to  learn.  1  This  is  the  rest. 
That  is,  this  is  the  true  way  of  happi- 
ness, to  wit,  by  keeping  the  commands 
of  God  which  had  been  so  often  re- 
peated as  to  become  to  them  objects 
of  satiety  and  disgust  f  This  is  the 
refreshing.  This  is  the  way  in  which 
the  mind  may  be  comforted. 

13.  But  the  word  of  the  Lord  was 
unto  them.  Or,  rather,  but  the  word 
of  Jehovah  shall  be  unto  them.  This 
refers  to  the  mode  in  which  God  said 
he  would  instruct  them  in  a  foreign 
land.  They  had  complained  (vs.  9, 
10)  that  his  instructions  had  been  like 
a  short  lesson  constantly  repeated,  as 
we  instruct  children.  God  here  says 
that  it  should  be  as  they  said  it  was — 
they  would  be  carried  away  to  a  dis- 
tant land,  and  long  abide  among  stran- 
gers ;    they   would   have    ample   time 


14  Wherefore  hear  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  ye  scornful  men, 
that  rule  this  people  which  is 
in  Jerusalem. 

15  Because  ye  have  said,  We 
have  made  a  covenant  with  death, 
and  with  hell  are  we  at  agree- 
ment ;  when  the  overflowing 
scourge  shall  pass  through,  it 
shall  not  come*  unto  us  :  for  we 
have  made  lies  our  refuge,  and 
under  falsehood  have  we  hid  our- 
selves. 

k  Eccl.  8.  8. 

there  to  acquire  instruction,  and  all 
that  they  would  receive  would  be  les- 
son after  lesson  of  the  same  kind — line 
upon  line,  one  judgment  following  ano- 
ther, until  the  lesson  of  their  disobe- 
dience had  been  fully  inculcated,  and 
they  had  been  brought  to  true  repent- 
ance. H  Here  a  little,  and  there  a  lit' 
tie.  So  they  had  said  (ver.  10)  the 
lessons  of  God  were  to  them  by  the 
prophets.  So  God  says  his  lessons 
shall  be  to  them  by  judgment.  It  shall 
not  come  in  one  sudden  and  overpow- 
ering burst  of  indignation,  but  it  shall 
be,  as  it  were,  dealt  out  to  them  in 
small  portions  that  it  may  not  be  soon 
exhausted.  IT  That  they  might  go,  &c. 
That  they  may  go  into  captivity,  and 
stumble,  and  be  broken  by  the  judg- 
ments of  God  God  will  so  deal  out 
the  lessons  of  his  judgment  and  wrath, 
that  as  a  people  they  shall  be  broken 
up,  and  made  prisoners,  and  be  borne  to 
a  distant  land. 

14.  Wherefore,  &c.  This  verse 
commences  a  direct  address  to  the 
scoffing  and  scornful  nation  which  is 
continued  to  the  close  of  ver.  22.  It 
is  addressed  particularly  to  the  rulers 
in  Jerusalem,  as  being  the  leaders  in 
crime,  and  as  being  eminently  deserving 
of  the  wrath  of  God.  H  Ye  scornful 
men-  Ye  who  despise  and  reproach 
God  and  his  message  ;  who  fancy  your- 
selves to  be  spcure,  and  mock  at  the 
threatened  judgments  of  the  Almighty. 

15.  We  have  made  a  covenant  with 
death.     We   are   not  to  suppose  that 


452 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


16  Therefore  thus  saith  the 
Lord  God,  Behold  I  lay  in  Zion 
for  a  foundation  a  stone,"'  a  tried 

m  Ps.  118.  22.        Matt.  21.  12.        Acts  4.  11. 

they  had  formally  said  this,  but  that 
their  conduct  was  as  if  they  had  said 
it ;  they  lived  as  securely  as  if  they 
had  entered  into  a  compact  with  death 
not  to  destroy  them ,  and  with  hell  not 
to  devour  them.  The  figure  is  a  very 
bold  one,  and  is  designed  to  express 
the  extraordinary  stupidity  of  the  na- 
tion. It  is  most  strikingly  descriptive 
of  the  great  mass  of  men.  They  are 
as  l'ttle  anxious  about  death  and  hell 
as  if  they  had  made  a  compact  with 
the  king  of  terrors  and  the  prince  of 
darkness,  not  to  destroy  them  They 
are  as  little  moved  by  the  appeals  of 
the  gospel  ;  by  the  alarms  of  God's  pro- 
vidence ;  by  the  preaching  of  his  word, 
and  by  all  the  demonstrations  that  they 
Bre  exposed  to  eternal  death,  as  though 
they  had  proved  that  there  was  no  hell, 
or  had  entered  into  a  solemn  covenant 
that  they  should  be  unmolested.  A 
figure  similar  to  this  occurs  in  Job  v. 
23: 

For  thou  shalt  be  in  league  with  the  stones  of  the 

field; 
And  the  beasts  of  the  field  shall  be  at peare  with 

thee. 

Comp.  Hos.  ii.  18.  IT  And  with  hell. 
Heb.  Sheol — the  land  of  shades,  or  of 
departed  spirits.  Note  ch.  v.  14.  It 
is  nearly  synonymous  here  with  death. 
If  When  the  overflowing  scourge  shall 
pass  through.  There  is  here,  in  our 
translation,  a  little  confusion  of  meta- 
phor, since  we  speak  usually  of  an 
overflowing  stream,  and  not  of  an 
overflowing  scourge.  The  word  scourge, 
^?^  ,  means  usually  a  whip,  a  scourge, 
the  same  as  B1UJ  ,  and  then  means  any 
punishment,  or  calamity.  See  Note 
ch.  x.  26.  Comp.  Job  ix.  23,  v.  21. 
Here  it  means  severe  judgments  or  ca- 
lamities, as  overflowing  like  water,  or 
inundating  a  people.  IT  We  have  made 
lies,  &c.  That  is,  they  acted  as  if 
they  had  a  safe  refuge  in  falsehood. 
They  sought  security  in  false  doctrines, 
and  regarded  themselves  as  safe  from 
til  that  the  prophets  had  denounced. 


stone,  a  precious  corner-stow,  a 
sure  foundation  :  he  "that  be- 
lieveth  shall  not  make  haste. 

Rom.  9.  33.        Eph.  2.  20.         n  Rom.  1U.  11. 

16.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord 
God.  This  verse  is  introductory  to 
the  solemn  threatening  which  follows. 
Its  design  seems  to  be  this.  The  pro- 
phet was  about  to  utter  an  awful  threat- 
ening of  the  judgment  of  God  Upon  the 
nation.  It  might  be  supposed, perhaps, 
that  the  intention  was  completely  to 
sweep  them,  and  destroy  them — diat 
the  threatened  calamity  would  remove 
every  vestige  of  the  Jewish  people  and 
of  the  true  religion  together.  To  meet 
this  supposition,  God  says,  that  this 
should  not  occur.  Zion  was  founded  on 
a  rock  It  should  be  like  an  edifice 
that  was  reared  on  a  firm,  well-tried 
corner-stone — one  that  could  endure 
all  the  storms  that  should  beat  around 
it,  and  be  unmoved.  The  general  sen- 
timent of  the  verse  is,  therefore,  that 
though  a  tempest  of  calamity  was  about 
to  beat  upon  the  people  for  their  sins  ; 
though  the  temple  was  to  be  destroyed, 
the  city  laid  in  ashes,  and  many  of  the 
people  slain  ;  yet  it  was  the  purpose 
of  God  that  his  empire  on  earth  should 
not  be  destroyed  A  foundation,  a 
corner-stone  was  to  be  laid  that  would 
be  unshaken  and  unmoved  by  all  the 
assaults  of  the  foes  of  God,  and  all 
who  were  truly  resting  on  that  should 
be  safe.  The  perpetuity  of  his  king- 
dom, and  the  safety  of  his  true  people, 
is,  therefore,  the  essential  idea  in  this 
passage.  That  it  refers  to  the  Mes- 
siah, and  is  designed  to  show  that  his 
kingdom  will  be  perpetual  because  it  is 
reared  on  him,  we  shall  see  by  an  ex- 
amination of  the  words  which  occur  in 
the  verse.  IT  la  Zion.  Note  ch  i.  d. 
Zion  here  is  put  for  his  empire,  king- 
dom, or  church  in  general  on  earth. 
To  lay  a  corner-stone  in  Zion  means 
that  his  kingdom  would  be  founded  on 
a  rock,  and  would  be  secure  amidst  all 
the  storms  that  might  beat  upon  it. 
IT  For  a  foundation  a  stone.  That  is, 
I  lay  a  firm  foundation  which  nothing 
can  move  ;  I  build  it  on  a  rock  so  that 
the   storms  and   tempests  of  calamity 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


453 


17  Judgment  also  will  I  lay  to 
the  line,  and  righteousness  to  the 
plummet ;    and    the    hail    shall 

cannot  sweep  it  away.  Comp.  Matth. 
vii.  24,25.  The  Targum  renders  this, 
"  Lo !  I  appoint  in  Zion  a  king,  a  strong, 
mighty,  and  terrible  king"  That  the 
passage  before  us  has  reference  to  the 
Messiah  there  can  be  no  doubt.  The 
writers  of  the  New  Testament  so  un- 
derstood and  applied  it.  Thus  it  is 
applied  by  Peter  ( 1  Pet  ii  6),  "  Where- 
fore, also,  it  is  contained  in  the  Scrip- 
ture, Behold  I  lay  in  Sion  a  chief  cor- 
ner-stone, elect,  precious  ;  and  he  that 
believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  confound- 
ed." See  Notes  on  Rom.  ix.  33. 
Comp.  Rom.  x.  11,  and  Matth  xxi.  42, 
Luke  xx.  17,  18,  ii.  34  Eph.  ii.  20. 
Such  a  reference  also  exactly  suits  the 
connection.  The  stability  of  the  king- 
dom of  God  on  earth  rests  on  the  Mes- 
siah. God  had  determined  to  send 
him  ;  and  consequently,  amidst  all  the 
agitations  and  revolutions  that  could 
take  place  among  his  ancient  people, 
this  promise  was  sure,  and  it  was  cer- 
tain that  he  would  come,  and  that  his 
church  would  be  preserved.  IT  A  tried 
stone.  The  word  which  is  used  here 
is  applied  commonly  to  metals  which 
are  tried  in  the  tire  to  test  their  quality. 
See  Jer.  ix  6.  Zech.  xiii.  9.  Ps.  Ixvi. 
10.  Job  xxiii.  10.  The  idea  is,  that 
God  would  lay  for  a  foundation  not  a 
stone  whose  qualities  were  unknown, 
and  whose  stability  might  be  doubtful, 
but  one  whose  firmness  and  solidity 
were  so  fully  known,  that  the  founda- 
tion and  the  superstructure  would  be 
secure.  IT  A  precious  corner-stone. 
The  word  "  precious "  (LXX,  anu  I 
Pet.  ii.  6,  evTtjtnv)  refers  to  the  fact  that 
the  most  solid  stone  would  be  used  to 
sustain  the  comer  of  the  edifice.  The 
principal  weight  of  the  superstructure 
rests  on  the  corners,  and  hence  in  build- 
ing, the  largest  and  firmest  blocks  are 
selected  and  placed  there.  1T  He  that 
believeth.  He  that  confides  in  that ; 
he  that  believes  that  that  foundation  is 
firm,  and  that  he  is  secure  in  trusting 
in   that,  shall   not  make  haste.     The 


sweep  away  the  refuge  of  lies, 
and  the  waters  shall  overflow 
the  hiding-place. 

great  doctrine  of  faith  in  the  Messiab 
as  a  ground  of  security  and  salvation, 
on  which  so  much  stress  is  laid  in  the 
New  Testament,  is  here  distinctly  ad- 
verted to.  The  sense  is,  that  confi- 
dence in  him  should  keep  the  mind 
firm,  and  preserve  him  that  believes  in 
safety.  IT  Shall  not  make  haste.  The 
LXX  render  it,"  shall  not  be  ashamed," 
ri?i  jih  KUTnirryi'}!)^.  So  Peter,  1  Pet.  ii. 
6  ;  and  Paul,  Rom.  ix.  33.  The  He- 
brew word  mTV]  f  from  Offl  ,  means 
properly  to  make  haste  ;  and  then  to 
urge  on  ;  and  then  to  be  afraid,  to  flee. 
The  idea  is  derived  from  one  who  is 
alarmed,  and  flees  to  a  place  of  safety. 
The  specific  thought  here,  is  that  of  a 
man  on  whose  house  the  tempest  beats, 
and  who  apprehends  that  the  founda- 
tion is  insecure,  and  leaves  it  to  seek  a 
more  safe  position.  The  prophet  says 
here,  that  the  foundation  on  which 
Zion  was  reared  would  be  so  firm  that 
if  a  man  trusted  to  that  he  would  have 
no  cause  of  alarm,  however  much  the 
storms  should  beat  around  it.  The 
same  idea  essentially  is  conveyed  in 
the  version  of  the  LXX,  and  by  Paul 
and  Peter,  where  it  is  rendered  ".  shall 
not  be  ashamed,"  or  confounded.  That 
is,  he  shall  have  no  reason  to  be 
ashamed  of  his  confidence  in  the  firm 
foundation  ;  he  shall  not  flee  from  it  as 
a  man  does  who  puts  his  trust  in  that 
which  fails  him  in  the  day  of  trial. 

17.  Judgment  also  will  I  lay  to  the 
line.  The  sense  of  this  is,  I  will  judge 
them  according  to  the  exact  rule  of 
law,  as  an  architect  frames  every  thing 
according  to  the  rule  which  he  uses. 
In  other  words,  there  shall  be  no  mercy 
intermingled.  The  line  is  used  by  a 
carpenter  for  measuring  ;  the  plummet 
consists  of  a  piece  of  lead  attached  to  a 
string,  and  is  also  used  by  carpenters  to 
obtain  a  perpendicular  line.  A  car- 
penter works  exactly  according  to  the 
lines  which  are  thus  indicated,  or  his 
frame  would  not  be  properly  adjusted. 


454 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


18  And  your  covenant  with 
death  shall  be  disannulled,  and 
your  agreement  with  hell  shall 
not  stand  ;  when  the  overflowing 
scourge  shall  pass  through,  then 
ye  shall  be  'trodden  down  «by  it. 

19  From  the  time  that  it  goeth 
forth  it  shall  take  you  :  for  morn- 
ing by  morning  shall  it  pass  over, 

1  a  treading  doxn  to  it.         q  Mai   4.  3. 

So  God  says  that  he  would  judge  the 
people  of  Jerusalem  according  to  the 
exact  rule,  without  any  intermingling 
of  mercy,  f  And  the  hail,  &c.  See 
Note  on  ver  2.  Hail,  hailstones,  and 
floods  of  waters  are  frequent  images 
of  the  divine  vengeance  and  wrath. 
Ps.  cv.  32.  Rev.  viii.  7,  xi.  19,  xvi.  21. 
Ezek.  xiii.  13,  xxxviii.  22.  Isa.  xxx. 
3U,  xxii   19. 

18.  And  your  covenant  with  death. 
Note  ver.  15.  IT  Shall  be  disannulled. 
The  word  rendered  "  shall  be  disannul- 
led," p?S}  from  nM),  properly 
means  to  cover,  overlay  ;  then  to  par- 
don, forgive  ;  then  to  make  atonement, 
to  expiate.  It  has  the  idea  of  blotting 
out,  forgiving,  and  obliterating — be- 
cause a  writing  in  wax  was  obliterated 
or  covered  by  passing  the  stylus  over 
it.  Hence,  also,  the  idea  of  abolish- 
ing, or  rendering  nought,  which  is  the 
idea  here.  IT  When  the  overflowing 
scourge.  Note  ver.  15.  IT  Then  ye 
shall  be  trodden  down  by  it  There  is 
in  this  verse  a  great  intermingling  of 
metaphor,  not  less  than  three  figures 
being  employed  to  denote  the  calamity. 
There  is  first  the  scourge,  an  instru- 
ment of  punishment  ;  there  is  then  the 
idea  of  inundating  waters  or  floods  ; 
then  there  is  also  the  idea  of  a  warrior 
or  an  invading  army  that  treads  down 
an  enemy.  All  the  images  are  de- 
signed to  denote  essentially  the  same 
thing,  that  the  judgments  of  God  would 
come  upon  the  land,  and  that  nothing 
in  which  they  had  trusted  would  con- 
stitute a  refuge. 

19.  From  the  time  that  it  goeth  forth 
.1  shall  take  you.  It  shall  not  delay,  or 
be  hindered,  or  put  back.     As  soon  as 


by  day  and  by  night  ;  and  it  shall 
bea  vexation  only  8/o  understand 
the  report. 

20  For  the  bed  is  shorter  than 
that  a  man  can  stretch  himself 
on  it;  and  the  covering  narrow- 
er than  that  he  can  wrap  himself 
in  it. 

2  or,  when  he  shat'  make  you  to  und  rs  and 
doctrine. 

the  judgment  is  sent  ft  rth  from  God  it 
shall  come,  upon  you.  IT  For  morning 
by  morning.  Continually  ;  without  in- 
termission. It  shall  be  like  floods  and 
tempests  that  have  no  intermission  ; 
that  are  repeated  every  day,  and  eon- 
tinued  every  night,  until  every  thing  is 
swept  before  them  IT  And  it  xltull  be 
a  vexation.  It  shall  be  an  object  of 
alarm,  of  agitation,  of  distress —  '""'"??! 
from  ?*!*  ,  to  move  one's  self;  to  trem- 
ble with  alarm  ;  to  be  troubled  Ecel. 
xii.  3.  Heb.  ii.  7.  Dan.  v.  19,  vi.  27.- 
Here  it  means  that  the  calamity  would 
be  so  great  that  it  would  fill  the  mind 
with  horror  only  to  hear  of  it.  For 
similar  expressions  denoting  the  effect 
of  hearing  a  report  of  the  judgments 
of  God,  see  1  Sam.  iii  11.  2  Kings 
xxi.  12.  Jer.  xix  3.  IT  The  report 
Marg.  doctrine.     See  Note  on  ver.  9. 

20.  For  the  bed  is  shorter,  &c.  This 
is  evidently  a  proverbial  saying,  and 
means  that  they  would  find  all  their 
places  of  defence  insufficient  to  secure 
them.  They  seek  repose  and  security 
— as  a  man  lies  down  to  rest  at  night. 
But  they  find  neither.  His  bed  fur- 
nishes no  rest ;  his  scanty  covering  fur- 
nishes no  security  from  the  chills  cf  ir»^ 
night.  So  it  would  be  with  those  who 
sought  protection  in  idols,  in  the  pro- 
mises of  false  prophets,  and  in  the  aid 
which  might  be  obtained  from  Egypt. 
— So  it  is  with  sinners.  Their  vain 
refuges  shall  not  shield  them.  The 
bed  on  which  they  seek  rest  shall  give 
them  no  repose  ;  the  covering  with 
which  they  seek  to  clothe  themselves 
shall  not  defend  them  from  the  wrath 
of  God. 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


455 


21  For  the  Lord  shall  rise  up 
as*  in  mount  Perazim,  he  shall 
be  wroth  asr  in  the  valley  of 
Gibeon,  that  he  may  do  his  work, 
his  strange  "work  ;  and  bring  to 
pass  his  act,  his  strange  act. 

22  Now  therefore  be   ye   not 

f  2  Sam.  5. 20.    r  Josh .  10. 10,  &c.    1  Chron.  14. 16. 
u  Lam.  3.  33. 

21.  For  the  Lord  shall  rise  up.  To 
rise  up  is  indicative  of  going  forth  to 
judgment,  as  when  one  rises  from  his 
seat  to  accomplish  any  thing.  IT  As  in 
mount  Perazim.  There  is  reference 
here,  doubtless,  to  the  event  recorded  in 
2  Sam.  v.  20,  21,  and  1  Chron  xiv. 
11,  where  David  is  said  to  have  de- 
feated the  Philistines  at  Baal-Perazim. 
This  place  was  near  to  the  valley  of  Re- 
phaim  (2  Sam.  v.  19),  and  not  far  from 
Jerusalem.  The  word  Perazim  is  from 
JJ'IQ  pdrdtz,  to  tear,  or  break  forth,  as 
waters  do  that  have  been  confined  ; 
and  is  indicative  of  sudden  judgment, 
and  of  a  complete  overthrow.  It  was 
on  that  account  given  to  the  place 
where  David  obtained  a  signal  and 
complete  victory,  2  Sam.  v  20  ;  and 
it  is  here  referred  to,  to  denote  that 
God  would  come  forth  in  a  sudden 
mannerto  destroy  Jerusalem  and  Judea 
He  would  come  upon  them  like  burst- 
ing waters,  and  sweep  them  away  to  a 
distant  land.  IT  As  in  the  valley  of 
Gibeon.  In  1  Chron.  xiv.  16,  it  is  said 
that  after  the  victory  of  Baal-Perazim 
"  David  smote  the  host  of  the  Philis- 
tines from  Gibeon  even  to  Gaza  "  This 
victory  is  doubtless  referred  to  here, 
and  not  the  victory  of  Joshua  over  the 
Gibeonites  (Josh.  x.  10),  as  Vitringa 
and  others  suppose.  IT  That  he  may 
do  his  work,  his  strange  work.  This  is 
called  his  strange  work  because  it  would 
be  inflicted  on  his  people.  He  had 
destroyed  their  enemies  often,  but  now 
he  was  about  to  engage  in  the  unusual 
work  of  coming  forth  against  his  own 
people,  and  sweeping  them  away  to  a 
distant  land.  The  work  of  judgment 
and  punishment  may  be  called  the 
strange  work  of  God  always,  inasmuch 


mockers,  lest  your  bands  be  made 
strong  :  for  I  have  heard  from  the 
Lord  God  of  hosts  a  consumption, 
weven  determined  upon  the  whole 
earth. 

23  Give  ye  ear,  and  hear  my 
voice ;  hearken,  and  hear  my 
speech. 


as  it  is  not  that  in  which  he  delights 
to  engage,  and  is  foreign  to  the  bene- 
volence of  his  heart.  It  is  peculiarly 
so  when  his  own  people  are  the  objects 
of  his  displeasure,  and  when  their  sins 
are  such  as  to  demand  that  he  should 
visit  them  with  the  tokens  of  his  wrath. 

22.  Now  therefore.  In  view  of  the 
certain  judgment  whici  God  will  bring 
upon  you.  IT  Be  ye  not  mockers.  This 
was  the  prevailing  sin  (vs.  9—14),  and 
on  account  of  this  sin  in  part  the  judg- 
ment of  God  was  about  to  come  upon 
the  guilty  nation.  IT  Lest  your  bands 
be  made  strong.  Lest  your  confine- 
ment should  be  more  severe  and  pro- 
tracted. God  would  punish  them  ac- 
cording to  their  sins,  and  if  they  now 
ceased  to  mock  and  deride  him  it  would 
greatly  mitigate  the  severity  of  their 
punishment.  Comp.  ch;  x.viv.  22. 
IT  For  I  have  heard,  &c.  I,  the  pro- 
phet, have  heard  Jehovah  of  hosts 
threaten  a  consumption.  IT  A  con- 
sumption, &c.  See  this  phrase  ex- 
plained in  the  Note  on  ch.  x.  23. 
f  Upon  the  whole  earth.  The  whole 
land  of  Judea.     See  Note  ch.  xxiv.  1 . 

23  Give  ye  ear.  In  this  verse  the 
prophet  introduces  an  important  and 
striking  illustration  drawn  from  the 
science  of  agriculture.  It  is  (  onnected 
with  the  preceding  part  of  tht  chapter, 
and  is  designed  to  show  the  propriety 
of  what  the  prophet  had  said  by  an  ap- 
peal to  what  they  all  observed  in  the 
cultivation  of  their  lands.  The  previous 
discourse  consists  mainly  of  reproofs, 
and  of  threatenings  of  punishment  on 
God's  people  for  their  profane  con- 
tempt of  the  messengers  of  God  He 
had  threatened  to  destroy  their  nation, 
and  to  remove  them  for  a  time  to  a  dis- 


456 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.1\X 


24  Doth  the  ploughman  plough 
all  clay  to  sow  >  doth  he  open  and 
break  the  clods  of  his  ground  i 

25  When  he  hath  made  plain 
the  face  thereof,  doth  he  not  cast 
abroad   the    fitches,  and    scatter 

tant  land.  This  the  prophet  had  him- 
self said  (ver.  21)  was  his  "strange 
work  "  To  vindicate  this,  and  to  show 
the  propriety  r  f  God's  adopting  every 
measure,  and  »/  not  always  pursuing 
the  same  course  in  regard  to  his  people, 
he  draws  an  illustration  from  tlit-  t;ir- 
mer.  He  is  not  always  doing  the  same 
thing.  He  adopts  different  methods  to 
secure  a  harvest.  He  adapts  his  plans 
to  the  soil  and  to  the  kind  of  grain  ; 
avails  himself  of  the  best  methods  of 
preparing  the  ground,  sowing  the  Beed, 
collecting  the  harvest,  and  of  separating 
the  grain  from  the  chaff.  He  does  not 
always  plough  ;  nor  always  sow  ;  nor 
always  thresh.  He  does  not  deal  with 
all  kinds  of  land  and  grain  in  the  same 
way.  Some  land  he  ploughs  in  one 
mode,  and  some  in  another ;  and  in 
like  manner,  some  grain  he  threshes  in 
one  mode,  and  some  in  another — adapt- 
ing his  measures  to  the  nature  of  the 
soil,  and  of  the  grain.  Some  grain  he 
beats  out  with  a  flail ;  some  he  bruises  ; 
but  yet  he  will  be  careful  not  to  break 
the  kernel,  or  destroy  it  in  threshing 
it.  However  severe  may  appear  to  be 
his  blows,  yet  his  object  is  not  to  crush 
and  destroy  it  (ver.  2H),but  it  is  to  re- 
move it  from  the  chaff,  and  to  save  it. 
In  all  this  he  acts  the  part  of  wisdom, 
for  God  has  taught  him  what  to  do,  vs. 
26,  29.  So,  says  the  prophet,  God  will 
not  deal  with  all  of  his  people  in  the 
same  manner,  nor  with  them  always  in 
the  same  mode.  He  will  vary  his 
measures  as  a  husbandman  does.  When 
mild  and  gentle  measures  will  do,  he 
will  adopt  them.  When  severe  mea- 
sures are  necessary,  he  will  resort  to 
them.  His  object  is  not  to  destroy  hir 
people,  any  more  than  the  object  of  the 
farmer  in  threshing  is  to  destroy  his 
grain.  The  general  design  of  this  al- 
legory is,  therefore,  to  vindicate  the 
propriety  of  God's   engaging    in    what 


the  cummin,  and  cast  in  6the 
principal  wheat,  and  the  appoint- 
ed barley,  and  the  7rye,  in  their 
'place  ? 

6 or,  tlie  \phtat  in  Die  principal  place,  and  bnr 

ley  in  the  appoinud  plane. 
7  or,  spelt.  8  border. 

the  prophet  calls  his  "  strange  act," 
and  "  strange  work,"  in  punishing  his 
people.  The  allegory  is  one  of  great 
beauty,  and  its  pertinency  and  keeping 
are  maintained  throughout ;  and  it  fur- 
nishes a  most  important  practical  les- 
son in  regard  to  the  mode  in  which 
God  deals  with  his  people. 

24.  Doth  the  ploughman,  &c.  The 
question  here  asked  implies  that  he 
does  not  plough  all  the  day.  The  in- 
terrogative fdrm  is  often  the  most  em- 
phatic mode  of  affirmation.  H  All  day. 
The  sense  is,  does  he  do  nothing  else 
but  plough  ?  Is  this  the  only  thing 
which  is  necessary  to  be  done  in  order 
to  obtain  a  harvest  ?  The  idea  which 
the  prophet  intends  to  convey  here  i» 
this.  A  farmer  does  not  suppose  that 
he  can  obtain  a  harvest  by  doing  no- 
thing else  but  plough.  There  is  much 
else  to  be  done.  So  it  would  be  just 
as  absurd  to  suppose  that  God  would 
deal  with  his  people  always  in  the 
same  manner  as  it  would  be  for  the 
farmer  to  be  engaged  in  nothing  else 
but  ploughing,  f  Doth  he  open,  &.c. 
That  is, is  he  always  engaged  in  open- 
ing, and  breaking  the  clods  of  his  field  '? 
There  is  much  else  to  be  done  besides 
this.  The  word  "  open  "  here  refers 
to  the  furrows  that  are  made  by  the 
plough.  The  earth  is  laid  open  as  il 
were  to  the  sunbeams,  and  to  the 
showers  of  rain,  and  to  the  reception 
of  seed.  The  word  rendered  "  break," 
"^^  >  properly  means  to  harrow,  that 
19,  to  break  up  the  clods  by  harrowing. 
Job  xxxix    10.   Hos.  x.  11. 

25.  When  he  hath  made  plain,  <fec. 
That  is,  when  he  has  levelled,  or  made 
stnooth  the  surface  of  the  ground  by 
harrowing,  or  rolling  it.  IT  Doth  he 
not  scatter  abroad.  He  does  not  sow 
one  kind  of  grain  merely,  but  different 
species  according  to  the  nature  of  the 


B.C.1V6.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


457 


26  For  "his  God  doth  instruct    him  to  discretion,  and  doth  teach 

him. 


9  or,  and  he  bindeth  it  in  such  sort  as  his  Qod 
doth  teach  him. 

aoil,  or  according  to  his  wishes  in  re- 
gard to  a  crop.  IT  The  filches.  HS|5  . 
Vulgate,  Gith ;  a  kind  of  cockle — 
N/sella  Romana,  an  herb  of  sweet 
i«avour.  LXX,  jiiKpdv  /xcMvOtov.  The 
word  fitch  denotes  a  small  species  of 
pea  The  Hebrew  word,  however, 
which  occurs  nowhere  else  but  here, 
probably  denotes  fennel,  or  dill,  an  herb 
whose  seed  the  ancients  mixed  with 
their  bread  in  order  to  give  it  a  more 
agreeable  relish.  t  And  scatter  the 
cummin,  l^?  .  Vulg.  Cyminum — cum- 
min. LXX,  Kvpivoi — also  cummin. 
The  word  properly  denotes  an  annual 
plant  whose  seeds  have  a  bitterish 
warm  taste  with  an  aromatic  flavour. 
Webster*  The  seeds  of  this  plant 
were  used  as  a  condiment  in  sauces. 
f  And  cast  in  the  principal  wheat. 
Marg.  "  The  wheat  in  the  principal 
place  "  Vulg.  "  per  ordinem  " — in  its 
priper  order,  place,  proportion.  So 
Lowth,  "  in  due  measure."  So  Aben 
Ezra  and  Kimchi  render  it,  "  by  mea- 
sure ;"  and  they  suppose  it  means  that 
if  too  much  wheat  be  sown  on  the  land 
it  will  grow  too  thick,  and  that  the 
spires  will  crowd  and  suffocate  each 
other.  Our  translators  have  rendered 
the  word  i"HiiU  principal,  as  if  it  were 
derived  from  n^*J  to  rule,  and  seem  to 
have  supposed  that  it  denoted  wheat 
that  was  peculiarly  excellent,  or  distin- 
guished for  its  good  qualities.  Gese- 
nius  supposes  that  it  means  "  fat  wheat," 
from  an  Arabic  signification  of  the 
word.  Probably  the  word  is  designed 
to  denote  quality,  and  to  convey  the 
idea  that  wheat  is  the  principal,  or 
chief  grain  that  is  sown  ;  it  is  that 
which  is  most  valued  and  esteemed. 
IT  And  the  appointed  barley.  The  bar- 
ley is  a  well-known  grain.  The  word 
rendered  "  appointed,"  "^P?  ,  occurs 
nowhere  else  in  the  Scriptures  Cas- 
*elliu,  Tavlor,  Grotius,  Calvin,  our 
translators,  and  others  suppose  that  it 
is  derived  from  a  Hebrew  word  which 
does  not  now  occur  (T^O)  to  designate, 
20 


to  mark,  to  seal ;  and  that  it  means  bar- 
ley that  had  been  put  aside  and  marked 
as  peculiarly  excellent,  or  seed-barley. 
In  Chaldee  the  word  T?p  occurs  in  the 
sense  of  to  seal,  to  mark,  to  designate. 
Chaldee  Par.  2  Kings  ix.  13.  Esth.  v. 
1.  Num.  xvii.  3.  The  LXX,  who 
translated  it  Klyxpnv,  and  the  Vulgate, 
Aquila,  and  Theodotion,  understand 
the  word  as  denoting  a  species  of  grain, 
the  millet.  The  idea  is  probably  that 
expressed  by  Grotius,  and  in  our  ver- 
sion— of  barley  that  had  been  selected 
as  seed-barley  on  account  of  its  excel- 
lent quality.  IT  And  the.  rye.  Marg. 
spelt.  The  word  usually  denotes  sjielt 
— a  kind  of  wheat  now  found  in  Flan- 
ders and  Italy,  called  German  wheat. 
It  may,  however,  denote  rye.  IT  In 
their  place.  Literally  in  the  border. 
LXX,  "  in  thy  borders," — h  roU  bpiots 
anv.  The  idea  seems  to  be  that  the 
spelt  or  rye  was  sowed  in  the  borders 
of  the  field  while  the  wheat  was  sown 
in  the  middle  ;  or  that  the  rye  was 
sown  in  its  proper  bounds,  or  in  the 
places  which  were  adapted  to  it,  and 
best  fitted  to  promote  its  growth 

26.  For  his  God  doth  instruct,  him, 
&c.  Marg.  "  he  bindeth  it  in  such 
sort  as  his  God  doth  teach  him."  The 
more  correct  idea  is  conveyed  in  the 
text.  The  word  I"**??!  properly  means, 
he  instructs,  admonishes,  or  teaches 
him.  The  idea  that  skill  in  agriculture 
is  communicated  by  God  is  not  one  that 
is  discordant  to  reason.,  or  to  the  general 
teachings  of  the  Bible  Thus  the  ar- 
chitectural and  mechanical  skill  of 
Bezaleel  and  Aholiah,  by  which  they 
were  enabled  to  make  the  tabernacle, 
is  said  expressly  to  have  been  imparted 
to  them  by  God.  Ex>  xxxi.  2-(i.  Thus 
also  Noah  was  taught  how  to  build  the 
ark.  Gen  vi  14-1  fi.  We  are  not  in- 
deed to  suppose  that  the  farmer  is  in- 
spired ;  or  that  God  communicates  to 
him  by  special  revelation  where,  and 
when,  and  how  he  shall  sow  his  grain, 
but  the  sense  is,  that  God  is  the  author 
of  all  his  skill.     He  has  endowed  him 


458 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. lib 


27  For  the  fitches  are  not 
threshed  with  a  threshing  instru- 
ment, neither  is  a  east  wheel 
turned  about  upon  the  cummin  ; 

with  understanding,  and  taught  him  by 
ids  providence  It  is  by  the  study  of 
wiiai  God  teaches  in  the  seasons,  in 
the  soil,  in  the  results  of  experience  and 
observation,  that  be  has  this  art.  He 
teaches  him  also  by  the  example,  the 
counsel,  and  even  by  the  failures  of  oth- 
ers ;  and  all  the  knowledge  of  agricul- 
ture that  he  has  is  to  be  traced  up  to  God. 
27.  For  the  fitches  are  not  threshed 
with  a  threshing  instrument.  The 
word  here  used.^^^  ,  denotes  proper- 
ly that  which  is  pointed  or  sharp,  and 
is  joined  with  S^rO  in  Isa  xli.  15, — 
meaning  there  the  threshing  dray  or 
sledge  ;  a  plank  with  iron  or  sharp 
stones  that  was  drawn  by  oxen  over 
the  grain.  Comp.  1  Chron.  xxi.  23.  2 
Sam.  xxiv.  22.  In  the  passage  before 
us,  several  methods  of  threshing  are 
mentioned  as  adapted  to  different  kinds 
of  grain,  all  of  which  are  at  the  present 
time  common  in  the  East.  Those  which 
are  mentioned  under  the  name  of  the 
"  threshing  instrument,"  and  "  a  cart 
wheel,"  refer  to  instruments  which  are 
still  in  use  in  the  East.  Niebuhr,  in  his 
Travels  in  Arabia,  says  (p.  299,)  "  In 
threshing  their  corn,  the  Arabians  lay  the 
sheaves  down  in  a  certain  order,  and 
then  lead  over  them  two  oxen  dragging 
a  large  stone."  "  They  use  oxen,  as  the 
ancients  did,  to  beat  out  their  corn,  by 
trampling  on  the  sheaves,  and  dragging 
after  them  a  clumsy  machine.  This 
machine  is  not  a  stone  cylinder  ;  nor  a 
plank  with  sharp  stones  as  in  Syria  ; 
but  a  sort  ot  sledge  consisting  of  three 
rollers,  fitted  with  irons  which  turn 
upon  axles.  A  farmer  chooses  out  a 
level  spot  in  his  fields,  and  has  his  corn 
carried  thither  in  sheaves  upon  asses, 
*r  dromedaries.  Two  oxen  are  then 
yoked  in  a  sledge  ;  a  driver  then  gets 
upon  it,  and  drives  them  backwards 
and  forwards  upon  the  sheaves  ;  and 
fresh  oxen  succeed  in  the  yoke  from 
time   to  time.     By  this  operation   the 


but  the  fitches  are  beaten  out 
with  a  staff',  and  the  cummin  with 
a  rod. 

28  Bread     com    is    bruised  ; 

chaff  is  very  much  cut  down  ;  it  is  then 
winnowed,  and  the  grain  thus  separa- 
ted." "  This  machine,"  Niebuhr  adds, 
"  is  called  Nauridj.  It  has  three  rollers 
which  turn  on  three  axles  ;  and  each 
of  them  is  furnished  with  some  irons 
whirli  are  round  and  flat.  Two  oxen 
were  mad''  to  dra«i  over  the  grain  again 
and  again  the  sledge  a'oove  mentioned, 
and  this  was  done  with  the  greatest 
convenience  to  the  driver  ;  for  he  was 
seated  in  a  chair  fixed  on  a  sledge." 
The  annexed  cut  will  give  an  idea  of 
this  mode  of  threshing,  and  of  the  in- 
struments that  were  employed.  If  Nei- 
ther is  n  curt  wheel.  This  instrument 
of  threshing,  is  described  by  Bochart 
(Hieroz.  P  l  Lib  ii.  c.  xxxii.  p  311), 
as  consisting  of  a  cart  or  wagon  fitted 
with  wheels  adapted  to  crush,  or  thresh 
the  grain.  This  he  says  was  used  by 
the  Carthagenians  who  came  from  the 
vicinity  of  Canaan.  It  appears  to  have 
been  made  with  serrated  wheels,  per- 
haps almost  in  the  form  of  circular 
saws,  by  which  the  straw  was  cut  fine 
at  the  same  time  that  the  grain  was 
separated  from  the  chaff  II  But  the 
fitches  are  beaten  out  with  a  staff. 
With  a  stick,  or  flail.  That  is,  pulse 
in  general,  beans,  peas,  dill,  cummin, 
&,c,  are  easily  beaten  out  with  a  stick 
or  flail.  This  mode  of  threshing  is 
common  every  where.  It  was  also 
practised,  as  with  us,  in  regard  to  bar- 
ley and  other  grain  where  there  was  a 
small  quantity,  or,  where  there  was 
need  of  special  haste.  See  Ruthii.  17, 
Judges  vi.  11. 

2d  Bread  corn.  In  Hebrew,  bread 
— cn?  .  But  the  word  evidently  de- 
notes the  material  from  which  bread  is 
made.  The  word  is  used  in  the  same 
sense  in  ch.  xxx.  23.  f  Is  bruised. 
That  is,  is  more  severely  bruised  than 
the  dill  and  the  cummin  ;  it  is  pressed 
and  crushed  by  passing  ov<  r  it  the 
sledge,    or    the     wain     with    serrated 


JB.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


459 


because    he    will    not    ever    be  I  wheel  of  his   cart,  nor  bruise  it 
threshing  it,  nor  break  it  with  the  I  with  his  horsemen. 


wheels.  The  word  P*p"7  means  often 
to  break  in  pieces  ;  to  make  small  or 
fine.  It  is,  however,  applied  to  thresh- 
ing as  consisting  in  beating,  or  crush- 
ing.   Isa.  xli.  15  :  "  Thou  threshest  the  i 


mountains,  and  beatest  them  small  "- 
pTHl  .  IT  Because  he  will  not  ever  be 
threshing  it.  The  word  rendered  "  be- 
cause," "'S  j  evidently   here   means   al- 


460 


ISAIAH. 


fB.C.  715 


29  This  also  cometh  forth  from    derful  Jin  counsel,  and  excellent 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  which  is  won-  !  in  working. 

o 
d  Ps.  9i.  5  Jer.  32.  19.        Rom    11.  33. 


though  or  but  ;  and  the  sense  is,  that 
ae  will  not  always  continue  to  thresh 
it ,  this  is  not  nis  only  business.  It  is 
only  "  part  of  his  method  by  which  he 
obtains  grain  for  his  bread.  It  would 
be  needless  and  injurious  to  be  always 
engaged  in  rolling  the  stone  or  the 
pledge  over  the  grain.  So  God  takes 
various  rhethods  with  his  people.  He 
does  not  always  pursue  the  same  course. 
He  sometimes  smites  and  punishes 
them  as  the  farmer  beats  his  grain. 
But  he  does  not  always-  do  it.  He  is 
not  engaged  in  this  method  alone  ;  nor 
does  he  pursue  this  constantly.  It 
would  crush  and  destroy  them.  He, 
therefore;  sntites  them  jast  enough  to 
secure,  in  the  best  manner,  and  to  the 
fullest  extent,  their  obedience  ;  just  as 
the  farmer  bruises  his  sheaves  enough 
to  separate  all  the  grain  from  the  chaff. 
When  this  is  done,  he  pursues  other 
methods.  Hence  the  various  severe 
and  heavy  trials  with  which  the  people 
of  God  are  afflicted.  IF  Nor  bruise  it 
with  his  horsemen.  Lowth  renders 
this  "  with  the  hoofs  of  his  cattle  ;" 
proposing  to  read  "P&1S  instead  of 
TlTJ'lQ  by  a  change  of  a  single  letter  & 
Samekh,  instead  of  ^5  Shin.  So  the 
Syriac  and  the  Vulgate  ;  and  so  Sym- 
machusand  Theodotion.  But  the  word 
^S  may  denote  not  only  a  horseman, 
but  the  horse  itself  on  which  one  rides. 
See  Bochart  Hieroz.  P.  i.  L  ii.  c.  vi. 
p.  98.  Comp.  Habak.  i.  8,  Note  Isa. 
xxi.  7,  9,  2  Sam.  i.  6.  That  horses 
were  used  in  treading  out  grain  there 
can  be  no  doubt.  They  are  extensively 
used  in  this  country  ;  and  though  in 
Palestine  it  is  probable  that  oxen  were 
chiefly  employed  (Deut.  xxv.  4)  in  the 
early  times,  yet  there  is  no  improba- 
bility in  supposing  that  in  the  times 
subsequent  to  Solomon,  when  horses 
abounded,  they  were  preferred.  Their 
more  rapid  motion,  and  perhaps  the 
hardness  of  their  hoofs,  makes  them 
more    valuable    for  this  service.     See 


Miehaelis'  Commentary  on  the  Laws 
of  Moses,  vol.  ii.  Appendix, pp  130-514, 
Ed.  London,  1814.  There  are  here, 
therefore,  four  modes  of  threshing  men- 
tioned, all  of  which  are  common  still  in 
the  East.  (1  )  The  sledge  with  rollers 
on  which  were  pieces  of  iron,  or  stone, 
and  which  was  dragged  over  the  grain. 
(2.)  I  he  cart  or  wain,  with  serrattd 
wheels,  and  which  was  also  drawn  over 
the  grain.  (3  )  The  flail,  o,-  the  stick. 
(4.)    The  use  of  cattle,  and  horses. 

29.  This  also  cometh,  &c.  That  is, 
these  various  devices  for  threshing  his 
grain  comes  from  the  Lord  no  less  than 
the  skill  with  which  he  tills  his  land. 
See  ver.  26.  V  And  excellent  in  work- 
ing. Or  rather  who  magnifies  3"^H\ 
his  wisdom,  n*ttJ!)Pl.  This  word  pro- 
perly means  wisdom,  or  understanding. 
Job  xi.  6,  xii.  16,  xxvi.  3  Prov.  iii.  21, 
viii.  14,  xviii.  1.  The  idea  of  the 
prophet  is,  that  God,  who  had  so  wisely 
taught  the  husbandman,  and  who  had 
instructed  him  to  use  such  various 
methods  in  his  husbandry,  would  also 
be  himself  wise,  and  would  pursue 
similar  methods  with  his  people.  He 
would  not  always  pursue  the  same  un- 
varying course,  but  would  vary  his  dis- 
pensations as  they  should  need,  and  as 
would  best  secure  their  holiness  and 
happiness  We  see  (1.)  The  reason 
of  afflictions.  It  is  for  the  same  cause 
which  induces  the  farmer  to  employ 
various  methods  on  his  farm.  (2  )  We 
are  not  to  expect  the  same  unvarying 
course  in  God*s  dealings  with  us  It 
would  be  as  unreasonable  as  to  expect 
that  the  fanner  would  be  always  plough- 
ing, or  always  threshing.  (3.)  We  are 
not  to  expect  always  the  same  kind  of 
a  mictions.  The  farmer  uses  different 
machines  and  modes  of  threshing,  and 
adapts  them  to  the  nature  of  the  grain. 
So  God  uses  different  modes  and  adapts 
them  to  the  nature,  character,  and  dis 
position  of  his  people.  One  man  re- 
quires   one    mode    of    discipline,    anil 


B.C. IIS.] 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


461 


another  anotner.  At  one  time  we  need 
one  mode  of  correction  to  call  us  from 
ein  and  temptation  ;  at  another  another. 
We  may  lay  it  down  as  a  general  rule 
that  the  divine  judgments  are  usually 
in  the  line  of  our  offences  ;  and  by  the 
nature  of  the  judgment  we  may  usually 
ascertain  the  nature  of  the  sin.  If  a 
man's  besetting  sin  is  pride,  the  judg- 
ment will  usually  be  something  that  is 
*itted  to  humble  his  pride ;  if  it  be 
covetousness,  his  property  may  be.  re- 
moved, or  it  may  be  made  a  curse  ;  if 
it  be  undue  attachment  to  children  or 
friend;;,  they  may  be  removed.  (4.)  God 
will  not  crush  or  destroy  his  people. 
The  farmer  does  not  crush  or  destroy 
his  grain.  In  all  the  various  methods 
which  he   uses,   he    takes   care    not  to 


pursue  it  too  far,  and  not  to  injure  the 
grain.  So  with  God's  dealings  with 
his  people.  His  object  is  not  to  destroy 
them,  but  it  is  to  separate  the  chuff 
from  the  wheat  ;  and  he  will  afflict 
them  only  so  much  as  may  be  necessary 
to  accomplish  this.  He  will  not  be  al~ 
ways  bruising  his  people,  but  will  in 
due  time  remit  his  strokes — just  as  the 
thresher  does.  (5.)  We  should,,  there- 
fore, bear  afflictions  and  chastisements 
with  patience.  God  deals  with  us  in 
mercy — and  the  design  of  all  his  dis- 
pensations toward  us  in  prosperity  and 
adversity  ;  in  sickness  and  in  health  ; 
in  success  and  disappointment,  is  to 
produce  the  richest  and  most  abundant 
fruits  of  righteousness,  and  to  prepare 
us  to  enter  into  his  kingdom  a.  "ive. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

ANALYSIS    OF    THE    CHAPTER. 

This  chapter  relates  solely  to  Jerusalem— here  called  Ariel.  See  Note  on  ver.  1.  It  is  not  iinmo- 
diately  connected  with  the  preceding  or  lhe  following  chapters',  though  it  is  not  improbable  the.,  were 
delivered  about  the  same  time  At  what  time  this  was  delivered  is  not  known,  though  it  is  evident 
that  it  was  hetbre  the  invasion  by  Sennacherib,  and  probably  before  the  time  of  Hezekiah.  The 
prophecy  in  the  chapter  consists  of  two  parts.  I.  The  invasion  of  Jutlea  by  Sennacherib,  and  its  sud- 
den deliverance,  vs   1—8.    II.  A  reproof  of  the  Jews  for  their  infidelity  and  impiety. 

I.  The  invasion  of  Judea,  and  the  distress  that  would  be  brought  upon  Jerusalem,  and  its  sudden 
delivtrance.  vs.  1—8. 

(a.)  Ariel  would  l>e  filled  with  grief  and  distress,  vs.  1,  2. 

>b.)  JEHOVAH  would  encamp  against  it  and  besiege  it,  and  it  would  be  greatly  straitened  and 

humbled,  vs.  3,  4 
(c.)   Yet  (he  besieging  army  would  be  visited  with  sudden  calamity  and  destruction— represented 

here  by  thunder  and  tempest  and  flame,  vs.  5.  6. 
(<Z.)  The  enemy  would  vanish  as  a  dream,  and  all  his  hopes  would  be  disappointed,  as  the  hopes 

of  a  hungry  and  thirsty  man  are  disappointed  who  dreams  of  having  satisfied  his  hunger  and 

thirst,  vs.  7,  8. 
There  can  be  no  doubt,  I  think,  that  this  portion  of  the  prophecy  refers  to  the  sudden  and  dread- 
ful overthrow  of  Sennacherib  j  and  the  design  of  this  portion  of  the  prophecy  is  to  give  the  assuiance 
that  though  Jerusalem  would  be  in  imminent  danger,  yet  it  would  he  suddenly  delivered. 

II.  The  second  part  consists  of  reproofs  of  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  for  their  infidelity  and 
impiety. 

(a.)  They  were  full  of  error,  and  all  classes  of  people  were  wandering  from  God— reeling  unde. 

error,  like  a  drunken  man,  ver.  9. 
lb  )    A  spirit  of  blindness  and  stupidity  every  where  prevailed  among  the  people,  vs.  10—12. 
(rj  )   Formality  and  external  regard  for  the  institutions  of  religion  prevailed,  but  without  its  life 

and  power,  ver.  13. 
(d.)  They  attempted  to  lay  deep  and  skilful  plans  to  hide  their  wickedness  from  JEHOVAH, 

ver.  \5. 
(e.)   They  were  unjust  in  their  judgments,  making  a  man  an  offender  for  a  word,  and  perverting 

just  judgment,  ver.  21 
(/•)  For  all  this  they  should  be  punished.     (1.)  The  wisdom  of  their  wise  men  should  fail,  ver.  14. 

12.)  The  scoruer  would  be  consumed,  ver.  20. 
(g.)  There  would  be  an  overturning,  and  the  people  would  be  made  acquainted  w  ith  the  law  of 

God,  and  the  truly  pious  would  be  comforted,  vs.  16—19.     Those  who  had  erred  would  be  re 

formed,  and  would  come  to  the  true  knowledge  of  God,  vs.  22—24. 


1   Wo  'to  Ariel,  to  Ariel,  3the 
city    where  ^Davirl    dwelt !     add 

lor,  O  Ariel, i.e.  the  Ho?}  of  God     2  or,  of  the  city. 

1.    Wo.     Comp.   Note  ch.  xviii.   1. 
V  To  Ariel.     There  can  be  no  doubt 


ye  year  to 

sacrifices. 

/  S  Sam  5 


year  ;  let  them  8kil) 


3  cut  off  the.  heads. 


that  Jerusalem  is  here  intended.     The 
declaration  that  it  was   the  city  where 


4H2 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


David  dwelt,  as  well  as  the  entire  scope 
of  the  prophecy,  proves  this.  But  still, 
it  is  not  quite  clear  why  the  city  is 
here  called  Ariel.  The  margin  reads, 
"  O  Ariel,  i.  e.  the  lion  of  God  "     The 

word  Ariel,  -)^'1"l?>  is  compounded  of 
two  words,  and  is  usually  supposed  to 
be  made  up  of  "^St  a  lion,  and  3X  God; 
and  if  this  interpretation  is  correct.it  is 
equivalent  to  a  strong,  mighty,  fierce 
lion — where  the  word  "  God  "  is  used 
to  denote  greatness  in  the  same  way  as 
the  lofty  cedars  of  Lebanon  are  called 
cedars  of  God  ;  i.  e.  lofty  cedars.  The 
lion  is  an  emblem  of  strength,  and  a 
Strong  lion  is  an  emblem  of  a  mighty 
warrior  or  hero.  2  Sam  xxiii.2l):  "He 
slew  two  lign-like  (^$"HK  j  men  of 
Moab."  1  Chron.  xi  22.  This  use  of 
the  word  to  denote  a  hero  is  common 
in  Arabic.  See  Boehart,  Hieroz.  P.  i. 
Lib.  iii.  c.  i.  If  this  be  the  sense  in 
which  it  is  used  here,  then  it  is  applied 
to  Jerusalem  under  the  image  of  a  hero, 
and  particularly  as  the  place  which  was 
distinguished  under  David  as  the  capital 
of  a  kingdom  that  was  so  celebrated 
for  its  triumphs  in  war.  The  word 
"Ariel"  is  however  used  in  another 
sense  in  the  Scriptures,  to  denote  an 
altar  (Ezek.  xliii.  15,  1G),  where  in  the 
Heb.  the  word  is  Ariel.  This  name  is 
given  to  the  altar,  Boehart  supposes 
(Hieroz.  P.  i.  Lib.  iii.  c.  i.), because  the 
altar  of  burnt-offering  devours  as  it 
were  the  sacrifices  as  a  lion  devours  its 
prey.  Gesenius,  however,  has  sug- 
gested another  reason  why  the  word  is 
given  to  the  altar,  since  he  says  that 
the  word  "1"^X  is  the  same  as  one  used 
in  Arabic  to  denote  a  f re-hearth,  and 
that  the  altar  was  so  called  because  it 
was  the  place  of  perpetual  burnt-offer- 
ing. The  name  Ariel,  is,  doubtless, 
given  in  Ezekiel  to  an  altar  ;  and  it 
may  be  given  here  to  Jerusalem  be- 
cause it  was  the  place  of  the  altar,  or 
of  the  public  worship  of  God.  The 
Chaldee  renders  it,  "  Wo  to  the  altar, 
the  altar  which  was  constructed  in  the 
city  where  David  dwelt."  It  seems  to 
me  that  this  view  better  suits  the  con- 
nection, and  particularly  ver.  2  (see 
Note),  than  to  suppose  that  the  name  is 


given  to  Jerusalem  because  it  was  lik« 
a  lion.  If  this  be  the  true  interpreta- 
tion, tli<-n  it  is  so  called  because  Je- 
rusalem was  the  place  of  the  burnt-offer- 
ing, or  of  the  public  worship  of  God  ; 
the  place  where  the  fire,  as  on  an 
hearth*  continually  burned  on  the  altar. 

IT  The  city  where  David  dwelt.  David 
took  the  hill  of  Zion  from  the  Jebusites, 
and  made  it  the  capital  of  his  kingdom. 
2  Sam.  v.  6-9.  Lowth  renders  this, 
"  the  city  which  David  besieged."  So 
the  LXX  (siroAt/iijCTtJ  ;  and  so  the  Vul- 
gate (expugnavit).  The  word  •"'jn 
properly  means  to  encamp,  to  pitch 
one's  tent  (Gen.  x.wi  17),  to  station 
one's  self.  It  is  also  used  in  the  sense 
of  encamping  Against  any  one,  that  is, 
to  make  war  upon  or  to  attack  (see  ver. 
3,  and  Ps  xxvii.  3,  2  Sam.  xii  28)  ; 
and  Jerome  and  others  have  supposed 
that  it  has  this  meaning  here  in  accord- 
ance with  the  interpretation  of  the  LXX 
J  and  the  Vulgate.  But  the  more  correct 
idea  is  probably  that  in  our  translation, 
that  David  pitched  his  tent  there  ;  that 
is,  that  he  made  it  his  dwelling  place. 
IT  Add  ye  year  to  year.  That  is,  '  go 
on  year  after  year,  Buffer  one  year  to 
glide  on  after  another  in  the  course 
which  you  are  pursuing.'  This  seems 
to  be  used  ironically,  and  to  denote  that 
they  were  going  on  one  year  after 
another  in  the  observance  of  the  feasts  ; 
walking  the  round  of  external  cere- 
monies as  if  the  fact  that  David  had 
dwelt  there,  and  that  that  was  the  place 
of  the  great  altar  of  worship,  constituted 
perfect  security.  One  of  the  sins  charged 
on  them  in  this  chapter  was  formality 
and  heartlesmiess  in  their  devotions 
(ver.  13),  and  this  seems  to  be  referred 
to  here,  t  Let  them  hill  sacrijices. 
Marg.  "  cut  off  the  heads."  The  word 
here  rendered  "  kill,"  Ri?J  ,  may  mean 
to  smite  ;  to  hew  ;  to  cut  down.  Ioa. 
x.  34.  Job  xix.  26.  But  it  has  also 
another  signification  which  better  ac- 
cords with  this  place.  It  denotes  to 
make  a  circle,  to  revolve  ;  to  go  round 
a  place.  Josh.  vi.  3,11;  to  surround, 
1  Kings  vii.  24,  Ps.  xxii.  17,  2  Kings 
vi.  14,  Ps.  xvii.  9,  lxxxviii.  18.  The 
word   rendered  sacrifices,  0^3  H,  may 


B.C.113.] 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


463 


2  Yet  I  will  distress  Ariel,  and 
there  shall  be  heaviness  and  sor- 
row :  and  it  shall  be  unto  me  as 
Ariel. 


mean  a  sacrifice  (Ps.  cxviii.  27.  Ex. 
xxiii.  18.  Mai.  ii  3),  but  it  more  com- 
monly and  properly  denotes  feasts  or 
festivals.  Ex.  x.  9,  xii.  14.  Lev.  xxiii. 
39.  Deut  xvi.  10,  16.  1  Kings  viii.  2, 
65.  2  Chron.  vii.  8,  9.  Neh.  viii.  14. 
Hos.  ii.  11,  13.  Here  the  sense  is, 
'  let  the  festivals  go  round;'  that  is, 
let  them  revolve  as  it  were  in  a  per- 
petual, unmeaning  circle,  until  the 
judgments  due  to  such  heartless  service 
shall  come  upon  you.  The  whole  ad- 
dress is  evidently  ironical, and  designed 
to  denote  that  all  their  service  was  an 
unvarying  repetition  of  heartless  forms. 

2.  Yet  I  will  distress  Ariel.  The 
reference  here  is  doubtless  to  the  siege 
which  God  says  (ver.  3)  he  would 
bring  upon  the  guilty  and  formal  city. 
11  And  there  shall  be  heaviness  and 
sorrow.  This  was  true  of  the  city  in 
the  siege  of  Sennacherib,  to  which  this 
probably  refers.  Though  the  city  was 
delivered  in  a  sudden  and  remarkable 
manner  (see  Note  on  vs.  7,  8),  yet  it 
was  also  true  that  it  was  reduced  to 
great  distress.  See  chs.  xxxvi.  xxxvii. 
IT  And  it  shall  be  unto  me  as  Ariel. 
This  phrase  shows  that  in  ver.  1  Jeru- 
salem is  called  "  Ariel,"  because  it 
contained  the  great  altar,  and  was  the 
place  of  sacrifice.  The  word  Ariel 
here  is  to  be  understood  in  the  sense  of 
the  hearth  of  the  great  altar  ;  and  the 
meaning  is,  '  I  will  indeed  make  Jeru- 
salem like  the  great  altar  ;  I  will  make 
it  the  burning  place  of  wrath  where 
my  enemies  shall  be  consumed  as  if 
they  were  on  the  altar  of  burnt  sacri- 
fice.' Thus  in  ch.  xxx.  9,  it  is  said 
of  Jehovah  that  his  "  fire  is  in  Zion, 
and  his  furnace  in  Jerusalem."  This 
is  a  strong  expression  denoting  the  ca- 
lamity that  was  approaching ;  and 
though  the  main  reference  in  this  whole 
passage  is  to  the  distress  that  would 
come  upon  them  in  the  invasion  of 
Sennacherib,  yet  there  is  no  impropriety 


3  And  I  will  camp  against  thee 
round  about,  and  will  lay  siegefc 
against  thee  with  a  mount,  and  I 
will  raise  forts  against  thee. 


k  2  Kings  36.  1,  &c. 


in  supposing  that  there  was  presented 
to  the  mind  of  the  prophet  in  vision  the 
image  of  the  total  ruin  that  would 
come  yet  upon  the  city  by  the  Chal- 
deans— when  the  temple,  the  palaces, 
and  the  dwellings  of  the  magnificent 
city  of  David  would  be  in  flames,  and 
like  a  vast  blazing  altar  consuming  that 
which  was  laid  upon  it. 

3.  And  I  will  camp  against  thee. 
That  is,  I  will  cause  an  army  to  pitch 
their  tents  there  for  a  siege.  God  re- 
gards the  armies  which  he  would  em- 
ploy as  under  his  control,  and  speaks 
of  them  as  if  he  would  do  it  himself. 
See  Note  ch.  x.  5.  If  Round  about, 
TWS  .  As  in  a  circle — that  is,  he 
would  encompass  or  encircle  the  city. 
The  word  here  used  pi*!)  in  ch.  xxii. 
18  means  a  ball,  but  here  it  evidently 
means  a  circle  ;  and  the  sense  is,  that 
the  army  of  the  besiegers  would  en- 
compass the  city.  A  similar  form  of 
expression  occurs  in  regard  to  Jerusa- 
lem in  Luke  xix.  43  :  "  For  the  days 
shall  come  upon  thee,  that  thine  ene- 
mies shall  cast  a  trench  (^;upu/ca — a 
rampart,  a  mound)  upon  thee  (aoi 
against  thee),  and  compass  thee  round 
(jrcpCKvxXuxyvvai  ere,  encircle  thee).  So, 
also,  Luke  xxi.  20.  The  LXX  render 
this,  "  I  will  encompass  thee  as  David 
did  ;"  evidently  reading  it  as  if  it  were 
*"n?  ;  and  Lowth  observes  that  two 
MSS.  thus  read  it,  and  he  himself 
adopts  it.  But  the  authority  for  cor- 
recting the  Hebrew  text  in  this  way  is 
not  sufficient,  nor  is  it  necessary.  The 
idea  in  the  present  reading  is  a  clear 
one,  and  evidently  means  that  the  ar- 
mies of  Sennacherib  wouhl  encompass 
the  city.  IT  With  a  mount.  A  ram- 
part ;  a  fortification.  Or,  rather,  per- 
haps the  word  -S'Q  means  a  post,  a 
military  station,  from  -2£^  ,  to  place, 
to  station.  The  word  in  this  form  oc- 
curs nowhere  else  in  tin.  Scriptures,  bat 


404 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.1U 


4  And  thou  shall  be  brought* 
down,  and  shalt  speak  out  of  the 
ground,  and  thy  speech  .shall  be 
low  out  of  the  dust,  and  thy  voice 
shall  be,  as  of  one  that  hath  a  fa- 
miliar spirit,  out  of  the  ground, 
and  thy  speech  shall  'whisper  out 
of  the  dust. 

3  Moreover  the  multitude  of 
thy  strangers  shall   be  like  small 

the  word  -2JO  occurs  in  1  Sam.  xiii. 
23,  xiv  1,  4,  2  Sam.  xxiii.  14,  in  the 
sense  of  a  military  post,  or  garrison. 
IF  I  will  raise  forts.  That  is,  ram- 
parts, such  as  were  usually  thrown  up 
against  a  besieged  city,  meaning  that 
it  should  be  subjected  to  the  regular 
process  of  a  siege.  The  LXX  read 
nOpyovs,  towers ;  and  so  also  two  MSS. 
by  changing  the  letter  1  into  "1 .  But 
there  is  no  necessity  for  altering  the 
Hebrew  text.  Lowth  prefers  the  read- 
ing of  the  LXX. 

4.  And  shalt  speak  out  of  the 
ground.  See  Note  on  ch.  viii.  19. 
The  sense  here  is,  that  Jerusalem,  that 
had  been  accustomed  to  pride  itself  on 
its  strength  would  be  greatly  humbled 
and  subdued.  Its  loud  and  lofty  tone 
would  be  changed.  It  would  use  the 
suppressed  language  of  fear  and  alarm 
as  fl"  it  spoke  from  the  dust,  or  in  a 
shrill  small  voice,  like  the  pretended 
conversers  with  the  dead.  IT  And  thy 
speech  shall  whisper  out  of  the  dust. 
Marg.  peep,  or  chirp.  See  Note  ch. 
viii.  1.9. 

5.  Moreover.  These  verses  (5,  7> 
8)  contain  a  beautiful  description  of 
the  destruction  of  the  army  of  Senna- 
cherib. Though  they  had  laid  the 
plan  of  a  regular  siege ;  though  the 
city,  in  itself,  would  not  be  able  to  hold 
out  against  them,  and  all  was  alarm 
and  conscious  imbecility  within  ;  yet 
in  an  instant  the  siege  would  be  raised, 
and  the  advancing  hosts  of  the  Assy- 
rians would  all  be  gone.  H  The  multi- 
tude of  thy  strangers.  The  multitude 
of  the  strangers  that  shall  besiege  thee  ; 
called  "  thy  strangers,"  because  they 


dust,  and  the  multitude  of  the 
terrible  ones  shall  be  as  chaiF 
rthat  passeth  away:  yea,  it  shall 
be  at  an  instant  'suddenly. 

6  Thou  'shalt  be  visited  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts  with  thunder,  aHd 
with  earthquake,  and  great  noise, 
witli  storm  and  tempest,  and  the 
flame  of  devouring  fire. 


I  Lain.  1.  9. 
r  Job  21.  18. 


5  peep,  or,  chirp, 
s  1  Thes.  5.  3.      fell.  30.  30. 


besieged,  or  oppressed  thee.  The  word 
"  strangers"  here  as  elsewhere  raefcn* 
foreigners.  See  Note  ch.  '  7.  Comp 
chs.  ii.  6,  v.  17,  xiv.  1,  xxv.  2,  5,  xxix. 
5,  lx.  10.  IT  Shall  be  like  small  dust. 
Light,  fine  dust  that  is  easily  dissipated 
by  the  wind.  IT  Of  the  terrible  ones. 
Of  the  invading,  besieging  army,  that 
is  so  much  the  object  of  dread,  f  As 
chaff  that  passeth  away.  See  Note 
ch.  xvii  13.  This  image  of  chaff 
driven  before  the  wind,  to  denote  the 
sudden  and  entire  discomfiture  of  ene- 
mies, is  common  in  the  Scriptures.  See 
Job  xxi.  18.  Ps.  i.  4,  xxxv.  5.  Hos. 
xiii.  13.  IT  Yea,  it  shall  be  at  an  in- 
stant suddenly.  The  forces  of  Senna- 
cherib were  destroyed  in  a  single  night 
by  the  angel  of  the  Lord  (Isa.  xxxvii. 
36.  Notes  ch.  x.  12,  28-34),  and  the 
siege  of  Jerusalem  was  of  course  im- 
mediately raised. 

6.  Thou  shalt  be  visited.  This  is  an 
address  to  the  mighty  army  of  the  As- 
syrian. Such  transitions  are  not  un- 
common in  the  writings  of  Isaiah 
His  eye  seems  to  have  been  directed  in 
vision  to  the  hosts  of  Sennacherib,  and 
to  their  sudden  dispersion  and  destruc- 
tion (ver.  5),  and  by  a  sudden,  but  not 
unnatural  transition,  he  turns  and  ad- 
dresses the  army  itself,  with  the  assu- 
rance that  it  should  be  punished. 
Comp.  ch.  xxx.  30.  IT  With  thunder, 
&.c.  The  army  of  the  Assyrian  was 
cut  off  by  an  angel  sent  forth  from  God, 
ch.  xxxvii.  36.  It  is  possible  that  all 
the  agents  here  referred  to  may  have 
been  employed  in  the  destruction  of  the 
Assyrian  host,  though  they  are  not 
particularly  specified  in  the  history 
But   it  is  not  absolutely  necessary  to 


B.C. TVS.) 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


465 


7  And  the  multitude  of  all  the 
nations  that  fight  against  Ariel, 
even  all  "that  fight  against  her 
and  her  munition,  and  that  dis- 
tress her,  shall  be  as  a  dream 
rof  a  night  vision. 

8  It  shall  even  be  as  when  an 
hungry  man  dreameth,  and,  be- 

V  ch.  41.  11,  12.  *ch.  37.  36. 

understand  this  verse  in  this  manner. 
The  image  of  thunder,  earthquakes, 
and  lightning,  is  an  impressive  repre- 
sentation of  sudden  and  awful  judg- 
ment in  any  manner.  The  sense  is, 
that  they  should  be  suddenly  destroyed 
by  the  direct  visitation  of  God.  See 
ch.  ix.  5,  xxvi.  11.  T  And  the  flame 
of  devouring  fire.  Lightning,  that 
seems  to  devour,  or  that  suddenly  con- 
sumes. 

7.  And  the  multitude  of  all  the 
nations.  The  Assyrians,  and  their  al- 
lied hosts.  IT  And  her  munition.  Her 
fortresses,  castles,  places  of  strength. 
Ezek.  xix.  9.  Eccl.  ix.  14.  2  Sam.  v. 
7  If  Shall  be  as  a  dream  of  a  night 
vision.  In  a  dream  we  seem  to  see  the 
objects  of  which  we  think  as  really  as 
when  awake,  and  hence  they  are  called 
visions,  and  visions  of  the  night.  Gen. 
xlvi.  2.  Job  iv.  13,  vii.  14.  Dan.  ii.  28, 
iv.  5,  vii.  1,  7,  13,  15.  The  specific 
idea  here  is  not  that  of  the  suddenness 
with  which  objects  seen  in  a  dream  ap- 
pear and  then  vanish,  but  it  is  that 
which  occurs  in  ver.  8,  of  one  who 
dreams  of  eating  and  drinking,  but  who 
awakes  and  is  hungry  and  thirsty  still. 
So  it  was  with  the  Assyrian.  He  had 
set  his  heart  on  the  wealth  of  Jerusa- 
lem. He  had  earnestly  desired  to  pos- 
sess that  city — as  a  hungry  man  desires 
to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  his  appetite. 
But  it  would  be  like  the  vision  of  the 
nisrht ;  and  on  that  fatal  morning  on 
which  he  should  awake  from  his  fond 
dream  (ch.  xxxvii  36)  he  would  find 
all  his  hopes  dissipated,  and  the  long- 
cherished  desire  of  his  soul  unsatisfied 
■till. 

8.  It  shall  even  be,  &c.     This  is  a  ! 
most   striking  5gure   representing   the 
earnest  desire  of  ihe  Assyrian  to  pos-  j 

20* 


hold,  he  eateth  ;  but  he  awaketh, 
and  his  soul  is  empty  :  or  when 
a  thirsty  man  dreameth,  and,  be- 
hold, he  drinketh  ;  but  he  awak- 
eth, and  behold,  he  is  faint,  and 
his  soul  hath  appetite :  so  shall 
the  multitude  of  all  the  nations 
be  that  fight  against  mount  Zion. 

sess  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  and  his 
utter  disappointment.  The  comparison 
is  elegant  and  beautiful  in  the  highest 
degree.  It  is  wrought  up  to  great  per- 
fection ;  and  is  perfectly  suited  to  llus- 
trate  the  object  in  view.  The  same 
image  substantially  is  found  in  the 
classic  writers  ;  and  this,  says  Lowth, 
may,  for  beauty  and  ingenuity,  fairly 
come  in  competition  with  one  of  the 
most  elegant  of  Virgil  (greatly  im- 
proved from  Homer,  Iliad,  xxii.  Hi)), 
where  he  has  applied  to  a  different  pur- 
pose, but  not  so  happily,  the  same 
image  of  the  ineffectual  workings  oi 
the  imagination  in  a  dream : 

Ac  veluti  in  somnis  oculos  ubi  languida  pressit 
Nocte  quies,  neiiuicquam  avidosextendere  cursus 
Velle  vidamu'r,  et  in  mediis  conations  a»gri 
Su "cidimus  i  nun  lingua  valet,  non  corpore  notoa 
Sufficiunt  vires;  hec.  vox,  nee  verba  secjuuntur. 
JEniad  xii.  9U8. 
And  as  when  slumber  seals  the  closing  sight. 
The  sick  wild  fancy  labours  in  the  night 
Some  dreadful  visionary  foe  we  shun, 
With  airy  strides,  but  strive  in  vain  to  run ; 
In  vain  our  battled  limbs  their  powers  essay, 
We  faint,  we  struggle,  sink  and  fall  away  ; 
Drained  of  our  strength  we  neither  fight  nor  fly, 
And  on  the  tongue  the  struggling  accents  die. 

Pitt. 

See,  also,  Lucretius  (iv.  10-19),  who 
also  expresses  the  same  image  as 
Isaiah  As  the  simile  of  the  prophet 
is  drawn  from  nature,  an  extract 
which  describes  the  actual  occur- 
rence of  such  a  circumstance  will  be 
agreeable.  "  The  scarcity  of  water," 
says  Park,  "  was  greater  here  at  Bu- 
baker  than  at  Benown.  Day  and  night 
the  wells  were  crowded  with  cattle 
lowing,  and  fighting  with  each  other  to 
come  at  the  trough.  Excessive  thirst 
made  many  of  them  furious ;  others 
being  too  weak  to  contend  for  the 
water,  endeavoured  to  quench  their 
thirst  by  devouring  the  black  mud  from 
the  gutters  near  the  wells  ;  which  they 


4G6 


ISAIAH. 


[£.C.713 


9  Stay  yourselves,  and  won- 
der ;T  cry  ye  out,  and  cry  :  they 
are  drunken,  cbut  not  with  wine  ; 
they  stagger,  but  not  with  strong 
drink. 

7  or,  takz  your  p'eaiure  and  riot. 
e  ch.  51.  21. 

did  with  great  avidity,  though  it  was 
commonly  fatal  to  them.  This  great 
scarcity  of  water  was  felt  by  all  the 
people  of  the  camp  ;  and  by  none  more 
than  myself.  I  begged  water  from  the 
negro  slaves  that  attended  the  camp, 
but  with  very  indifferent  success  ;  for 
tin  nigh  I  let  no  opportunity  slip,  and 
was  very  urgent  in  my  solicitations 
both  to  the   Moors  and  to  the  negroes, 

1  was  but  ill  supplied,  and  frequently 
passed  the  night  in  the  situation  of 
Tantalus.  No  sooner  had  I  shut  my 
eyes,  than  fancy  would  convey  me  to 
the  streams  and  rivers  of  my  native 
land  ;  there,  as  I  wandered  along  the 
verdant  bank,  I  surveyed  the  clear 
stream  with  transport,  and  hastened  to 
swallow  the  delightful  draught  ;  but 
alas!  disappointment  awakened  me, 
and  I  found  myself  a  lonely  captive, 
perishing  of  thirst  amid  the  wilds  of 
Africa."     Travels  in  Africa. 

9.  Stay  yourselves.  Thus  far  the 
prophet  had  given  a  description  of  the 
siege  of  Jerusalem  by  Sennacherib,  and 
of  his  sadden  overthrow.  He  now 
turns  to  the  Jews,  and  reproves  their 
stupidity,  formality,  and  hypocrisy  ; 
and  the  remainder  of  the  chapter  is 
occupied  with  a  statement  of  the  pre- 
valence of  these  sins,  of  the  judgments 
that  must  follow,  and  of  the  fact  that 
there  should  yet  be  an  extensive  refor- 
mation, and  turning  to  the  Lord.  The 
word  rendered  "  stay  yourselves," 
^nrn'Onri ,  means  properly  to  linger, 
tarry,  delay.      Gen.  xix.  16,  xliii.  10. 

2  Sam.  xv.  28.  Here  it  seems  to  de- 
note that  state  of  mind  in  which  any 
one  is  fixed  in  astonishment ;  in  which 
one  stops,  and  stares  at  some  strange 
and  unexpected  occurrence.  The  ob- 
ject of  amazement  which  the  prophet 
supposes  would  excite  astonishment, 
was  the  stupidity,  dulness,  and  hypo- 


11)  For  rfthe  Lord  hath  poured 
out  upon  you  the  spirit  of  deep 
sleep,  and  hath  closed  your  eyes  ; 
the  prophets  and  your  8 rulers 
the  seers -^liath  he  covered. 


/  1  3am.  9.  ». 


crisy  of  a  people  who  had  been  so  sig- 
nally favoured.  Comp.  Hab.  i  5. 
If  Cry  ye  out ,  and  cry.  There  is  in  the 
original  here  a  paronomasia  which 
cannot  be  conveyed  in  a  translation. 
The  word  which  is  used,  WBJSPJtOfl  , 
is  one  form  of  the  verb  "?^  ,  which 
means,  usually,  to  make  smooth,  rub, 
spread  over  ;  hence,  in  the  Hithpalpel 
form  which  is  here  used,  to  be  spread 
over;  and  hence  is  applied  to  the  eyes 
(Isa.  vi  10),  to  denote  blindness,  av  if 
they  were  overspread  with  something 
liy  reason  of  which  they  could  not  see. 
Here  it  probably  means,  '  be  ye  dazzled 
and  blinded,'  that  is,  ye  be  astonished, 
as  in  the  former  part  of  the  verse 
The  idea  seems  to  be  that  of  some  ob- 
ject of  sudden  astonishment  that  dime 
the  sight,  and  takes  away  all  the  powers 
of  vision.  The  word  is  used  in  the 
same  sense  in  ch.  xxxii.  3.  Comp.  ch. 
xxxv.  5,  xlii.  19.  Probably  the  idea 
here  would  be  well  expressed  by  our 
word  stare,  'stare  and  look  with  a 
stupid  surprise  ;'  denoting  the  attitude 
and  condition  of  a  man  who  is  amazed 
at  some  remarkable  and  unlooked  for 
spectacle.  IT  They  are  drunken,  but 
not  with  wine  The  people  of  Jerusa- 
lem. They  reel  and  stagger,  but  the 
cause  is  not  that  they  are  drunken  with 
wine.  It  is  a  moral  and  spiritual  in- 
toxication and  reeling.  They  err  in 
their  doctrines  and  practice;  and  it  is 
with  them  as  it  is  with  a  drunken  man 
that  sees  nothing  clearly  or  correctly, 
and  cannot  walk  steadily.  They  have 
perverted  all  doctrines ;  they  err  in 
their  views  of  God  and  his  truth,  and 
they  are  irregular  and  corrupt  in  their 
conduct. 

10.  For  the  Lord  hath  poured  out 
upon  you.  The  word  rendered  "  hath 
poured  out,"  "(DJ  ,  is  usually  referred 
to  the  act  of  pouring  out  a  libation,  or 


0.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


4G7 


11  And  the  vision  of  all  is  be- 
come unto  you  as  the  words  of  a 
•book  that  is  sealed,  swhich  men 
deliver  to  one  that  is  learned, 
saying,  Read  this,  I  pray  thee : 
and  he  saith,  I  cannot ;  for  it  is 
Bealed. 

12  And  the  book  is  delivered 
to  him  that  is  not  learned,  saying, 

9  or,  letter.        g  Dan.  12.  4.  9.        Rpv.  5.  1—9. 

drink  offering  in  worship.  Ex.  xxx. 
9.  Hos.  ix  4.  Isa.  xxx.  1.  Here  it 
means  that  Jehovah  had,  as  it  were, 
drenched  them  (LXX  7r.7r<ir</c£i')  witli  a 
spirit  of  stupefaction.  This  is  traced 
to  God  in  accordance  with  the  usual 
custom  in  the  Bible  by  which  his  provi- 
dential agency  is  recognized  in  all 
events.  See  Notes  ch.  vi.  9,  10. 
Comp.  Notes  Rom.  xi.  8,  where  this 
passage  is  quoted  from  the  LXX,  and 
is  applied  to  the  Jews  in  the  time  of 
the  apostle  Paul,  f  The  spirit  of  deep 
sleep.  The  word  rendered  "  deep  sleep," 
is  the  same  as  is  used  in  Gen.  ii.  21,  to 
denote  the  sleep  that  God  brought  on 
Adam  ;  and  in  Gen.  xv.  12,  to  denote 
the  deep  sleep  that  fell  on  Abraham, 
and  when  an  horror  of  great  darkness 
fell  upon  him  ;  and  in  1  Sam.  xxvi.  12, 
to  denote  the  deep  sleep  that  came  upon 
Saul  when  David  approached  and  took 
away  the  spear  and  the  cruise  of  water 
from  his  bolster.  Here  it  means  spirit- 
ual sluggishness,  inactivity,  stupidity, 
that  prevailed  every  where  among  the 
people  in  regard  to  the  things  of  reli- 
gion. 11  The  seers.  Those  that  see 
visions,  another  name  for  the  prophets. 
Note  ch.  i.  1.  IT  Hath  he  covered. 
That  is,  he  has  covered  their  eyes  ;  or 
they  are  all  blind. 

11.  And  the  vision  of  all.  The 
vision  of  all  the  prophets  ;  that  is,  all 
the  revelations  which  God  has  made  to 
you.  See  Note  ch.  i.  1.  The  prophet 
refers  not  only  to  his  own  communica- 
tions, but  to  those  of  his  contempora- 
ries, and  of  all  who  had  gone  before 
him.  The  sense  is,  that  although  they 
had  the  communications  which  God 
had  made   to    them,  yet  they  did  not 


Read  this,  1   pray  thee :  and  ha 
saith,  I  am  not  learned. 

13  Wherefore  the  Lord  said. 
Forasmuch  as  this  people  draw 
near  me  with  their  mouth,  'and 
with  their  lips  do  honour  me,  but 
have  removed  their  heart  far  from 
me,  and  their  fear  toward  me  is 
taught  by  the  precept  of  men  : 

i  Ezek.  33.  31.       Matt.  15.  6—9.      I  Col.  2.  22. 


understand  them.  They  were  as  igno- 
rant of  their  true  nature  as  a  man  who 
can  read  is  of  the  contents  of  a  let- 
ter that  is  sealed  up,  or  as  a  man  who 
cannot  read  is  of  the  contents  of  a  book 
that  is  handed  to  him.  H  As  the  words 
of  a  book.  Marg  letter.  The  word 
"iSO  may  mean  either.  It  properly 
means  any  thing  which  is  written  (Dan. 
i  4.  Jer.  xxxii.  11.  Deut.  xxiv.  i.  3), 
but  is  commonly  applied  to  a  book. 
Ex.  xvii.  14.  Josh  i.  8,  viii.  34.  Ps. 
xl.  8.  IT  That  is  sealed.  See  Note 
on  ch.  viii.  1G. 

12.  And  the  book  is  delivered,  &,c. 
That  is,  they  are  just  as  ignorant  of  the 
true  nature  and  meaning  of  the  revela- 
tions of  God  as  a  man  is  of  the  contents 
of  a  book  who  is  utterly  unable  to  read. 

13-  Wherefore  the  Lord  said.  This 
verse,  with  the  following,  is  designed  to 
denounce  the  divine  judgment  on  their 
formality  of  worship.  They  kept  up 
the  forms  of  religion,  but  they  withheld 
the  affections  of  their  hearts  from  God  ; 
and  he,  therefore,  says  that  he  will  pro- 
ceed to  inflict  on  them  exemplary  and 
deserved  punishment.  H  This  people 
draw  near  me.  That  Is,  in  the  temple, 
and  in  the  forms  of  external  devotion. 
IT  And  with  their  lips  do  honour  me. 
They  professedly  celebrate  my  praise, 
and  acknowledge  me  in  the  forms  of 
devotion.  H  But  have  removed  their 
heart.  Have  withheld  the  affections 
of  their  hearts,  H  And  their  fear  to- 
ward me.  The  worship  of  God  is  offer 
represented  as  fear.  Job  xxviii.  28. 
Ps.  xix.  9,  xxxiv.  11.  Prov.  i.  7  IT  Is 
taught  by  the  precept  of  men.  That 
is,  their  views,  instead  of  having  been 
derived  from  the  Scriptures.,  were  drawn 


468 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


14  Therefore,  behold,  I  will 
'proceed  to  do  a  marvellous 
""work  among  this  people,  even 
a  marvellous  work  and  a  wonder  : 
for  °the  wisdom  of  their  wise  ?nen 
shall  perish,  and  the  understand- 
ing of  their  prudent  men  shall  be 
hid. 

15  Wo  unto  them  that  seek 
deep  to  hide  'their  counsel  from 
the  Lord,  and  their  works  are  in 

2  add.    m  Hab.  1. 5.      0  Jer.  49. 7.  Ob.  8.  1  Co.  1  10. 

from  the  doctrines  of  men.  Our  Saviour 
referred  to  this  passage,  and  applied  it 
to  the  hypocrites  of  his  own  time. 
Matth.  xv.  8,  9.  The  latter  part  of  it 
is,  however,  not  quoted  literally  from 
the  Hebrew  nor  from  the  LXX,  but  re- 
tains the  sense :  "  Out  in  vain  do  they 
worship  me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the 
commandments  of  men."  He  quoted 
it  as  strikingly  descriptive  of  the  peo- 
ple when  he  lived,  not  as  saying  that 
Isaiah  referred  directly  to  his  times. 

14.  /  will  proceed  to  do.  Heb.  •  I 
will  add  to  do  ;'  that  is,  I  will  do  it. 
H  For  the  wisdom  of  their  wise  men 
shall  perish.  I  will  bring  calamity 
upon  them  which  shall  baffle  all  the 
skill  and  wisdom  of  their  wise  men. 
H  Shall  be  hid.  That  is,  shall  not  ap- 
pear; shall  vanish  It  shall  not  be 
sufficient  to  prevent  the  calamities  that 
shall  come  upon  the  nation. 

15.  Wo  unto  them  that  seek  deep,  &c. 
That  is,  who  attempt  to  conceal  their 
real  intentions  under  a  plausible  exte- 
rior, and  correct  outward  deportment 
This  is  m#st  strikingly  descriptive  of 
the  character  of  a  hypocrite  who  seeks 
to  conceal  his  plans  and  his  purposes 
from  the  eyes  of  men  and  of  God. 
His  external  conduct  is  fair  ;  his  obser- 
vance of  the  duties  of  religion  exem- 
plary ;  his  attendance  on  the  means  of 
grace  and  the  worship  of  God  regular  ; 
his  professions  loud  and  constant,  but 
the  whole  design  is  to  conceal  his  real 
•entiments,  and  to  accomplish  some 
sinister  and  wicked  purpose  by  it 
1  From   the  Lord.     This  proves  that 


the  dark  and  they  say,  Who 
6seeth  us  ?  and  who  knoweth  us  ? 
16  Surely  your  turning  of 
things  upside  down  shall  be  es- 
teemed as  the  potter's  clay :  for 
'shall  the  work  say  of  him  thai 
made  it,  He  made  me  not  ?  or 
shall  the  thing  framed  say  of  him 
that  framed  it,  He  had  no  under- 
standing ? 


q  Ps.  139.  7,  &c.    ch.  30.  1.  6  Pa.  94.  7. 

C  Ch.  45.  9.     Rom.  9.  20. 


the  design  of  the  hypocrite  is  not  al- 
ways to  attempt  to  deceive  his  fellow- 
men,  but  that  he  also  aims  to  deceive 
God. 

It).  Surely  your  turning  of  thingt 
upnidc  down.  Your  perversion  of  all 
things.  They  had  no  just  views  of 
truth.  They  deemed  mere  formality  to 
be  all  that  waa  required.  They  at- 
tempted to  conceal  their  plans  even 
from  Jehovah;  and  every  thing  in  the 
opinions  and  practice  of  the  nation  had 
become  perverted  and  erroneous.  There 
has  been  much  diversity  in  rendering 
this  phrase.  Luther  renders  it,  ".  Q 
how  perverse  ye  are  !"  Lowth  ren- 
ders it, 

"  Perverse  as  ye  are  !  shall  the  potter  be  esteem- 
ed as  the  clay  ?" 

Rosenmuller,  also,  accords  with  this 
interpretation,  and  renders  it,  "  O  your 
perversity,''  &c.  The  sense  of  the  pas- 
sage seems  to  be  this  :  '  Your  changing 
of  things  is  just  as  absurd  as  it  would 
be  for  the  thing  formed  to  say  to  him 
that  formed  it,  why  hast  thou  made  me 
thus  I  It  is  as  absurd  for  you  to  find 
iault  with  the  government  of  God  as  it 
would  be  for  the  clay  to  complain  of 
want  of  skill  in  the  potter.  You  com- 
plain of  God's  laws,  and  worship  him 
according  to  the  commandments  of 
men.  You  complain  of  his  require- 
ments, and  offer  to  him  the  service  of 
the  mouth  and  the  lip,  and  withhold 
the  heart.  You  suppose  that  God  does 
not  see  you,  and  do  your  deeds  in  dark- 
ness. All  this  supposes  that  God  is 
destitute  of  wisdom,    and   cannot  see 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


469 


17  7*  it  not  yet  a  very  little 
while,  and  Lebanon  shall  be 
turned  cinto  a  fruitful   field,  and 

what  is  done,  and  it  is  just  as  absurd  as 
it  would  be  in  the  clay  to  complain  that 
the  potter-who  fashions  it  has  no  under- 
standing '  IT  Shall  be  esteemed,  &c. 
The  literal  translation  of  this  passage 
would  be,'  Yourperverseness  is  as  if  the 
potter  should  be  esteemed  as  the  clay  ;' 
that  is,  as  if  he  was  no  more  qualified 
to  form  any  thing  than  the  clay  itself. 
IT  For  shall  the  work,  &cc.  This  pas- 
sage is  quoted  by  the  apostle  Paul 
(Rom.  ix.  20,  21)  to  show  the  right 
which  God  has  to  do  with  his  creatures 
as  shall  seem  good  in  his  sight,  and  the 
impropriety  of  complaining  of  his  dis- 
tinguishing mercy  in  choosing  to  life 
those  whom  he  pleases.  The  sense 
of  the  passage  is,  that  it  would  be  ab- 
surd for  that  which  is  made  to  complain 
of  the  maker  as  having  no  intelligence, 
and  no  right  to  make  it  as  he  does.  It 
would  be  absurd  in  the  piece  of  pottery 
to  complain  of  the  potter  as  if  he  had 
no  skill  ;  and  it  is  equally  absurd  in  a 
man  to  complain  of  God,  or  to  regard 
him  as  destitute  of  wisdom. 

17.  Is  it  -not  yet  a  very  little  while. 
The  idea  here  is,  '  you  have  greatly 
perverted  things  in  Jerusalem.  The 
time  is  at  hand  when  there  shall  be 
other  overturnings — when  the  wicked 
shall  be  cut  off,  and  when  there  shall 
be  poured  out  upon  the  nation  such 
judgments  that  the  deaf  shall  hear,  and 
the  blind  see,  and  when  those  who  have 
erred  in  spirit  shall  come  to  under- 
standing,' vs.  18-24.  11  And  Lebanon 
shall  be  turned  into  a  fruitful  field. 
This  is  evidently  a  proverbial  expres- 
sion denoting  any  great  revolution  of 
things.  It  is  probable  that  in  the  times 
of  Isaiah  the  whole  chain  of  Lebanon 
was  uncultivated,  as  the  word  is  evi- 
dently here  used  in  opposition  to  a 
fruitful  field.  See  Note  on  ch.  ii. 
13.  The  word  which  is  rendered 
"  fruitful  field,"  5^2)  carmel,  properly 
denotes  a  fruitful  field,  or  a  finely 
cultivated  country.      See   Isa.  x.   18. 


the  fruitful  field  shall  be  esteem- 
ed as  a  forest  ? 

C  ch.  32.  15.     Matt.  19.  30. 

It  is  also  applied  to  a  celebrated  moun- 
tain or  promontory  on  the  Mediter- 
ranean Sea,  on  the  southern  boundary 
of  the  tribe  of  Asher.  It  runs  north- 
west of  the  plain  of  Esdraebon,  and 
ends  in  a  promontory  or  cape,  and 
forms  the  bay  of  Acco.  The  mountain 
or  promontory  is  about  15U0  feet  high  ; 
and  abounds  in  caves  or  grottoes,  and 
was  celebrated  as  being  the  residence 
of  the  prophets  Elijah  and  Elisha. 
See  1  Kings  xviii.  19,  42.  2  Kings  ii. 
25,  iv.  25,  xix.  23.  Comp.  Note  Isa. 
xxxv.  2.  More  than  a  thousand  caves 
are  said  to  exist  on  the  west  side  of  the 
mountain,  which  it  is  said  were  for- 
merly inhabited  by  monks.  But  the 
word  here  is  to  be  taken,  doubtless,  as 
it  is  in  our  translation,  as  denoting  a 
well-cultivated  country.  Lebanon,  that 
is  now  barren  and  uncultivated,  .shall 
soon  become  a  fertile  and  productive 
field.  That  is,  there  shall  be  changes 
among  the  Jews  that  shall  be  as  great 
as  if  Lebanon  should  become  an  ex- 
tensively cultivated  region,  abounding 
in  fruits,  and  vines,  and  harvests.  The 
idea  is  this:  '  The  nation  is  now  per- 
verse, sinful,  formal  and  hypocritical 
But  the  time  of  change  shall  come. 
The  wicked  shall  be  reformed ;  the 
number  of  the  pious  shall  be  increased  ; 
and  the  pure  worship  of  God  shall  suc- 
ceed this  general  formality  and  hypo- 
crisy.' The  prophet  does  not  say  when 
this  would  be.  He  simply  affirms  that 
it  would  be  before  a  great  while — and 
it  may,  perhaps,  be  referred  to  tha 
times  succeeding  the  captivity.  Comp. 
ch.  xxxii.  15,  xxxv.  i.  6.  IT  And  the 
fruitful  field  be  esteemed  as  a  forest. 
That  is,  there  shall  be  great  changes  in 
the  nation,  as  if  a  well-cultivated  field 
should  be  allowed  to  lie  waste,  and 
grow  up  into  a  forest.  Perhaps  it 
means  that  that  which  was  then  appa- 
rently flourishing  would  be  overthrown 
and  the  land  lie  waste.  Those  who 
were  apparently  in  prosperity,  would 
be  humbled  and  punished.     The  effect 


470 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


18  And  «"in  that  day  shall  the 
deaf  hear  the  words  of  the  book, 
and  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall 
see  out  of  obscurity,  and  out  of 
darkness. 

19  The  meek  ''also  shall  in- 
crease i/ie?r  joy  in  the  Lord,  and 
the  poor'  among  men  shall  re- 
joice in  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 

g  ch.  35. 5.    Luke  7.  22.     h  ch.  61.  1.     4  add, 
i  Ja  2.  5. 

of  this  revolution  is  stated  in  the  fol- 
lowing verses. 

18.  Shall  the  deaf  hear  the  words 
of  the  book.  They  who  now  have  the 
law  and  do  not  understand  it,  the  peo- 
ple who  seem  to  be  deaf  to  all  that 
God  says,  shall  hear  and  understand 
it.  IT  Shall  see  oat  of  obscurity,  &c. 
That  is,  the  darkness  being  removed, 
they  shall  see  clearly  the  truth  of  God 
and  discern  and  love  its  beauty.  Their 
eyes  are  now  blinded,  but  then  they 
shall  see  clearly. 

19.  The  meek.  The  word  meek 
usually  refers  to  those  who  are  patient 
in  the  reception  of  injuries,  but  the  He- 
brew word  used  here  (O^ISS)  means 
properly  the  oppressed,  the  afflicted, 
the  unhappy.  Ps  ix.  13,  x  12,  17.  Isa. 
xi.  4.  Prov.iii.34.  It  involves  usually 
the  idea  of  humility  or  virtuous  suffer- 
ing. Comp.  Ps.  xxv.  9,  xxxvii.  11, 
lxix.  33.  Here  it  may  denote  the 
pious  of  the  land  who  were  oppressed, 
and  subjected  to  trials.  1  Shall  in- 
crease. Marg  as  in  the  Heb.  add.  It 
means,  that  they  should  greatly  rejoice 
in  the  Lord.  They  should  see  the  evi- 
dence of  the  fulfilment  of  his  predic- 
tions ;  they  should  see  the  oppressors 
punished  (vs.  20,  21),  and  Jehovah 
coming  forth  to  be  their  protector  and 
defender  (vs.  22-24).  IT  And  the  poor 
among  men.  The  poor  men  ;  or  the 
needy.  Doubtless  the  idea  is  that  of 
the  pious  poor  ;  those  who  feared  God, 
and  who  had  been  subjected  to  the 
trials  of  oppression  and  poverty. 

20.  For  the  terrible  one.  The  violent 
one,  y^  ,  the  oppressor,  who  had  ex- 
ercised  cruelty   over   them.     This,    I 


20  For  the  terrible  one  is 
brought  to  nought,'"  and  th* 
scorner  is  consumed,  and  all  that 
watch  nfor  iniquity  are  cut  off. 

21  That  make  a  man  an  of- 
fender for  a  word,  and  3lay  a 
snare  for  him  that  reprovoth  in 
the  gate,  and  turn  aside  the  just 
for  a  thing  of  nought. 

m  ch.  51.  13.  Rev.  12.  in.     n  Ps.  64.  6.    Jer.  90.  10. 
0  Amos  5.  10.  12. 

suppose,  refers  to  the  haughty  among 
the  Jews  themselves  ;  to  those  who 
held  offices  of  power,  and  who  abused 
them  to  oppress  the  poor  and  needy. 
H  And  the  scorner.  See  ch.  xxviii.  14, 
22.  IT  Is  consumed.  Shall  be  entirely 
destroyed.  IT  And  all  that  watch  for 
iniquity.  That  is,  who  anxiously  seek 
for  opportunities  to  commit  iniquity. 

21.  That  make  a  man  an  offender. 
Literally,  '  who  cause  a  man  to  sin,' 
"•X^IirtTD  ;  that  is,  who  hold  a  man  to 
be  guilty,  or  a  criminal.  Lowlh  ren- 
ders this  singularly  enough, 

"  Who  bewildered  the  poor  man  in  speaking." 
Grotius  supposes  it  means,  "  Who  on 
account  of  the  word  of  God,  that  is, 
the  true  prophecy,  treat  men  as  guilty 
of  crime."  Calvin  supposes  it  means, 
who  bear  with  impatience  the  reproofs 
and  denunciation  of  the  prophets,  and 
who  endeavour  to  pervert  and  distort 
their  meaning.  Hence,  he  supposes, 
they  proposed  artful  and  captious  ques- 
tions by  which  they  might  ensnare 
them.  Others  suppose  that  it  refers  to 
the  fact  that  they  led  men  into  sin  by 
their  new  doctrines  and  false  views. 
The  connection,  however,  seems  to  re- 
quire that  it  should  be  understood  of 
judicial  proceedings,  and  the  sense  is 
probably  correctly  expressed  by  Noves 
"  Who  condemned  the  poor  man  in  his  cause." 
This  interpretation  is  also  that  which 
is  proposed  by  Rosenmuller  and  Gese- 
nius.  According  to  the  interpretation 
above  suggested,  the  word  rendered 
"  who  make  an  offender,"  means  the 
same  as  who  holds  one  guilty ;  that  is, 
condemns,     f   A  man.     B"1&J .     It  is 


B  l\713.J 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


47j 


22  Therefore  thus  saith  the 
pLokd,  who  redeemed  Abraham, 
concerning  the   house   of  Jacob, 


Jacob  shall  not?  now  be  ashamed, 
neither  shall  his  face  now  wax 
pale. 


p  Josh.  24.  3. 


g  ch.  54.  4. 


well  known  that  this  word  stands  in 
contradistinction  to  IB"1**  ,  and  denotes 
usually  a  poor  man,  a  man  in  humble 
life,  in  opposition  to  one  who  is  rich  or 
of  more  elevated  rank.  This  is  proba- 
bly the  sense  here,  and  the  meaning  is, 
that  they  condemned  the  poor  man  ;  that 
is,  that  they  were  partial  in  their  judg- 
ments. IT  For  a  word.  "I?'13  .  In  a 
word  ;  denoting  the  same  as  a  cause 
that  is  tried  before  a  court  of  justice. 
So  Ex  xviii.  16 :  "  When  they  have  a 
mailer  ("^^  a  word),  they  come  unto 
me."  So  Ex.  xviii.  22  :  "  And  it  shall 
be  that  every  great  matter  'Heb.  every 
great  xoord)  that  they  shall  bring  unto 
me."  So  Ex  xxii.  8  (in  the  English 
-ersion  9) :  "  For  all  manner  of  tres- 
pass," Heb.  for  every  word,  or  trespass  ; 
i.  e.  for  every  suit  concerning  a  breach 
of  trust.  So,  also,  Ex.  xxiv.  14:  "If 
any  man  have  any  matters  to  do," 
(Heb  "  any  words")  that  is,  if  any 
one  has  a  law-suit.  IT  And  lay  a 
snare.  To  lay  a  snare  is  to  devise  a 
plan  to  deceive,  or  get  into  their  pos- 
session ;  as  birds  are  caught  in  snares 
that  are  concealed  from  their  view. 
IT  That  reproveth.  Or,  rather,  that 
contended  or  pleaded  ;  that  is,  that  had 
a  cause.  The  word  HS1^  means  often 
to  contend  with  any  one  ;  to  strive  ;  to 
seek  to  confute  ;  to  attempt  to  defend 
or  justify,  as  in  a  court  of  law.  Job 
xiii  15,  xix  5,  xvi.  21,  xxii.  4.  It  is 
also  applied  to  deciding  a  case  in  law, 
or  pronouncing  a  decision.     Isa.  xi.  3, 

4.  Gen.  xxxi.  37.  Job  ix.  33.  Here  it 
means  one  who  has  brought  a  suit,  or 
who  is  engaged  in  a  legal  cause.  IT  In 
the  gale.  Gates  of  cities  being  places 
of  concourse,  were  usually  resorted  to 
for  transacting  business,  and  courts 
were  usually  held  in  them.     Deut.  xvii. 

5,  8,  xxi  19,  xxii.  15,  xxv.  6,  7.  Ruth 
iv.  1.  Gen  xxiii  10,  18.  The  sense 
is,  they  endeavoured  to  pervert  justice, 
and  to  bring  the  man  who  had  a  cause 


before  them  completely  within  their 
power,  so  that  they  might  use  him  for 
their  own  purposes,  at  the  same  time 
that  they  seemed  to  be  deciding  the 
cause  justly.  V  And  turn  aside  the 
just.  The  man  who  has  a  just 
or  righteous  cause.  IT  For  a  thing  of 
nought.  Or  a  decision  which  is  empty, 
vain  (inFQ),  and  which  should  be  re- 
garded as  null  and  void. 

22.  Therefore.  In  consequence  of 
the  happy  change  which  shall  .ake 
place  in  the  nation  when  the  oppressor 
shall  be  removed  (vs.  20,21),  and  when 
the  poor  and  the  meek  shall  rejoice 
(ver.  19),  and  the  ignorant  shall  be 
instructed  (ver.  18),  Jacob  shall  not  be 
ashamed  of  his  descendants  as  he  was 
before,  nor  have  cause  to  blush  in  re- 
gard to  his  posterity.  IT  Who  redeem- 
ed Abraham.  That  is,  who  brought 
him  out  of  a  land  of  idolaters,  and 
rescued  him  from  the  abominations  of 
idolatry.  The  word  redeem  here,  f'JB  , 
properly  denotes  to  ransom,  i.  e.  to  re- 
deem a  captive,  or  a  prisoner  with  a 
price  paid.  Ex.  xiii.  13,  xxxiv.  20.  But 
it  is  also  used  as  meaning  to  deliver  in 
general,  without  reference  to  a  price,  to 
free  in  any  manner,  to  recover.  Job  v. 
20.  1  Kings  i.  29.  2  Sam.  iv.  9.  Ps. 
lxxi.  23.  It  is  used  in  this  general 
sense  here  ;  and  means  that  Jehovah 
had  rescued  Abraham  from  the  evils 
of  idolatry,  and  made  him  his  friend. 
The  connection,  also,  would  seem  to 
imply  that  there  was  a  reference  to  the 
promise  which  was  made  to  Abraham 
that  he  should  have  a  numerous  pos- 
terity. See  ver.  23.  V  Jacob  shall,  not 
now  be  ashamed.  This  is  a  poetical  in- 
troduction of  Jacob  as  the  ancestor  of 
the  Jewish  people,  as  if  the  venerable 
patriarch  were  looking  upon  his  chil- 
dren. Their  deportment  had  been  such 
as  would  suffuse  a  father's  cheeks  with 
shame  ;  henceforward  in  the  reforma. 
tion  that  would  occur  he  would  not  be 
ashamed  of  them,  but  would  look  on 


472 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


23  Rut  when  he  seeth  his  chil-  24  They  '"also  that  erred   in 

dren,  the  work"  of  mine  hands,  in  spirit  shall  "come  to  understand- 

the  midst  of  him,  tiny  shall  sano  ing,  and  they that  murmured  shall 

tify  my  name,  and  sanctify  the  learn  doctrine. 
Holy   One    of  Jacob,  and  shall 
fear  the  God  of  Israel. 

u  ch.  60.  21.  Eph   2   10. 


w  l  Cor.  «.  11. 
6  know  understanding. 


them  with  approbation.  II  Neither 
shall  his  /nee  wax  pale.  The  face 
usually  becomes  pale  with  tear  ;  but 
this  may  also  occur  from  any  strong 
emotion.  Disappointment  may  pro- 
duce paleness  as  well  as  fear  ;  and  per- 
haps the  idea  may  be  that  the  face  of 
Jacob  should  no  more  become  pallid  as 
tf  he  had  been  disappointed  in  regard 
to  the  hopes  which  he  had  cherished 
of  his  sons. 

23.  But  when  he  seeth  his  children. 
The  sense  is,  '  he  shall  not  be  asnamed 
of  his  sons,  for  be  shall  see  them  hence- 
forward walking  in  the  ways  of  piety 
and  virtue  '  IT  The  work  of  my  /minis. 
That  is,  this  change  (vs.  17-19)  by 
which  the  nation  will  be  reformed,  will 
be  produced  by  the  agency  of  God 
himself  The  sentiment  is  in  accord- 
ance with   the  doctrines  of  the  Scrip- 


tures every  where,  that  men  arr  re- 
covered from  sin  by  the  agency  of  God 
alone.  Comp.  Isa.  lx  21.  Eph  ii.  10. 
1f  ///  the.  midst  of  hint.  In  the  midst 
of  his  people.  The  name  Jacob  is  often 
employed  to  denote  all  his  posterity, or 
the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews. 

24  They  also  that  erred  in  spirit. 
See  vs  9,  10.  IT  Shall  learn  doctrine. 
When  this  would  occur  the  prophet 
does  not  state.  It  may  be  intended  to 
denote  the  times  of  Hezekiah  ;  or  the 
times  BUbsequent  to  the  captivity  ;  or 
possibly  it  may  refer  to  the  times  under 
the  Messiah.  All  that  the  prophet 
teaches  is,  that  at  some  future  period 
in  the  history  of  the  Jews,  there  would 
be  such  a  reform  that  they  should  be 
regarded  as  the  worthy  descendants  of 
the  pious  patriarch  Jacob. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    CHAPTER. 

It  is  probable  Hint  the  prophecy  in  this  chapter  was  delivered  about  the  same  time  as  that  in  the 
previous  chapter,  and  on  the  same  genera]  occasion.  It  is  evident  that  it  refers  to  the  time  of  Ileze- 
ki.iii.  when  the  .lews  were  alarmed  by  an  apprehended  invasion  of  the  king  of  Assyria.  Hezekiah 
had  revolted  from  the  kins;  of  Assyria  (2  Kings  xviii.  7) ;  and  it  is  probable  that  many  of  the  leaders 
of  the  Jews  began  to  be  alarmed  at  the  prospect  that  their  land  woidd  be  invaded  by  him,  esjtecially 
as  it  was  known  that  it  was  the  intention  of  Sennacherib  to  make  war  on  Egypt,  and  that  he  ctiulil 
easily  take  J  udea  in  his  way.  In  suchcircumstanc.es  it  was  natural  that  the\  should  propose  an 
alliance  with  the  Egyptians,  and  seek  to  unite  their  forces  with  theirs  to  repel  the  common  danger. 
Instead  of  looking  to  God,  and  relying  on  his  aid,  they  had  probably  entered  into  such  an  alliance 
Offensive  and  defensive,  ch.  xxxi,  l.  To  see  the  impropriety  of  such  a  league  ii  is  to  be  rememliered 
that  God  bad  promised  to  be  the  protector  of  his  people,  and  that  he  had  prohibited  alliances  with 
the  surrounding  nations  ;  that  it  was  a  leading  part  of  the  Jewish  policy,  as  instituted  by  Moses]  to 
keep  iliem  a  distinct  and  independent  people  ;  and  that  special  wire  had  been  exercised  to  keep  them 
from  returning  to  ihe  eus.oms,  or  depending  on  the  aid  of  the  Egyptians,  This  alliance  had  been 
formed  unquestionably  contrary  to  the  solemn  counsel  and  warning  of  Isaiah  (ch.  xx) ;  and  he  now 
[eproves  them  for  it,  and  endeavours  to  recall  them  again  to  confidence  in  Cod 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  contents  of  the  chapter.  I.  The  prophet  denounces  "  wo"  on 
them  for  seeking  the  aid  of  Egypt,  vs.  1,  2.  II.  He  assures  them  that  Egypt  would  be  unable  to  help 
them,  and  that  the  effect  would  be  that  they  would  yet  be  ashamed  themselves  of  Ihe  alliance, 
vs.  3 — 7.  III.  The  prophet  is  directed  lo  make  a  solemn  record  thai  the  prevailing  character  of  tho 
Jewa  was  that  of  a  rebellious  people,  vs.  8—11.  IV.  The  judgment  of  God  is  denounced  against  thorn 
for  forming  this  alliance,  under  the  image  of  a  wall  that  is  ready  to  fall  on  them,  and  destroy  them, 
vs.  12—14.  V.  The  prophet  tells  them  of  the  true  way  in  which  they  may  have  peace  and  confidence, 
and  that  is  by  putting  their  trust  in  God,  and  assures  them  that  («od  waits  to  liecome  their  defender, 
vs.  15—13.  VI.  God  would  yet  bless  them.  The  people  would  see  the  vainly  of  their  reliance  on 
Egypt,  and  would  turn  unto  God,  and  their  turning  to  him  would  be  attended  with  most  rich  and 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


47? 


valuable  blessings.  Tneso  blessings  are  described  in  highly  figurative  and  beautiful  language  in  vs. 
19—26.  VII.  JEHOVA  H  would  show  himself  the  protector  of  his  people  ;  and  would  in  a  signal  and 
sudden  manner  overthrow  and  destroy  the  Assyrian,  and  deliver  his  people,  vs.  27 — 33.  The  scope 
therefore  of  the  chapter  is  to  lead  them  to  look  away  from  Egypt,  and  to  put  confidence  hi  God,  at 
whose  hand  they  were  about  to  experience  so  signal  a  deliverance  from  the  much  dreaded  invasion 
of  Sennacherib. 

1  Wo  2/to  the  rebellious  chil-  I  2  That  »walk  to  go  down  into 
dren,  saith  the  Lord,  that  take  Egypt,  and  have  not  asked  at  my 
counsel,  but  not  of  me  ;  and  that  mouth  ;  to  strengthen  themselves 
eover2  with  a  covering,  but  not  in  the  strength  of  Pharaoh,  and 
of  my  Spirit,  that  they  may  add  to  trust  in  the  shadow  of  Egypt ! 
"sin  to  sin  :  3  Therefore  shall  the  strength 

y  Deut.  29.  19.        z  ch.  29.  15.        a  Rom.  2.  5. 

1.  Wo.  Note  ch  xviii  1.  %  To 
the  rebellious  children.  To  those 
whom  he  had  nourished  as  children, 
and  who  had  rebelled  against  him. 
See  Note  ch.  i.  23.  IT  That  take  coun- 
sel, but  not  of  me.  They  look  to  Egypt, 
and  depend  on  a  human  arm.  V  And 
that  cover  with  a  covering.  The  idea 
here,  according  to  our  translation,  is, 
that  they  seek  protection  or  a  covering 
from  the  impending  calamity.  Lowth 
renders  this,  "  who  ratify  covenants  ;" 
supposing  that  the  reference  is  to  the 
fact  that  in  ancient  times  compacts 
were  formed  by  offering  sacrifices,  and 
by  pouring  out  libations.  The  Hebrew, 
according  to  Lowth,  means,  "  who  pour 
out  a  libation."  So  the  LXX  render  it 
"and  thou  hast  made  covenants" — 
evvOrjKas.  The  Syriac  renders  it  "  who 
pour  out  libations."  The  Hebrew  word 
TJOJ  ndsdkh,  properly  conveys  the  idea 
of  pouring  out,  and  is  applied  (1,)  to 
the  act  of  pouring  out  wine  as  a  drink 
offering,  or  as  a  libation  to  God  (1 
Chron  xi.  18,  Gen.  xxxv.  14,  Ex.  xxx. 
9,  Hos.  ix.  4)  ;  (2,)  to  the  act  of  pour- 
ing out  oil,  that  is,  to  anointing  kings 
and  rulers  (Ps.  ii.  6,  Dan.  xi.  8)  ;  (3,) 
to  the  act  of  pouring  out  melted  metals, 
that  is,  to  cast  them.  Isa.  xl.  19,  xliv. 
10. — The  word  also  may  have  a  mean- 
ing kindred  to  T|?0  sakhdkh,  and  de- 
note to  cover,  as  in  Isa.  xxv.  7.  Va- 
rious derivatives  from  the  word  are 
rendered  "  to  cover  withal,"  Num.  iv.  7 ; 
"  the  covering,"  Isa  xxviii.  20  ;  "  the 
web,"  that  is,  that  which  is  woven  for 
a  covering,  Judges  xvi.  13,  14.  The 
idea,  however,  which  best  suits  the 
connection  here  is  probably  that  sug- 


gested by  Lowth,  in  accordance  with 
the  LXX,  and  the  Syriac,  and  adopted 
by  Rosenmilller,  Gesenius,  and  others, 
to  make  a  libation;  that  is,  to  ratify  a 
covenant,  or  compact.  H  But  not  of  my 
Spirit.  It  was  not  such  as  was  sug- 
gested by  his  Spirit,  and  not  such  as  he 
would  approve.  IT  That  they  may  add 
sin  to  sin.  They  add  to  the  sin  of 
rebellion  against  God  that  of  forming 
an  alliance. — Sins  do  not  usually  stand 
alone.  When  one  is  committed,  it  is 
often  necessary  to  commit  others  in 
order  to  carry  out  and  complete  the 
plan  which  that  contemplated. 

2.  That  walk  to  go  down  to  Egypt. 
Heb.  '  Going  in  the  descent  to  Egypt.' 
That  is,  they  do  it  by  their  ambassa- 
dors (ver.  4).  The  journey  to  Egypt 
from  Palestine  is  always  represented  as 
going  down.  Gen.  xii.  10,  xlii.  3, 
xliii.  15.  Num.  xx.  15.  Deut.  x.  22. 
IT  To  strengthen  themselves  in  the 
strength  of  Pharaoh.  To  form  an 
alliance  with  Pharaoh,  that  thus  they 
might  be  able  to  repel  the  threatened 
invasion.  Pharaoh  was  the  general 
name  of  the  kings  of  Egypt,  in  the  same 
manner  as  Cazsar  was  the  common 
name  of  the  emperors  of  Rome.  IT  To 
trust  in  the  shadow  of  Egypt.  A 
"  shadow,"  ?? ,  is  an  emblem  of  pro- 
tection and  defence — as  a  shade  is  a 
protection  from  the  burning  rays  of  the 
sun.     See  Note  ch.  iv.  6. 

3.  Therefore  shall  the  strength  of 
Pharaoh  be  your  shame.  See  Note  ch. 
xx.  5.  1T  Your  confusion.  Heb.  For 
reproach.  It  would  either  occur  that 
the  Egyptians  would  not  enter  into  an 
alliance  ;  or  that  if  they  did,  they  could 


474 


ISAIAH. 


[2>.C.7i3. 


of  Pharaoh  be  your  shame,  and 
the  trust  in  the  shadow  of  Egypt 
your  confusion. 

4  For  his  princes  were  at 
Zoan,  and  his  ambassadors  came 
to  Ilanes. 

5  They  were  all  ashamed''  of 
a  people  that  could  not  profit 
them,  nor  be  an  help  nor  profit, 
hut  a  shame,  and  also  a  reproach. 

e  Jer.  2.  36. 

not  defend  them,  and  in  either  case  it 
would  he  the  source  of  deep  regret  and 
shame. 

4.  For  his  princes.  The  sense  of 
this  verse  seems  to  be  this.  The 
prophet  is  stating  the  fact  that  the 
.lews  would  be  ashamed  of  their  at- 
tempted alliance  with  Egypt  In  this 
reree,  and  the  following,  he  states  the 
manner  in  which  they  would  be  made 
sensible  of  their  folly  in  seeking  this 
alliance.  He  therefore  enumerates 
.s.'v.ial  circumstances  in  regard  to  the 
manner  is  which  the  alliance  had  been 
sought,  and  the  disappointment  that 
would  follow  after  all  their  vain  confi- 
dence. He  therefore  states  (ver.  4,) 
that  the  Jews  had  employed  persons  of 
tin- highest  respectability  and  honour — 
even  princes — to  secure  the  alliance  ; 
that  they  had  gone  to  Egypt  with  much 
difficulty — through  a  land  where  lions, 
and  vipers,  and  fiery  serpents  abound- 
ed ;  that  they  had  at  much  hazard 
taken  their  treasures  down  to  Egypt  in 
order  to  secure  the  alliance  (vs.  5,  6), 
and  that  after  all,  the  Egyptians  could 
not  aid  them.  The  phrase  "  his  prin- 
ces," refers  to  the  princes  of  Judah,the 
ambassadors  that  the  Jews  sent  forth, 
and  the  idea  is,  that  they  regarded 
the  alliance  as  of  so  much  importance 
that  they  had  employed  their  most 
honourable  men — even  their  princes — 
to  secure  it.  IT  Were  at  Zoan.  Had 
come  to  Zoan,  or  were  there  on  the 
business  of  their  embassy.  On  the  sit- 
uation of  Zoan,  see  Notes  on  ch.  xix. 
11,  13.  It  was  the  residencr  of  the 
kings  in  Lower  Egypt,  and  would  be 
the   place  to    which    the   ambassadors 


6  The  burden  of  the  beasts  of 
the  south  :  into  the  land  of  trouble 
and  anguish,  from  whence  come 
the  young  and  old  lion,  the  viper 
and  fiery  flying  serpent,  they  will 
carry  their  riches  upon  tne 
shoulders  of  young  asses,  and 
their  treasures  upon  the  bunches 
of  camels,  to  a  people  that  shall 
not  profit  them. 

w— — — - 

would  naturally  resort  to  negotiate  an 
alliance.  IT  Came  to  Hones.  Respect- 
ing the  situation  of  this  place  there  has 
been  much  diversity  of  opinion  among 
interpreters.  The  Chaldee  renders  it 
by  the  more  full  word  Tahpanhes ;  and 
Grotius  supposes  that  the  word  is  con- 
tracted from  Tahpanhes(Jer.  xliii.  7,  H), 
and  that  the  name  was  sometimes  ab- 
breviated and  written  D3H  Hours. 
Vitringa  supposes  that  it  was  Anusis, 
situated  in  the  Delta  of  the  Nile,  and 
the  residence  of  the  king  of  the  same 
name.  Herodotus  (ii.  137)  mentions 
a  city  of  that  name,  "Armrts-  Anusis 
was  a  king  of  Egypt  before  the  irruption 
of  the  Ethiopians,  and  it  was  not  un- 
common for  a  king  to  give  his  own 
name  to  a  city.  Probably  Anusis  is  the 
city  intended  here  ;  and  the  sense  is, 
that  they  had  come  to  the  royal  resi- 
dence for  the  purpose  of  negotiatingan 
alliance.  It  is  known  that  in  the  time 
of  Jeremiah  (588  years  before  Christ) 
Tahpanhes  was  the  capital  of  the  nation. 
See  Jer.  xliii.  9. 

5.  They  were  all  ashamed.  That  is, 
all  the  legates  or  ambassadors.  When 
they  came  into  Egypt,  they  found  them 
either  unwilling  to  enter  into  an  alli- 
ance, or  unable  to  render  them  any  aid, 
and  they  were  ashamed  that  they  had 
sought  their  assistance  rather  than  de- 
pend on  God.    Comp.  Jer.  ii.  36. 

6.  The  burden  of  the  beasts  of  the 
south.  The  word  south  here  refers 
doubtless  to  the  country  to  the  south 
of  Judea,  and  particularly  to  Egypt. 
Thus  it  is  used  in  Dan.  xi.  5,  6.  The 
phrase  "  beasts  of  the  south,"  here  re- 
fers to  the  animals  that  were  travelling 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


475 


to  Egypt.     Isaiah,     ".  vision,  sees   the 
caravan  heavily  lai.en   with  treasures 
pursuing  a  southern  direction  on  its  way 
to  Egypt.   The  word  "  burden,"  is  used 
in  two  senses,  to  denote  that  which  is 
borne,  a  heavy  burden  ;  or  an  oracle, a 
solemn  prophetic  message.      See  Notes 
ch.  sv.  1,  xvii.  1,  xix.  1.   Many  under- 
stand the  word  here  in  the  latter  sense, 
and  regard  this  as  the   title   of  a  pro- 
phetic message  similar  to  those  in  chs. 
XV.  1,  xvii.  1,  xix    1.     But  the  word  is 
donotless  used  here  in  its  ordinary  sig- 
nification, to  denote  the  load  which  is 
borne  on   animals,  and  here  especially 
tin-  treasures  which   were  borne  down 
to  Egypt,  for  the  purpose   of  securing 
their    friendly   alliance.     The   prophet 
sees  the  caravan,  or  the  beasts    of  the 
ambassadors  heavily    laden   with    rich 
treasures,  travelling  southward  towards 
rJtrypt.and  cries  out  '  O  the  heavy  bur- 
den, the  )nad  of  treasures  going  to  the 
south  !'      1F  Into  the  land  of  trouble  and 
anguish.     Egypt;  so  called  either  be- 
cause it  was  the   land  where  the  He- 
brews had  formerly  suffered   so  severe 
oppressions  ;  or  because  it  was  a  land 
where  the  subjects  were  now  grievously 
oppressed,  and  borne  down  with  cruel 
laws  ;  or  because  it  was  yet   to  be  a 
land  of  trouble,  from   which  the  Jews 
could  expect  no  aid.   The  general  idea 
is,  that  Egypt  was  not  a  land  of  liberty 
and    happiness,  but  a  country   where 
cruelty,  oppression,  and  wo  abounded. 
One  source  of  trouble,  as  emblematic  of 
all,  the  prophet  immediately  mentions 
when  he  designates  that  it   abounded 
with  venomous  reptiles.      H  The  viper. 
n^SX  ,  eyhch.    LXX  uairica,  asps.  See 
Isa.    lix.   5.      This  is   a   well    known 
species  of  serpent.     It  is  probably  the 
same  as   the    El    Effah   of  the   Arab?, 
which  is  thus  described  by  Mr.  Jackson. 
"  It  is  remarkable   for  its   quick   and 
penetrating  poison  ;    it   is   about   two 
feet  long  and  as  thick  as  a  man's  arm, 
beautifully   spotted     with  yellow    and 
brown,  and  sprinkled  over  with  black- 
ish specks,  similar  to  the   horn-nosed 
snake.     They  have  a  wide  mouth,  by 
which  they  inhale  a  great  quantity  of 
air,  and   when   inflated  therewith  they 
<ject  it  with  such  force  as  to  be  heard 


at  a  considerable  distance."     It  is  wen 
known  that  Egypt  produced  venomous 
reptiles  in  abundance.     Cleopatra  des- 
troyed herself  with  the  bite  of  an  asp 
which  she  had  concealed  for  that  pur- 
pose.      H    And   fiery    flying    serpent. 
vlS*3>5a   vj'liy  .        LXX.    CKyova    aa-ni&uv 
Ttcroixevwi:     This  is  the  flying  serpent 
so  often  referred  to  in   the   Scriptures. 
See  a  description  of  it  in  Notes  on  ch. 
xiv.  29.  It  is  known  to  have  abounded 
in  the  Arabian  deserts,  and  was  doubt- 
less found  also  in  Egypt  as  being  in  the 
same  latitude,  and  infested  with  similar 
reptiles.     Niebuhr    thus    describes    a 
species   of  serpent    which   answers  to 
this  account.  "  There  is  at  Bakra  a  sort 
of  serpents  which  they  call  Heie  Sur- 
surie,  or  Hie  Thidre.    They  commonly 
keep  upon   the   date   trees  ;  and  as  it 
would   be   laborious  for  them  to  come 
down  from  a  very  high  tree  in  order  to 
ascend  another,  they  twist  themselves 
by  the  tail  to  a   branch  of  the  former, 
which,  making  a  spring,  by  the  motion 
they  give  it,  throw  themselves  to  the 
second.     Hence  it  is  that  the  modern 
Arabs  call  them  the  flying  serpents — 
Heie  Thidre."    Lord  Anson,  as  quoted 
by  Niebuhr,    also    speaks    of  them   as 
follows.     "  The  Spaniards  informed  us 
that  there  was  often  found  in  the  woods 
a  most  mischievous  serpent,  called  the 
flying  snake,  which,  they  said,  darted 
itself  from  the  boughs  of  trees  on  either 
man  or  beast  that  came  within  its  reach, 
and  whose  sting   they  took   to  be  in- 
evitable death."     There  was  a  species 
of  serpent    which    the    Greeks    called 
Acuntias,  and  the  Roman  Jaculus, from 
their  swift  darting  motion,  and  per- 
haps the  same  species  is  here  referred 
to    which    Lucan   calls  Jaculique    vo- 
lucres.     That  these  venomous  reptiles 
abounded  in  Egypt  is  expressly  testi- 
fied by  profane    writers.     Thus  Am- 
mianus  says  (Lib.  xxii.  cap.  xv.),  that 
"  Egypt    nourishes    innumerable     ser- 
]  pents,  basilisks,  and   two-headed  ser- 
pents [amphisbaenas],  and  the  scytalus 
[a  serpent  of  a  glistening  colour],  and 
the  acontias  [Lat.  Jaculus],  and  adders, 
and  vipers,  and  many  others."     H  They 
will  carry  their  riches.     Presents,  de- 
signed to  induce  the  Egyptians  to  enter 


476 


ISAIA  H. 


[B.C.  7 IS 


7  For  *the  Egyptians  shall 
help  in  vain,  and  to  no  purpose : 
therefore  have  I  cried  'concern- 
ing this,  Their  ^strength  is  to  sit 
still. 

into  the  alliance.  That  it  was  a  com- 
mon custom  to  make  presents  when  one 
king  sent  an  embassy  to  another, 
whether  the  design  was  to  show  friend- 
ship or  civility,  or  to  form  an  alliance, 
is  well  known  in  regard  to  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  East  The  custom  pre- 
vails at  the  present  day,  and  is  often 
referred  to  in  Scripture.  See  1  Kings 
xv.  19.  2  Kings,  xvi.  8,  xviii   14,  15. 

7.  For  the  Egyptians  shall  help  in 
vain.  That  is,  if  they  enter  into  the 
alliance  they  shall  not  be  able  to  defend 
you  from  the  invader  The  other  mem- 
ber of  the  sentence  would  seem  to  im- 
ply that  they  would  make  promises  of 
aid,  and  would  even  boast  of  being  able 
to  deliver  them,  but  that  they  would 
tail  in  their  promises.  If  Therefore 
nave  I  cried.  Therefore  have  I  the 
prophet  cried,  i.  e.  I  do  call  her  so. 
V  Concerning  this.  Concerning  this 
country  ;  that  is,  Egypt.  Some  have 
understood  this  as  referring  to  Jerusa- 
lem, but  the  connection  requires  us  to 
understand  it  of  Egypt.  f  Their 
strength  is  to  sit  still.  This  is  evi- 
dently desigr.e-!  to  be  an  expressive  ap- 
pellation of  Egypt.  The  word  here 
rendered,  without  much  propriety, 
"  strength,"  3>Tj  F'lhdbh,  is  a  proper 
name  of  Egypt,  and  is  several  timefl 
applied  to  it.  isa.  li.  9 : 

Art  thou  not  it  that  hath  cut  Raliab 
And  wounded  the  dragon? 

In  this  passage  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  it  refers  to  Egypt.  So  in  Ps. 
lxxxvii.  4,  lxxxix.  10  (see  the  margin). 
Why  it  was  given  to  Egypt  is  unknown, 
and  can  only  be  conjectured.  Bochart 
(Geog.  S.  P.  i.  Lib.  iv.  c.  24)  supposes 
that  it  is  derived  from  the  word  pi/ii, 
which  signifies  a  pear,  and  that  it  was 
given  to  the  Delta  or  Lower  Egypt  on 
account  of  its  form,  as  somewhat  re- 
sembling a  pear.  But  there  is  not  clear 
evidence  that  such  was  the  meaning  of 


8  Now  go,  write  it  before  them 
in  a  table,  and  note  it  in  a  book, 
that  it  may  be  for  the  stime  to 
come  for  ever  and  ever  • 


h  Jer.  37.  7. 
k  ver.  15. 


I  or,  to  her. 

3  latter  day. 


the  word,  and  there  is  no  reason  why 
we  should  forsake  the  usual  sense  ol 
the  Hebrew  word.  The  verb  SHH 
Rillidbh,  means  to  urge, press  on,  attack, 
Prov.  vi.  3  ;  to  be  high  spirited,  fierce, 
full  of  courage  ;  to  behave  proudly,  Isa. 
iii.  5  ;  and  has,  in  most  instances,  a  re- 
lation to  pride,  to  arrogance,  to  boast- 
ing. Job  ix.  13.  Ps  xl.  4.  The  mum 
Rahah  indicates  ferocity,  haughtiness, 
boasting,  insolence  ;  and  the  name  was 
doubtless  given  to  Egypt  on  account 
of  its  insolence  and  pride.  It  is  used 
here  because  Egypt  would  be  full  of 
self  confidence,  and  would  boast  that 
she  could  aid  the  suppliant  Jews  and 
deliver  them  from  the  threatened  inva- 
sion. The  phrase  rendered  "  to  sit 
still,"  is  a  part  of  the  name  which  the 
prophet  gave  to  her.  Though  she  boast- 
ed, yet.  would  she  sit  still  ;  she  would 
be  inefficient,  and  would  do  nothiirg  ; 
and  the  whole  name,  therefore,  may  be 
rendered, '  I  call  her  the  blusterer  that 
sitteth  still ;'  that  is,  "  they  are  coura- 
geous in  talking  ;  cowards  in  acting." 
Taylor. 

8.  Now  go.  This  is  a  direction  to 
the  prophet  to  make  a  permanent  record 
of  the  character  of  the  Jewish  people. 
The  fact  to  be  recorded  was,  that  they 
were  rebellious  (ver.  9)  ;  the  design 
for  which  the  record  was  to  be  made 
'.vss  to  show  to  future  times  that  this 
had  been  the  uniform  character  of  the 
nation.  The  record  was  to  be  pre- 
served that  it  might  be  a  proof  of  the 
care  of  God  towards  the  nation  even  in 
the  midst  of  their  long-continued  and 
obstinate  perverseness.  IT  IVrite  it 
before  them.  Before  the  Jews  them- 
selves, that  they  may  see  the  record, 
and  may  have  it  constantly  before  them. 
IT  In  a  table.  Or  on  a  table.  The  word 
nn?  denotes  a  tablet  either  of  stone  to 
engrave  upon  i^Deut.  ix.  9,  Ex.  xxjei. 
18)  ;  or  of  wood,  1  Kings  v;i.  36      It 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


477 


9  That  this  is  a  rebellious 
"people,  lying  children,  children 
that  will  not  hear  the  law  of  the 
Lord  : 


things ;  speak    unto   us  ""smooth 
things,  prophesy  deceits  : 

11  Get  ye    out   of  the    way, 
turn  aside  out  of  the  path,  cause 


10  Which   say  pto  the   seers,    the  Holy  One  of  Israel  to  cease 
See    not ;  and    to    the    prophets,     from  before  us 
Prophesy    not     unto     us     right 


n  Dout.  32.  20.    Micah  2.  6.  11. 
p  Jer.  11.  21.    Amos  2. 12.  7. 13.    a  1  Kings  22.  13. 


is  not  improbable  that  this  was  to  be 
exposed  to  public  view  in  some  con- 
spicuous place  near  the  temple.  II  And 
note  it.  Engrave  it ;  that  is,  record  it 
V  In  a  book.  On  parchment,  or  in  the 
usual  way  of  writing.  See  Note  on  oh. 
viii.  1.  H  For  the  time  to  come.  Heb. 
as  in  the  margin,  '  the  latter  day.'  It 
was  to  be  made  in  order  that  future 
ages  might  know  what  had  been  the 
charat  ter  of  that  people,  and  what  had 
been  the  patience  and  forbearance  of 
God  in  regard  to  them. 

9.  That  this  is  a  rebellious  people. 
Note  ch.  i  2.  U  Lying  children.  They 
had  promised  in  solemn  covenant  to 
take  Jehovah  as  their  God,  but  they 
had  been  unfaithful  to  their  vows. 

10.  Which  say  to  the  seers.  The 
prophets.  See  Note  ch.  i.  1.  IT  See 
not.  They  desire  not  that  they  should 
communicate  to  them  the  will  of  Je- 
hovah. IT  Prophesy  not  unto  us  right 
things.  It  is  not  probable  that  they 
openly  demanded  of  the  prophets  that 
they  should  declare  falsehood  and  de- 
ceit, but  their  conduct  was  as  if  they 
had  required  that.  The  sense  is,  they 
bore  with  impatience  the  threatenings 
and  commands  of  the  true  prophets  ; 
they  were  offended  at  their  plainness 
and  their  reproofs  of  their  vices  ;  and 
they  preferred  the  false  prophets,  who 
fell  in  with  their  prejudices,  and  who 
did  not  denounce  the  judgment  of  God 
for  their  crimes.  IT  Speak  unto  us 
smooth  things.  That  is,  those  things 
which  are  in  accordance  with  our  feel- 
ings, prejudices,  and  desires ;  which 
assure  us  of  prosperity  and  success,  and 
which  will  not  disturb  us  with  the 
apprehension  of  punishment.  This 
was  spoken  particularly  of  their  desire 
to  make  a  league  with  Egypt,  an  enter- 
prise fo-  which  the  true  prophets  threat- 


ened them  with  the  divine  displeasure> 
but  which  probably  the  false  prophets 
encouraged.  IT  Prophesy  deceits.  Not 
that  they  would  openly  and  avowedly 
demand  to  be  deceived,  but  they  de- 
manded that  which  the  prophet  says 
would  be  deceits.  No  man  professedly 
desires  to  be  deceived  ;  but  many  a  man 
is  willing  to  put  himself  under  that  kind 
of  teaching  which  is  deceit,  and  which 
he  might  know  to  be  falsehood  if  he 
would  examine  it. 

11.  Get  ye  out  of  the  way.  Or, 
rather,  '  Recede  from  the  way ;'  or 
'  Turn  aside  from  the  way.'  The  words 
'  way,'  and  '  path,'  are  used  to  denote 
the  true  religion,  or  the  true  doctrines 
of  God.  Matth.  vii.  14,xxii.  16.  John 
xiv.  4.  Acts  xviii.  26,  xix.  9,  23. 
2  Pet.  i..  15.  The  request  here  was 
that  the  true  prophets  would  recede 
from  the  stern  and  true  precepts  of  reli- 
gion, and  turn  to  the  ways  of  falsehood 
and  deceit.  IT  Cause  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel  to  cease  from  before  us.  The 
sense  of  this  is,  *  Let  us  hear  no  more 
of  this  name.  We  are  weary  of  con- 
stantly hearing  it,  as  if  there  was  no- 
thing else  but  the  ceaseless  repetition 
of  the  name  The  Holy  One  of  Israel.' 
It  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  pro- 
phets spoke  in  this  name,  and  often 
commenced  their  prophecies  with  the 
announcement,  *  thus  saith  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel.'  No  one  more  fre- 
quently used  this  than  Isaiah.  See  vs. 
12,15.  Comp.ch.i.  4,v.  19,24,  x.  20, 
xii.  6,  xvii  7,  xxix.  19,  xxxi.  1,  xli.  14. 
It  is  probable  that  a  reference  con- 
stantly to  the  fact  that  he  was  hoi.y 
was  that  which  most  troubled  them. 
How  descriptive  of  the  feelings  of  sin- 
ners !  How  striking  an  illustration  of 
the  fact  that  they  do  not  wish  to  hear 
of  the  name  or  lawa  of  the  Holy  Lord 


478 


ISAIAH 


[B.C.  713 


12  Wherefore  thus  saith  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel,  Because  ye 
despise  this  word,  and  trust  ein 
'oppression  and  perverseness, 
and  stay  thereon  : 

13  Therefore      this     iniquity 

God  !  And  what  a  melancholy  proof 
of  depravity  is  it  when  men  pursue 
Buch  a  course  that  they  do  not  wish  to 
hear  of  him,  and  desire  no  more  to  be 
troubled  with  his  name  and  laws  ! 

12.  Wherefore  thus  saith  the  Holy 
One.  Jehovah.  There  may  be  some 
reference  here  to  the  fact  adverted  to  in 
ver.  11,  that  they  were  weary  of  the 
name  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  and 
of  the  perpetual  reiteration  of  his  com- 
mands. Isaiah,  as  if  to  show  them 
how  little  he  was  disposed  to  comply 
with  their  prejudices,  again  makes  an 
appeal  to  that  name,  and  urges  the 
authority  of  Jehovah.  It  is  often  proper 
to  repeat  the  very  doctrine  to  which 
sinners  object,  and  which  has  given 
them  offence.  That  they  are  offended, 
shows  that  their  minds  are  awake  to 
the  truth,  and  gives  some  indication 
that  their  consciences  trouble  them. 
Ministers  of  God  should  never  shrink 
from  their  duty  because  men  oppose 
them.;  they  should  never  cease  to  speak 
in  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel,  because  that  name 
may  excite  opposition  and  disgust. 
IT  Ye  despise  this  word.  That  is,  the 
word,  or  message  of  Jehovah  (ch.  xxyiii. 
13,  14)  ;  or  perhaps  it  means  the  word 
'  Holy  One  of  Israel.'  The  ser.3e  is, 
that  they  did  not  trust  in  the  promise 
and  protection  of  Jehovah,  but  relied 
on  human  aid.  IT  And  trust  in  oppres- 
sion. Marg.  fraud.  The  word  P^>2 
properly  denotes  oppression,  or  extor- 
tion (Eccl  v.  7.  Ezek.  xxii.  7,  12) ; 
then,  that  which  is  obtained  by  extor- 
tion, and  also  by  fraud.  Lev.  vi.  4. 
Ps.  lxii.  11.  Eccl.  vii.  7.  It  may  refer 
here  to  the  fact  that  they  had,  by  un- 
just and  oppressive  exactions,  obtained 
the  treasures  referred  to  in  ver.  6,  by 
which  they  hoped  to  conciliate  the 
favour  of    Egypt. — Or    it    may    mean 


shall  he  to  you  as  a  breach 
^rwidy  to  fall,  swelling  out  in  a 
high  wall,  whose  breaking cometh 
suddenly  at  an  instant. 

14  And  he  shall   break*  it  as 


e  Ps.  62.  10. 
g  Ps.  61  3. 


2  or,  fraud 

h  Ps.  2.  9.     Jor.  19.  11. 


that  they  trusted  in  their  fraudulent 
purposes  toward  God  ;  that  is,  to  a 
false  and  perfidious  course,  by  which 
they  were  unfaithful  to  hiin  IT  Per- 
verseness. A  crooked,  perverse,  rebel- 
lious course.  They  refused  submission 
to  Jehovah,  and  relied  on  the  aid  of 
strangers. 

13.  Therefore  '.his  iniquity.  That 
is,  this  refusing  (j  trust  in  Jehovah, 
and  this  intention  to  seek  the  alliance 
of  Egypt.  The  general  sense  of  the 
figure  here  is,  that  their  depending  on 
Egypt  would  involve  them  ultimately  in 
complete  and  awful  ruin — ruin  that 
should  come  upon  them  as  suddenly  as 
when  a  wall  that  had  been  long  swell- 
ing out  gives  way.  IT  As  a  breach 
ready  to  fall.  Like  a  breaking  forth, 
or  a  bursting  in  a  wall.  ^  Swelling  out 
in  a  high  wall.  That  is,  where  the 
foundation  is  not  firm,  and  where  one 
part  of  the  wall  sinks,  and  it  inclines  to 
one  side  until  it  suddenly  bursts  forth. 
A  similar  figure  is  used  by  the  Psal- 
mist : 

Ye  shall  lie  slain  all  of  you, 
As  a  bowiog  wall  -halt  ye  be,  and  as  a  tottering 
fence.    Ps.  lxii.  3. 

1f  Whose  breaking  cometh  suddenly. 
Though  it  has  been  long  leaning  and 
swelling,  yet  the  actual  bursting  forth 
would  be  in  an  instant.  So  would  it 
be  •  with  the  destruction  that  would 
come  upon  the  Jews.  Though  by  their 
sins  they  had  been  long  preparing  for 
it,  yet  it  would  come  upon  them  by  a 
sudden  and  tremendous  crash.  So  it 
will  be  with  all  sinners.  Destruction 
may  seem  to  be  long  delayed — as  a 
wall  may  be  long  inclining,  and  may 
seem  to  prepare  imperceptibly  to  fall  ; 
but  in  due  time  it  will  come  suddenly 
upon  them,  when  too  late  to  obtain 
relief. 

14.  And   he  shall    break    it   as   the 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


479 


the  breaking  of  the  spotter's  ves- 
sel that  is  broken  in  pieces  ;  he 
shall  not  spare  :  so  that  there 
shall  not  be  found  in  the  bursting 
o^  it  a  sherd  to  take  fire  from  the 
hearth,  or  to  take  water  withal 
out  of  the  pit. 


15  For  thus  saith  the  Lord 
God,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  In 
returning  and  rest  'shall  ye  be 
saved  ;  in  quietness  and  in  con- 
fidence  shall  be  your  strength ; 
and  ye  would  not. 

5  bottle  of  potters.  i  ver.  7. 


breaking.  That  is,  its  breaking  shall 
be  like  the  breaking  of  a  potters  ves- 
sel. The  LXX  read  it,  "  And  its  fall,  , 
to  irroi/«i,  shall  be  like  the  breaking  of 
an  earthen  vessel."  IT  As  the  breaking 
of  the  potter's  vessel.  That  is,  as  an 
earthen,  fragile  vessel,  which  is  easily 
dashed  to  pieces.  The  image  here  is 
all  drawn  from  the  bursting  forth,  or 
the  complete  ruin  of  the  swelling  wall  ; 
but  the  sense  is,  that  the  Jewish  repub- 
lic would  be  entirely  broken,  scattered, 
demolished.  IT  He  shall  not  spare 
in  the  bursting  of  it.  Figuratively  in 
the  bursting  of  the  wall  ;  literally  in 
the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  state  and 
polity.  IT  A  sherd.  A  piece  of  pot- 
tery ;  a  fragment.  IT  To  take  fire  from 
the  hearth.  Large  enough  to  carry 
coals  on.  11  Or  to  take  water  withal 
out  of  the  pit.  Out  of  the  fountain,  or 
pool ;  that  is,  it  shall  be  broken  into 
small  fragments,  and  the  ruin  shall  be 
complete — as  when  a  wall  tumbles 
down  and  is  completely  broken  up. 
The  sense  is,  that  the  republic  of  Israel 
would  be  completely  ruined,  so  that 
there  should  not  be  found  a  man  of  any 
description  who  could  aid  them.  The 
prophet  does  not  specify  when  this 
would  be.  It  is  not  necessary  to  sup- 
pose that  it  would  occur  on  the  invasion 
of  Sennacherib,  or  that  it  would  be  the 
immediate  consequence  of  seeking  the 
aid  of  Egypt,  but  that  it  would  be  a 
consequence,  though  a  remote  one. 
Perhaps  the  figure  used  would  lead  ua 
to  look  to  some  remote  period.  A  high 
wall  will  begin  to  give  way  many  years 
before  its  fall  The  sweli  will  be  gra- 
dual, and  perhaps  almost  imperceptible. 
For  some  time  it  may  appear  to  be  sta- 
tionary ;  then  perhaps  some  new  cause 
will  produce  an  increase  of  the  project- 
ing part,  until  it  can  no  longer  sustain 


itself,  and  then  the  ruin  will  be  sudden 
and  tremendous.  So  it  would  be  with 
the  Jews.  The  seeking  of  the  alliance 
with  Egypt  was  one  cause — though  a 
remote  one — of  their  final  ruin.  Their 
forsaking  God  and  seeking  human  aid, 
was  gradually  but  certainly  undermin- 
ing the  foundations  of  the  state — as  a 
wall  may  be  gradually  undermined. 
Frequent  repeiitions  of  that  would  more 
and  more  impair  the  real  strength  of 
the  republic,  until,  for  their  accumulated 
acts  of  want  of  confidence,  the  pa- 
tience of  God  would  be  exhausted,  and 
the  state  would  fall  like  a  mighty, 
bursting  wall.  The  prophecy  was  ful- 
filled in  the  invasion  of  Jerusalem  by 
the  Chaldeans  ;  it.  had  a  more  signal 
and  awful  fulfilment  in  its  destruction 
by  the  Romans. 

15.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  God. 
The  design  of  this  verse  is  to  give  a 
reason  for  the  destruction  that  should 
come  upon  them.  That  reason  was, 
ihat  God  had  indicated  to  them  the 
path  of  truth  and  safety,  but  they  chose 
not  to  follow  it,  and  refused  to  put  con- 
fidence in  him.  T  In  returning.  In 
returning  to  God  ;  that  is,  if  you  are 
converted  to  him.  f  And  rest.  That 
is,  by  calmly  reposing  on  God  for  as- 
sistance, and  not  seeking  the  alliance 
of  Egypt.  See  Ex.  xiv.  13.  H  In 
quietness.  In  a  collected,  quiet  state 
of  mind.  H  In  confidence.  By  put- 
ting simple  trust  in  God.  IT  Shall  be 
your  strength.  You  shall  be  safe  ;  your 
enemies  shall  not  be  able  to  overcome 
and  subdue  you.  IT  But  ye  would  not. 
When  Jerusalem  was  threatened  by 
Sennacherib,  Hezekiah  did  put  this  con« 
fidence  in  God,  and  reposed  calmly 
and  securely  on  his  promises  (Isa.  xxxvi. 
15,  lb,  21)  ;  but  it  is  not  improbable 
that  when  the  city  was  first  threatened 


4«0 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.I  IS. 


16  But  yc  said,  No ;  for  we 
will  flee  upon  horses  ;  therefore 
shall  ye  flee  :  and,  We  will  ride 
upon  the  swift ;  therefore  shall 
they  that  pursue  fcyou  be  swift. 

17  One  thousand  mskalljlee  at 


fc  2  Kings  25.  5. 


m  Oeut.  32.  30. 


and  Hezekiah  heard  of  the  preparations 
made  by  the  Assyrians,  he  had  joined 
with  the  party  in  Jerusalem  who  pro- 
posed an  alliance  with  Egypt,  and  that 
this  was  known  to  Sennacherib.  Isa. 
xxxvi.  6.  Probably,  however,  before 
the  invasion  had  actually  commenced 
he  had  seen  the  impropriety  of  this, 
either  because  the  aid  of  Egypt  could 
not  be  secuped,  or  because  Isaiah  had 
warned  him  of  this,  and  had  been 
brought  to  put  his  trust  entirely  in  Je- 
hovah. Yet  the  offence  had  been  com- 
mitted of  refusing  to  put  implicit  con- 
fidence in  Jehovah  and  of  seeking  the 
aid  of  Egypt,  and  for  that  the  punish- 
ment is  threatened  in  this  chapter. 
Vs.  16,  17. 

16.  But  yc  said,  No.  Ye  who  pro- 
posed an  alliance  with  Egypt  IT  For 
we  well  flee  upon  horses.  The  word 
flee,  0*13  .usually  signifies  to  flee  before, 
or  from  any  person  or  thing.  But  here 
it  seems  to  have  the  notion  of  making 
a  rapid  motion  in  general,  and  not  to  re- 
fer to  the  fact  that  they  expected  to  flee 
from  their  enemy, for  it  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  a  part  of  their  expectation. 
The  idea  seems  to  be  that  by  their  al- 
liance with  Egypt  they  would  secure 
the  means  of  rapid  motion,  whatever 
might  be  the  necessity  or  occasion  for 
it,  whether  against  or  from  an  enemy. 
The  sense  is,  '  we  will  by  this  alliance 
eecure  the  assistance  of  cavalry  ;  and, 
doubtless,  the  design  was  to  employ  it 
in  the  attack  and  discomfiture  of  their 
foes.  It  will  be  recollected  that  Moses 
(Deut.  xvii.  16)  strictly  forbade  that 
the  future  monarch  of  the  Jews  should 
"  multiply  horses  to  himself,  to  cause 
the  people  to  return  to  Egypt,"  and  that 
consequently  the  employment  of  cavalry 
was  against  the  laws  of  the  nation. 
For  the  reasons  of  this  prohibition,  sec 
Note  on  ch.  ii.  7.     The  attempt,  there- 


the  rebuke  of  one  ;  at  the  rebuke 
of  five  shall  ye  flee ;  till  ye  be 
left  as  'a  beacon  upon  the  top  of 
a  mountain,  and  as  an  ensign  on 
an  hill. 

1  or,  a  tree,  bereft  of  branches,  or,  boughs :  or,  a 

mast- 
fore,  in  the  time  of  Hezekiah  to  call  in 
the  aid  of  the  cavalry  of  Egypt  was  a 
violation  of  both  the  letter  and  the 
spirit  of  the  Jewish  institutions.  Comp 
ch.  xxxi.  1.  Hos.  xiv.  4  V  Therefore 
shall  ye  flee.  You  shall  fly  before  your 
enemies ;  you  shall  be  defeated  and 
scattered.  H  We  will  ride  upon  the 
swift.  That  is,  upon  fleet  horses,  or 
coursers.  Arabia  was  celebrated,  and 
is  still,  for  producing  fleet  coursers,  and 
the  same  was  formerly  true  of  Egypt. 
See  Note  on  ch   ii.  7. 

17.  One  thousand,  &c.  The  sense 
of  this  is,  that  you  shall  be  easily 
alarmed  and  overcome  by  those  who 
are  inferior  in  numbers  and  strength. 
The  number  "  one  thousand,"  is  put 
for  a  large  indefinite  number  ;  probably 
meaning  all.  H  At  the  rebuke  of  one. 
The  number  one  here  is  put  to  denote 
a  very  small  number  ;  a  number  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  warfare  entirely  dis- 
proportionate to  those  who  would  be 
vanquished.  There  is  probably  a  re- 
ference here  to  the  prediction  in  Deut. 
xxxii.  30 : 

How  should  one  chase  a  thousand, 
And  two  put  ten  thousand  to  flight, 
Except  their  Rock  had  sold  them. 
And  JEHOVAH  tiad  shut  them  up? 

U  At  the  rebuke  of  five.  Of  a  very 
small  number.  IT  Till  ye  be  left  as  a 
beacon  upon  the  top  of  a  mountain. 
The  word  rendered  beacon,  T"^  (Gr 
io-tck,  a  mast),  denotes  properly  the 
mast  of  a  ship,  Isa.  xxxiii.  23,  Ezek. 
xxvii.  5 ;  then  any  thing  resembling  a 
mast,  a  flag-staff,  or  a  beacon  of  any 
kind.  It  may  refer  to  a  staff  or  mast 
erected  on  a  promontory  to  warn  sailors, 
or  to  be  n  landmark — as  it  is  not  im- 
probable that  the  mastf  of  ships  would 
be  employed  for  that  purpose  ;  or  it 
may  refer  to  a  flag-staff,  erected  on  a 
I  conspicuous  place,  to  which  the  nation 


B.C. IIS.] 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


481 


18  And  therefore  will  the 
Lord  "wait,  that  he  may  be  gra- 
cious unto  you,  and  therefore  will 
he  be  exalted,  that  he  may  have 
mercy  upon  you ;  for  the  Lord 
is  a.  God  of  judgment:  ^blessed 
are  all  they  that  wait  for  him. 

O  Hos.  5.  15.  p  Pa.  34.  8. 

could  rally  in  time  of  war.  On  the 
«ea  coasts  of  our  own  country  such 
beacons  are  often  erected.  Those 
which  I  have  seen  consist  of  a  pole 
erected  on  an  eminence  or  rising 
ground  with  a  cask  or  barrel  painted 
white  on  the  top.  The  idea  seems  to 
be,  that  of  a  long  pole  erected  for  any 
purpose,  and  which  was  standing  alone, 
stripped  of  its  leaves  and  branches,  and 
without  ornament.  So  would  be  the 
few,  solitary,  and  scattered  Jews  when 
driven  before  their  enemies.  IT  And  as  an 
ensign  on  an  hill  See  Note  ch.  v.  26, 
xi.  12  The  idea  is,  that  those  who 
should  escape  would  be  few  in  number, 
and  would  stand  alone,  as  a  beacon  in 
view  of  all  the  nations,  to  admonish 
them  of  the  justice  of  God,  and  the 
truth  of  his  threatenings — like  an  ensign 
floating  on  a  hill  that  can  be  seen  from 
afar.  What  a  striking  description  is 
this  of  the  condition  of  the  Jews  in 
our  times,  and  indeed  in  all  ages  since 
their  dispersion  !  Their  strength,  and 
influence,  and  power  as  a  people  are 
gone.  They  stand  as  beacons  to  warn 
the  nations  of  the  evils  of  a  want  of 
confidence  in  God  and  of  his  justice 

18  And  therefore.  The  sense  of  the 
words  rendered  "  and  therefore,"  may 
be  better  expressed  by  the  phrase,  "  yet 
moreover,"  meaning  that  notwithstand- 
ing their  sins  and  the  necessity  of  pun- 
ishing them,  Jehovah  would  be  long- 
suffering,  and  would  yet  bring  the  na- 
tion to  repentance.  11  And  therefore 
will  he  be  exalted.  Lowth  renders 
this  in  accordance  with  a  conjecture 
of  Iioubigant,  "  Shall  he  expect  in 
eilence,"  by  reading  Dl*^  instead  of 
CH^  .  But  there  is  no  authority  for 
this  except  a  single  MS.  Rosenmtll- 
ler  supposes  it  means,  in  accordance 
21 


19  For  the  people  shall 
dwell  I'm  Zion  at  Jerusalem ; 
thou  shalt  weep  no  more :  he 
will  be  very  gracious  unto  thee 
at  the  voice  of  thy  cry ;  when 
*he  shall  hear  it,  he  will  answer 
thee. 


q  ch.  65.  9. 24. 


»  Jor.  23.  12—14. 


with  the  interpretation  of  Jarchi,  that 
he  would  delay,  i.  e.  that  his  mercy 
would  be  long  or  his  judgment  remote. 
But  the  sense  seems  to  be,  that  God 
would  be  so  forbearing  that  his  charac- 
ter would  be  exalted,  i.  e.  that  men 
would  have  more  elevated  conceptions 
of  his  truth,  mercy,  and  faithfulness. 
U  For  the  Lord  is  a  God  of  judgment. 
He  will  do  what  is  right.  He  will 
spare  the  nation  still  ;  and  yet  establish 
among  them  the  true  religion,  and  they 
shall  flourish.  H  Blessed  are  all  they 
that  wait  for  him.  This  seems  to  have 
been  recorded  to  encourage  them,  when 
the  threatened  calamities  should  come 
upon  them,  to  put  their  confidence  in 
God,  and  to  trust  that  he  would  yet  ap- 
pear and  restore  the  nation  to  himself. 
This  verse  is  the  commencement  of  the 
annunciation  of  the  blessings  whieh 
should  yet  be  conferred  on  them.  The 
description  of  these  blessings  is  con- 
tinued to  ver.  26. 

19.  For  the  people  shall  dwell  in 
Zion.  Note  ch.  i.  8.  The  language 
here  is  evidently  adapted  to  a  return 
from  the  captivity.  The  whole  design 
of  the  passage  (vs.  19-26)  is  to  de- 
scribe a  future  state  of  prosperity  by 
images  mainly  drawn  from  the  idea 
of  temporal  enjoyment.  The  sense  is, 
that  in  some  period  subsequent  to  the 
calamiti<>7  that  would  befall  them  for 
their  in.proper  reliance  on  the  aid  of 
Egypt  (vs.  16,  17),  there  would  be 
prosperity,  peace  and  joy  in  Jerusalem. 
The  order  of  events,  as  seen  by  the 
prophet  in  vision,  seems  to  be  this. 
He  sees  the  people  threatened  with  an 
invasion  by  Sennacherib.  He  sees 
them  forget  their  reliance  on  God  and 
seek  the  aid  of  Egypt.  He  sees,  as'  a 
consequence  of  this,   a  long  serie9  of 


492 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


20  And  though  'the  Lord  give 
you  the  bread  of  adversity,  and 
the  water  of  affliction,9  yet  shall 
not    thy    teachers    be    "removed 

t  Ps.  30.  5.  4  or,  rpprtssion. 

calamities  resulting  in  the  downfall  of 
the  republic,  the  destruction  of  the 
city,  and  the  captivity  at  Babylon. 
Yet  he  sees,  in  the  distant  prospect, 
prosperity,  happiness,  security,  piety, 
the  blessing  of  God,  and  rich  and 
abundant  future  mercies  resting  on  his 
people.  That  the  blessings  under  the 
Messiah  constitute  a  part  of  this  series 
of  mercies  no  one  can  doubt  who  at- 
tentively considers  the  language  in  vs. 
25,  '26.  11  Thou  shalt  weep  no  more. 
See  Note  ch.  xxv.  8.  IT  He  will  be 
very  gracious  unto  thee  at  the  voice  of 
thy  cry.  When  in  your  calamities  you 
shall  cry  unto  him  for  deliverance,  he 
shall  hear  you, and  restore  you  to  your 
own  land.  This  is  in  accordance  with 
the  statements  in  ch.  xxvi.  8,  9  (see 
Notes  on  these  verses),  that  in  their 
captivity  in  Babylon  they  would  seek 
God.  IT  He  will  answer  thee.  See 
Jer.  xxix.  12-14. 

20.  And  though  the  Lord  give  you 
the  bread  of  adversity.  The  bread  that 
is  eaten  in  a  time  of  calamity  ;  that  is, 
he  would  bring  upon  them  sore  distress 
and  want.  H  The  water  of  affliction. 
Marg.  "  oppression."  That  is,  water 
drank  in  times  of  affliction  and  oppres- 
sion, or  in  the  long  and  weary  days  of 
captivity.  IT  Yet  shall  not  thy  teachers. 
Your  public  instructors  and  guides. 
Ps.  lxxiv.  9.  Amos  viii.  11,  12.  Isa. 
xliii  27.  Dan.  xii  3.  This  refers  to 
all  those  who  would  be  the  true  guides 
and  teachers  of  the  people  of  God  in 
subsequent  times  ;  and  relates,  there- 
fore, not  only  to  prophets  and  pious 
men  whom  God  would  raise  up  under 
their  own  dispensation,  but  also  to 
all  whom  he  would  appoint  to  commu- 
nicate his  will.  It  is  a  promise  that 
the  church  of  God  should  never  want 
a  pious  and  devoted  ministry  qualified 
to  make  known  his  will  and  defend  his 
.ruth.  IT  Be  removed  into  a  corner. 
The  word  here  used  ("?.S"!  fror.-  S?3) 


into  a  corner  any  more,  but  thine 
eyes  shall  see  thy  teachers  : 

21   And  thine  ears  shall  hear 
a  word  behind  thee,  saying,  This 

u  Ps.  74.  8.  Am.  8.  11,  12. 

occurs  nowhere  else  in  the  Scriptures. 
It  is  probably  derived  from  "53  a 
wing ;  and  in  the  Syriac  and  Cbaldee, 
it  means  to  collect  together.  The  LXX 
render  this,  "  And  they  who  deceived 
thee  shall  no  more  come  near  unto 
thee  "  The  Syriac,  "  ^.nd  he  [  that  is, 
the  Lord)  shall  no  more  collect  thy 
seducers."  The  Chaldee,  "  And  he 
shall  no  more  take  away  Ids  own  glory 
from  the  house  of  his  sanctuary." 
RosenniQller,  in  accordance  with  Schul- 
tens,  renders  it,  "  And  thy  teachers 
shall  no  more  hide  themselves,"  refer- 
ring to  the  fact  that  the  wing  of  a  fowl 
furnishes  a  hiding  place  or  shelter. 
This  would  accord  with  the  general 
idea  that  they  should  not  be  removed 
from  public  view.  Lowth,  singularly 
and  without  authority  from  the  versions 
or  MSS.,  renders  it, 

"Yet  the  timely  rain  shall  no  more  be  restrained." 
The  general  idea  is,  evidently,  that 
they  should  be  no  more  taken  away ; 
and  probably  the  specific  idea  is  that 
proposed  by  Taylor  (Heb.  Concord.), 
that  thy  teachers  shall  no  more,  as  it 
were,  be  winged,  or  fly  away  ;  that  is, 
be  removed  by  flight,  or  as  a  flock  of 
birds  moving  together  rapidly  on  the 
wing. 

21.  And  thine  ears  shall  hear  a  word. 
A  command  or  admonition.  You  shall 
not  be  left  without  spiritual  guides  and 
directors  H  Behind  thee.  That  is, 
says  Vitringa,  the  voice  of  conscience, 
as  an  invisible  guide,  shall  admonish 
you.  The  idea,  however,  seems  to  be 
that  if  they  were  ignorant  of  the  way, 
or  if  they  were  inclined  to  err,  they 
should  be  admonished  of  the  true  path 
which  they  ought  to  pursue.  The  idea 
is  taken  either  from  the  practice  of 
teachers  who  are  represented  as  follow- 
ing their  pupils  and  admonishing  them 
if  they  were  in  danger  of  going  astray 
(Giotius^  ;  or  from  shepherds,  who  are 
represented    as   following   their   flocks 


B.C. TVS.] 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


483 


vis  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it,  when 
ye  turn  to  the  right  hand,  and 
when  ye  turn  to  the  left. 

22  Ye  shall  defile  also  the 
covering  of  thy  'graven  images 
of  silver,  and  the  ornament  of  thy 
molten  images  of  gold  :  thou 
shalt    5cast    them    away     as    a 

v  Ps.  32.  8.       4  the  graven  images  of  thy  silver. 

and  directing  them  when  they  wan- 
dered. The  Jews  understand  this  voice 
"  from  behind  "  to  be  the  Bath  Kid — 
'  the  daughter  of  the  voice  ;'  a  divine 
admonition  which  they  suppose  attends 
the  pious.  The  essential  thought  is, 
that  they  would  not  be  left  without  a 
guide  and  instructor  ;  that  if  they  were 
inclined  to  go  astray  they  would  be  re- 
called to  the  path  of  truth  and  duty. 
Perhaps  there  is  the  idea,  also,  that  the 
admonition  would  come  from  some  in- 
visible influence,  or  from  some  unex- 
pected quarter,  as  it  is  often  the  case  that 
those  who  are  inquiring  on  the  subject 
of  religion  receive  light  from  quarters 
where  they  least  expected,  and  from 
sources  to  which  they  were  not  look- 
ing. It  is  also  true  that  the  admonitions 
of  Providence,  of  conscience,  and  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  seem  often  to  come 
from  behind  us;  that  is,  they  retail  us 
from  the  path  in  which  we  were  going, 
and  restrain  us  from  a  course  that 
would  be  fraught  with  danger.  11  When 
ye  turn  to  the  right  hand,  &c.  When 
you  shall  be  in  danger  of  wandering 
from  the  direct  and  straight  path.  The 
voice  shall  recall  you,  and  direct  you 
in  the  way  in  which  you  ought  to  go. 

22.  Ye  shall  defile  also.  That  is, 
you  shall  regard  them  as  polluted  and 
abominable.  This  is  language  which 
is  often  used  respecting  their  treatment 
of  the  images  and  altars  of  idolatry 
when  they  became  objects  of  abomina- 
tion, and  when  they  were  induced  to 
abandon  them.  See  2  Kings  xxiii.  8, 
10,  16.  It  is  not  improbable  that  be- 
fore destroying  them  they  would  ex- 
press their  abhorrence  of  them  by  some 
act  of  polluting   or    defiling   them,   as 


menstruous  cloth ;  thou  shalt 
say  unto  it,  Get  thee  hence.* 

23  Then  shall  he  give  the 
rain  of  thy  seed,  that  thou  shalt 
sow  the  ground  withal  ;  and 
bread  of  the  increase  of  the 
earth,  and  it  shall  be  fat  and 
plenteous  :-in  that  day  shall  thy 
cattle  feed  in  large  pastures. 

5  scatter.  x  Hos.  14.  8. 

significant  of  their  contempt  for  the 
objects  of  degraded  idolatry.  See 
Note  ch.  ii.  20.  The  sense  of  the 
whole  passage  is,  that  the  effect  of  the 
judgments  which  God  was  about  to 
bring  upon  the  nation  would  be,  to 
turn  them  from  idolatry,  to  which  as  a 
nation  they  had  been  signally  prone. 
IT  The  covering.  The  images  of  idols 
were  usually  made  of  wood  or  clay  and 
overlaid  with  gold.  That  gold  and 
silver  were  used  to  plate  them  is  ap- 
parent from  Deut.  vii.  25  ;  and  the 
whole  process  of  making  them  from 
wood,  and  then  of  overlaying  them 
with  plates  of  go'd  and  silver  is  de- 
scribed with  graphic  power  and  seve- 
rity of  irony  in  Isa.  xl.  19,  2l),  xli.  6,  7. 
IT  Thy  graven  images  of  silver.  Marg. 
The  graven  images  of  thy  silver.  Pro- 
bably the  construction  in  the  text  is 
correct,  as  meaning  that  the  images 
were  not  made  of  entire  silver,  but  of 
wood  or  clay,  plated  with  silver.  IT  And 
the  ornament.  The  golden  plates  or 
the  covering  of  the  images.  IT  Thy 
molten  images.  The  word  molten  re- 
fers to  those  which  were  made  by  cast- 
ing. See  Notes  on  ch.  xl.  19,  20. 
If  Thou  shalt  cast  them  away.  See 
Note  ch.  ii.  20.  This  would  be  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  express  direction 
of  Moses  Deut.  vii.  25  :  "  The  graven 
images  of  their  gods  shall  ye  burn  with 
fire  ;  thou  shalt  not  desire  the  silver  or 
gold  that  is  on  them,  nor  take  it  unto 
thee,  lest  thou  be  snared  therein ;  for 
it  is  an  abomination  unto  the  Lord  thy 
God." 

23.  Then  shall  he  give  the  rain  of  thy 
seed.  That  is,  he  shall  send  rain  on 
the  seed  which  is  sown.     You  will  be 


484 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


24  The  oxen  likewise,  and  the 
young  asses  that  ear  the  ground, 
shall  eat  clean7  provender  which 
hath  been  winnowed  with  the 
shovel  and  with  the  fun. 

7  leavened,  or,  savory.  9  lifted  up. 

allowed  to  cultivate  the  soil  without 
molestation,  and  God  will  give  you 
fruitful  seasons  and  abundant  harvests. 
This  is  a  po.'tic  description  of  a  happy 
or  golden  age,  when  there  would  be 
peace  and  prosperity".  Cotnp  Notes 
on  ch.  xi.  6,  7.  IT  And  bread  of  the 
increase  of  the  earth.  And  bread 
which  the  ground  shall  produce.  T  Ami 
it  shall  be  fat  and  plenteous.  It  shall 
be  rich  and  abundant  ;  that  is,  there 
shall  be  prosperity  and  an  ample  sup- 
ply for  your  wants.  IT  Feed  in  large 
pastures.  This  is  a  description  of  se- 
curity when  their  cattle  should  he  per- 
mitted to  roam  at  larrre,  and  have 
abundant  pasturage — an  image  of  pros- 
perity that  would  be  very  gratifying  to 
a  people  whose  main  conception  of 
wealth  consisted  in  abundance  of  flocks 
and  herds. 

24.  The  young  asses  that  ear  the. 
ground.  Heb.  '  Labouring,  or  culti- 
vating the  ground,'  that  is,  ploughing 
it.  The  old  English  word  ear  (from 
the  Latin  aro)  meant  to  till,  to  culti- 
vate. The  word  is  now  obsolete,  but 
this  is  the  sense  which  it  has  in  the 
Bible.  1  Sam.  viii.  12.  Deut.  xxi.  4. 
Gen.  xlv  6.  Ex  xxxiv.  21.  V  Shall 
eat  clean  provender.  Marg.  leavened, 
or  savory.  The  word  rendered  proven- 
der, ''"■r3  •  is  a  verbal  from  5^3  to  mix, 
mingle,  confuse  ;  and  denotes  provender 
that  is  made  by  mixing  various  sub- 
stances, muslin  or  farago,  a  mixture  of 
barley,  oats,  vetches,  and  beans,  which 
seem  to  have  been  sown  together,  and 
leaped  at  the  same  time.  Job  vi  5, 
sxiv.  G.  The  word  rendered  clean, 
Y"®.^  ■  is  not  quite  so  plain  in  its  sig- 
nification. Kiinchi  explains  it  by  ^PJ, 
pure,  clean.  Gesenius  renders  it  salted, 
and  supposes  that  it  refers  to  fodder  that 
was  mixed  with  salted  hay.     The  LXX 


25  And  there  shall  he  upon 
every  high  mountain,  and  upon 
every  9high  hill,  rivers  and 
streams  of  waters  in  the  day  of 
the  great  slaughter,  when  the 
towers  fall. 

render  it  "  provender  mixed  with  win- 
nowed barley."  But  the  real  notion  of 
the  word  is  that  which  is  fermented, 
from  Y^i}  to  be  sour  ;  to  be  leavened. 
Lowth  renders  it,  "  well-fermented." 
Noyes,  "  well-seasoned  "  The  idea 
seems  to  be  that  of  a  provender  made 
of  a  mixture  of  various  substances — as 
of  grain,  beans,  vetches,  herbs,  hay,  and 
probably  salt,  which  when  mixed  would 
ferment,  and  which  was  regarded  as 
nutritious  and  wholesome  for  cattle.  A 
similar  compound  is  used  by  the  Arabs 
still.  See  Bochart  P.  i.  Lib.  2,  c.  vii.; 
and  Faber  and  Harmer's  Observations 
upon  the  East,  P.  i.  409.  IT  Which  hath 
been  winnowed-.  That  is,  which  is  the 
pure  grain,  which  is  not  fed  to  them  as 
it  is  sometimes  before  it  is  separated 
from  the  chaff.  Grain  shall  be  so  abun- 
dant in  that  time  of  prosperity  that  even 
the  cattle  may  be  fed  with  grain  pre- 
pared as  it  is  usually  for  man.  IT  With 
the  shovel.  The  large  shovel  by  which 
the  grain  in  the  chaff  was  thrown  up  in 
the  wind  that  the  grain  might  be  sepa- 
rated from  the  chaff.  1T  The  fan.  This 
word  properly  means  that  by  which  any 
thing  is  scattered — a  shovel  by  which 
the  grain  is  thrown  or  tossed  into  the 
wind.  "  Those  who  form  their  opinion 
of  the  latter  article  by  an  English  fan, 
will  entertain  a  very  erroneous  notion. 
That  of  the  East  is  made  of  the  fibrous 
pari  of  the  pahnirah  or  cocoa-tree  leaves, 
and  measures  about  a  yard  each  way." 
— Roberts. 

25.  In  the  day  of  the  great  slaughter. 
When  the  enemies  of  the  people  of  God 
shall  have  been  destroyed — probably  m 
a  time  subsequent  to  the  slaughter  of 
the  army  of  the  Assyrians,  f  When 
the  towers  fall.  The  towers  of  the 
enemy  ;  perhaps  referring  here  to  the 
towers  of  Babylon.  After  they  should 
fall,  the  Jews  would  be  favoured  with 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


48b 


26  Moreover,  the  light  cof  the  I 
moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the 
sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  shall 
be  seven-fold,  as  the  light  of  seven 
days,  in  the  day  that  the  Lord 
bindeth    up    the    breach    of   his 

C  Ch.  60.  19,  20. 

the   time   of    prosperity   to    which  the 
prophet  here  refers. 

26.  Moreover.  In  addition  to  all  the 
blessings  which  are  enumerated  above. 
IT  The  light  of  the  moon.  Light  is  in 
the  Scriptures  an  emblem  of  parity,  in- 
telligence, happiness,  prosperity  ;  as 
darkness  is  an  emblem  of  ignorance, 
calamity,  and  sin.  'Ibis  figure  is  often 
used  by  the  poets.     Thus  Horace : 

Soles  melius  nilent.  Cam:.  Lib.  liv.  Od.  v.  8. 
The  figure  of  augmenting  light  to  de- 
note the  blessings  of  religion,  and  es- 
pecially of  the  gospel,  is  often  employ- 
ed by  Isaiah.  Comp.  Notes  ch.  ix.  2, 
x  17,  xiii.  10,  lx.  19,  20,  ii.  5,  lviii  *, 
10,  lx.  1,  3.  The  sense  of  this  passage 
is,  that  in  those  future  days  the  light 
would  shine  intensely,  and  without  ob- 
scurity ;  that  though  they  had  been 
walking  in  the  light  of  the  true  religion, 
yet  that  their  light  would  be  greatly 
augmented,  and  that  they  would  have 
much  clearer  views  of  the  divine  char- 
acter and  government.  That  this  re- 
fers to  the  times  of  the  Messiah  there 
can  be  little  or  no  room  to  doubt.  It 
is  language  such  as  Isaiah  commonly 
employs  to  describe  those  times  ;  and 
there  is  a  fulness  and  splendour  about 
it  which  can  suit  no  other  period. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  connection, 
moreover,  which  forbids  such  an  inter- 
pretation of  the  passage  IT  Shall  be  us 
the  light  of  the  sun.  Shall  be  clear, 
bright,  intense.  The  sense  is,  there 
shall  be  a  great  increase  of  light,  as  if 
the  light  of  the  moon  were  suddenly 
increased  to  the  brightness  of  the  me- 
ridian sun.  IT  Shall  be  seven-fold. 
Seven  times  as  intense  and  clear  as 
usual,  as  if  the  light  of  seven  days  were 
concentrated  into  one.  The  word  seven 
in  the  Scriptures  often  denotes  a  com- 
plete or  perfect  number  ;  and  indicates 
completeness  or  perfection.  The  phrase 


people,   and    healeth    "ihe   stroke 
of  their  wound. 

27  Behold,  the  name  of  the 
Lord  cometh  from  far,  burning 
with  his  anger,  and  5the  burden 
thereof  is  'heavy  ;   his   lips   are 

5  or,  grleoousness  offiarne.         1  luavlness. 

"  as  the  light  of  seven  days,"  Lowth 
supposes  is  a  gloss  which  has  been  in- 
troduced into  the  text  from  the  margin. 
The  reasons  which  he  adduces  for  this 
supposition  are,  that  it  is  wanting  in 
the  LXX,  and  that  it  interrupts  the 
rhythmical  construction.  But  this  is 
not  sufficient  authority  for  rejecting  the 
words  from  the  text  No  authority  of 
MSS.  is  adduced  for  thus  rejecting  them, 
and  they  are  found  in  the  Vulgate,  the 
Chaldee,  and  the  Syriac.  They  are 
wanting  however  in  the  Arabic.  IT  In 
the  day.  Vitringu  supposes  that  this  refers 
to  the  time  of  the  Maccabees  ;  but  al- 
though there  may  be  a  reference  to  that 
time,  yet  the  idea  is  evidently  designed 
to  include  the  future  times  of  the  Mes- 
siah. The  sense  of  the  prophet  is,  that 
subsequent  to  the  great  calamities  which 
were  to  befall  them,  there  would  be  a 
time  of  glorious  prosperity,  and  the  de- 
I  sign  of  this  was  to  comfort  them  with 
the  assurance  that  their  nation  would 
not  be  wholly  destroyed.  M  Bindeth 
up  the  breach  of  his  people.  Or  the 
wound.  The  calamity  that  should  come 
upon  them  is  thus  represented  as  a 
wound  inflicted  on  them  by  the  stripes 
of  punishment.  See  Note  on  ch.  i.  5. 
Jehovah  would  heal  it  by  restoring  them 
to  their  own  land,  and  to  their  former 
privileges. 

27.  Behold,  the  name  of  the  Lord 
cometh.  Comp.  Note  on  ch.  xix.  1. 
The  verses  following  to  the  end  of  the 
chapter  are  designed  evidently  to  de- 
scribe the  destruction  of  the  army  of 
Sennacherib.  This  is  expressly  de- 
clared in  ver.  31,  and  all  the  circum- 
stances in  the  prediction  accord  with 
that  event.  There  is  no  necessity  of 
supposing  that  this  is  the  commence- 
ment of  a  new  prophecy,  for  it  is  con- 
nected with  the  main  subject  in  the 
previous  part  of  the  chapter.  The  whole 


486 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. 7)3 


full  of  indignation,  and  his  tongue 
as  a  devouring  fire  :6 

28  And  his  breath,  as  an  over- 
flowing stream,  shall  reach  to  the 

b  Zeph.  3.  8.  c  Luke  22.  31. 

prophecy  was  composed  evidently  in 
view  of  that  threatened  invasion.  In 
the  apprehension  of  that,  they  sought 
the  aid  of  Egypt  (vs.  1—6)  ;  for  that, 
the  prophet  denounces  judgment  on 
them  (ver.  8,  seq.;  ;  in  view  of  these 
judgments,  however,  he  promises  a 
more  happy  state  (vs.  18— *2(>)  ;  and 
now,  in  the  close  of  the  chapter,  in  or- 
der to  deter  them  from  the  alliance,  he 
assii.es  them  that,  without  any  foreign 
aid,  tne  Assyrian  would  be  destroyed 
by  Jehovah  himself.  The  phrase 
"  name  of  Jehovah,"  is  probably 
another  mode  of  designating  Jehovah 
himself;  as  the  name  of  God  is  often 
put  for  God  himself.     See  Acts  iv.  10, 

I  Cor.  i  10.  Acts  iii.  6,  7,  12,  30  The 
idea  is,  that  the  destruction  of  the  As- 
syrian hosts  would  be  accomplished  by 
the  immediate  power  of  Jehovah  him- 
self without  any  need  of  the  aid  of  the 
Egyptian  or  of  any  foreign  alliances. 
V  From  afar.  That  is,  from  heaven. 
Comp.  Note  ch.  xix.  1.  IT  Burning 
with  his  anger.  Or,  rather,  his  anger 
is  enkindled.  IT  And  the  burden  there- 
of. Marg.  "  grievousness  of  flame." 
Lowth  renders  it,  "  the  flame  rageth 
violently  ;"  Noyes,  "  violent  is  the 
flame."  The  LXX  render  it,  "  a  burn- 
ing wrath."  The  word  nXtt^  from 
K2J  to  bear,  lift  up,  carry,  means  pro- 
perly a  lifting  up  (Ps.  cxli.  2)  ;  a  bur- 
den (Zeph.  iii.  18)  ;  then  a  mounting 
up,  particularly  of  a  flame  or  smoke  in 
a  conflagration.  Judges  xx  38.  This 
seems  to  be  the  idea  here,  that  the  an- 
ger of  God  would  be  like  a  heavy,  dark 
column  of  mingled  smoke  and  flame 
bursting  out,  and  rising  up  over  a  city. 

II  Hit  lips  are  full  of  indignation..  All 
this  language  is  of  course  figurative, 
and  means  that  he  would  issue  a  com- 
mand to  destroy  the  Assyrians,  or  that 
they  would  be  destroyed  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  most   effectively  to  exhibit  his 


midst  of  the  neck,  to  sift  cthe  na- 
tions with  the  sieve  of  vanity: 
and  there  shall  be  a  bridle  dinthe 
jaws  of  the  people,  causing  them 
to  err. 

A  Ch.  37.  29. 


displeasure.  1T  And  his  tongue  as  a 
devouring  fire.  That  is,  he  shall  issue 
a  command  that  shall  destroy  like  a 
raging  and  devouring  fire. 

28.  And  his  breath.  The  word  nn 
properly  means  wind,  air  in  motion  ; 
then  a  breathing,  an  exhalation,  a 
;  breath  ;  then  the  soul,  spirit,  &,c.  The 
:  idea  here  seems  to  be  that  of  excited, 
i  and  rapid,  and  agitated  breathing,  as 
;  when  one  is  in  anger.  Comp.  Judges 
viii.  3.  Zech.  vi.  8.  T  As  an  oveifiow- 
j  ing  stream.  This  figure  is  common  to 
\  express  desolating  judgments.  Note 
.  Isa.  viii.  8,  x.  22,  xxviii.  17.  Comp. 
Ps.  lxix.  2,  15.  IT  Shall  reach  to  the 
midst  of  the  neck.  Isaiah  (ch.  viii.  8), 
in  describing  the  invasion  of  Sen- 
nacherib, and  comparing  it  to  an  over- 
flowing torrent,  says  it  would  "  reach 
even  to  the  neck" — that  is,  it  would 
overflow  the  land,  and  even  approach 
the  head,  the  capital,  but  that  that 
would  be  spared.  By  the  use  of  a  simi- 
lar figure,  and  perhaps  referring  to  that, 
he  here  says,  that  the  judgment  of  God 
would  overflow  the  army  of  the  Assy- 
rians, but  that  it  would  approach  only 
to  the  neck,  the  head  would  still  be 
spared  ;  the  commander  and  sovereign 
would  not  be  destroyed.  In  accord- 
ance with  this  prediction,  the  angel  in 
out-  night,  as  with  an  overflowing  flood, 
cut  ofl"  the  army,  and  yet  spared  the 
sovereign,  Sennacherib,  who  escaped 
with  his  life.  Isa.  xxxvii.  36,37.  The 
word  rendered  "shall  reach,"  njn"  ( 
properly  means  shall  divide,  or  cut  into 
two  parts  (Gen.  xxxiii.  8,  Num.  xxxi. 
37,  42,  Judges  ix.  43)  ;  and  the  idea 
here  seems  to  be  that  a  man  who  is  ir 
the  water  seems  to  be  divided  into  two 
parts,  one  part  above,  and  one  in  the 
water.  IT  To  sift  the  nations.  Doubt- 
less many  nations  were  laid  under 
requisition  to  furnish  an  army  so  lar<je 
as  that  of  Sennacherib,  as  the  kingdom 


BC.  713-1 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


487 


29  Ye  shall  have  a  song,  as 
f'm  the  night,  when  a  holy  solem- 
nity is  kept ;  and  gladness  of 
heart,  as  when  one  goeth  with  a 
pipe  to  come  into  the  mountain 
of  the  Lord,  to  the  3Mighty  One 
of  Israel. 

/  Ps.  42.  4.  3  Rock. 

of  Assyria  was  made  up  of  a  number 
of  tributary  people  and  provinces.  The 
word  rendered  "  to  sift "  refers  to  the 
act  of  winnowing,  or  fanning  grain,  in 
which  the  grain  is  tossed  or  thrown 
from  the  shovel  into  the  air.  As  the 
chaff  is  driven  away  by  the  wind,  so 
the  nations  in  the  army  of  Sennacherib 
would  be  scattered.  IT  With  the  sieve 
of  vanity.  That  is,  of  emptiness  or 
perdition  ;  he  would  so  scatter  them 
that  nothing  would  be  left.  IT  A  bridle 
in  the  jaws  of  the  people.  The  idea  is, 
that  he  had  all  these  nations  as  much 
under  his  control  as  a  man  has  a  horse 
with  a  bridle  in  his  mouth.  The  same 
idea  the  prophet  has  used  in  reference 
to  the  same  subject  in  ch.  xxxvii.  29  : 

I  will  put  my  bridle  in  thy  jaws. 
And  I  will  tnm  tlice  back  by  the  way  by  which 
thou  earnest. 

IT  Causing  them  to  err.  That  shall 
cause  them  to  wander ;  that  is,  he 
would  turn  them  from  the  path  in 
which  they  had  designed  to  go.  They 
had  purposed  to  go  to  Jerusalem,  but 
he  would  lead  them  back  to  their  own 
land,  discomfited  and  disheartened. 
See  ch.  xxxvii.  29. 

29.  Ye  shall  have  a  song.  That  is, 
ye  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  shall  re- 
joice when  the  army  of  the  Assyrian  is 
destroyed.  II  As  in  the  night  when  a 
solemnity  is  kept.  The  word  solemnity 
here,  *H  ,  denotes  a  festival,  or  feast ; 
and  refers,  by  way  of  eminence,  to  the 
Passover,  which  is  usually  designated 
as  the  feast ;  that  is,  the  principal 
festival  of  the  Jews  See  Matt,  xxvii. 
15.  John  v.  1,  11,13,23.  This  festival 
was  kept  at  first  at  night,  and  was  re- 
quired to  be  so  celebrated  ever  after- 
wards. Ex.  xii.  42.  Deut.  xvi.  1-6. 
V  As   when   one   goeth    with   a  pipe. 


30  And  the  Lord  shall  cause 
*his  glorious  voice  to  be  heard, 
and  shall  show  the  lighting  down 
of  his  arm,  with  the  indignation 
of  his  anger,  and  with  the  flame 
of  a  devouring  fire,  with  scatter- 
ing, and  tempest,  and  hail-stones. 

4  thegtory  of  his  voice. 

Music  was  used  in  the  daily  service  of 
the  temple,  and  their  processions  and 
celebrations  were  all  with  instrumental 
music.  The  simple  idea  is,  that  the 
sudden  and  complete  destruction  of  the 
army  of  Sennacherib  would  be  the  oc- 
casion of  the  highest  joy. 

30.  And  the  Lord  shall  cause  his 
glorious  voice  to  be  heard.  That  is,  he 
would  give  command  to  destroy  them. 
They  could  not  fail  to  recognize  his 
voice,  and  to  feel  that  it  was  accom- 
plished by  him.  1T  The  lighting  down 
of  his  arm.  The  descent  of  his  arm — 
alluding  to  the  act  of  striking,  as  with  a 
sword,  by  which  an  army  is  cut  down, 
H  With  the  flame.  See  Note  on  ch, 
xxix.  6.  IT  And  tempest,  and  hail- 
stones. With  us  it  is  rare  that  a  storm 
of  hail  would  be  severe  enough  to  de- 
stroy an  army.  But  in  oriental  coun- 
tries and  in  tropical  climates,  storms 
of  hail  are  not  unfrequently  of  sufficient 
violence  to  do  it  if  the  army  were  en- 
camped in  the  open  field.  The  follow- 
ing extract  of  a  letter  from  one  of  our 
own  countrymen,  will  show  that  this 
would  be  by  no  means  an  improbable 
occurrence.  "  We  had  got  perhaps  a 
mile  and  a  half  on  our  way,  when,  a 
cloud  rising  in  the  west,  gave  indica- 
tions of  approaching  rain.  In  a  few 
minutes  we  discovered  something  fall- 
ing from  the  heavens  with  a  heavy 
splash,  and  with  a  whitish  appearance. 
I  could  not  conceive  what  it  was,  but 
observing  some  gulls  near,  I  supposed 
it  to  be  them  darting  for  fish  ;  but  soon 
after  discovered  that  they  were  larg« 
balls  of  ice  falling.  Immediately  we 
heard  a  sound  like  rumbling  thunder 
or  ten  thousand  carriages  rolling  fu 
riously  over  the  pavement.  The  whole 
Bosphorus  was  in  a  foam,  as  though 


488 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


31  For  through  the  voice  of 
the  Lord  shall  the  Assyrian  be 
beaten  down,  which  smote  with  a 
rod. 

'32  And  6in  every  place  where 

8  every  passing  of  the  rodfoundecL       7  cause  to 
rest. 

heaven's  artillery  had  been  charged 
apon  us  and  our  frail  machine.  Our 
fate  seemed  inevitable  ;  our  umbrellas 
were  raised  to  protect  us  ;  the  lumps 
of  ice  stripped  them  into  ribands.  We 
fortunately  had  a  bullock's  hide  in  the 
boat,  under  which  we  crawled  and  saved 
ourselves  from  farther  injury.  One  man 
of  the  three  oarsmen  had  his  hand  lit- 
erally smashed  ;  another  much  injured 
in  the  shoulder ;  Mr.  H.  received  a 
blow  in  the  leg ;  my  right  hand  was 
somewhat  disabled,  and  all  more  or  less 
injured. — It  was  the  most  awful  and 
terrific  scene  I  ever  witnessed,  and  God 
forbid  that  I  should  be  ever  exposed  to 
another.  Balls  of  ice  as  large  as  my 
two  fists  fell  into  the  boat,  and  some  of 
them  came  with  such  violence  as  cer- 
tainly to  have  broken  an  arm  or  leg  had 
they  struck  us  in  those  parts.  One  of 
them  struck  the  blade  of  an  oar  and 
split  it  The  scene  lasted  perhaps  five 
minutes  ;  but  it  was  five  minutes  of  the 
most  awful  feeling  I  ever  experienced. 
When  it  passed  over  we  found  the  sur- 
rounding hills  covered  with  masses  of 
ice,  I  cannot  call  it  hail  ;  the  trees  strip- 
ped of  their  leaves  and  limbs  ;  and  every 
thing  looking  desolate. — The  scene  was 
awful  beyond  all  description.  I  have 
witnessed  repeated  earthquakes  ;  the 
lightning  has  played,  as  it  were,  about 
my  head  ;  the  wind  roared,  and  the 
waves  at  one  moment  have  thrown  me 
to  the  sky,  and  the  next  have  sunk  me 


;  the  grounded  staff  shall  pass, 
which  the  Lord  shall  7lay  upon 
him,  it  shall  be  with  tabrets  and 

I  harps:  and  in  battles  of  shaking 

!  will  he  fijrht  'with  it. 


8  or.  afsa'nst  them. 


they  not  dragged  him  in  by  the  heels, 
would  have  been  battered  to  death. 
Two  boatmen  were  killed  in  the  uppei 
part  of  the  village,  and  I  have  heard  of 
broken  bones  in  abundance.  —Imagine 
to  yourself  the  heavens  suddenly  frozen 
over,  and  as  suddenly  broken  to  pieces 
in  irregular  masses  of  from  half  a  pound 
to  a  pound  weight,  and  precipitated  to 
the  earth  " — Commodore  Porter's  Let- 
ters from  Constantinople  and  its  En- 
virons, vol  i.  p.  44. 

31.  For  through  the  voire  of  the 
Lord.  By  the  command  of  the  Lord  ; 
that  is,  his  voice  going  forth  in  the 
manner  specified  in  ver.  30.  H  Which 
smute  with  a  rod.  Who  was  accustom- 
ed to  smite  as  with  a  rod  ;  that  is,  his 
government  was  tyrannical,  and  severe. 
As  he  had  been  accustomed  to  smite  in 
that  manner,  so  he  would  now  meet 
the  proper  reward  of  his  oppression  of 
the  nations. 

32.  And  in  every  place.  Marg. 
"  Every  passing  of  the  rod  founded  " 
Lowth  renders  it,  "  whenever  shall  pass 
the  rod  of  correction."  The  whole 
design  of  the  passage  is  evidently  to 
foretell  the  sudden  destruction  of  the 
army  of  the  Assyrians,and  to  show  that 
this  would  be  accomplished  by  the 
agency  of  God.  The  idea  seems  to  be. 
that  in  all  those  places  where  the  rod 
of  the  Assyrian  would  pass,  that  is, 
where  he  would  cause  devastation  and 


into  a  deep  abyss.  I  have  been  in  '  desolation,  there  would  be  the  sound 
action,  and  have  seen  death  and  de- 
struction around  me  in  every  shape  of 
horror  ;  but  I  never  before  had  the  feel- 
ing of  awe  which  seized  upon  me  on 
this  occasion,  and  still  haunts,  and  1 
fear  forever  will  haunt  me. — My  porter, 
the  boldest  of  my  family,  who  had  ven- 
tured an  instant  from  the  door,  had  been 
knocked  down  by  a  hail-stone,  and  had 


of  rejoicing  with  instruments  of  music 
when  he  should  be  overthrown  H  The 
grounded  staff.  The  word  "  Staff" 
here,  or  rod,  seems  to  refer  to  that  by 
which  the  Assyrian  smote  the  nations 
(ver.  31)  ;  or  rather  perhaps  the  Assy- 
rian king  himself  as  a  rod  of  correction 
in  the  hand  of  Jehovah.  See  ph.  x.  5. 
The  word  rendered  "  g'  ounded,"  PHO"13 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


489 


33  ForTophet  Hs  ordained  9of 
old  ;  yea,  for  the  king  it  is  pre- 
pared ;  he  hath  made  it  deep  and 
large:  the  pile  thereof  is  fire  and 

musddhdh,  has  given  great  perplexity 
to  commentators.  Lowtli  supposes  it 
should  be  n~0^£  correction,  according 
to  a  conjecture  of  Le  Clerc.  Two  MSS'. 
also  read  it  in  the  same  way.  But  the 
authority  from  the  MSS.  is  not  suffi- 
cient to  justify  a  change  in  the  present 
Hebrew  text.  This  word,  which  is  not 
very  intelligibly  rendered  "  grounded," 
is  derived  from  *10^  yasadh,  to  found,  to 
lay  the  foundation  of  a  building  (Ezra 
iii.  1:2.  Isa.  liv.  11)  ;  then  to  establish, 
to  appoint,  to  ordain.  Hab.  i.  12.  Ps. 
civ.  8.  The  idea  here  is,  therefore, 
that  the  rod  referred  to  had  been  ap- 
pointed, constituted,  ordained  by  God  ; 
that  is,  that  the  Assyrian  had  been 
designated  by  him  to  accomplish  im- 
portant purposes  as  a  rod,  or  as  a  means 
of  punishing  the  nations.  IT  Shall  pass. 
In  his  inarch  of  desolation  and  conquest. 
If  Which  the  Lord  shall  lay  upon  him. 
Or  rather,  as  it  should  be  translated, 
'  upon  which  Jehovah  should  lay,'  i.  e. 
the  rod,  meaning  that  in  all  those  places 
where  Jehovah  should  lay  this  appoint- 
ed scourge  there  would  be  yet  rejoicing. 
If  It  shall  be  with  tabrets  and  harps 
Those  places  where  he  had  passed,  and 
which  he  had  scourged,  would  be  filled 
with  joy  and  rejoicing  at  his  complete 
overthrow,  and  at  their  entire  deliver- 
ance from  the  scourge.  For  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  tabret  and  harp,  see  Notes 
on  ch.  v.  12.  TT  And  in  battles  of 
shaking.  In  the  Hebrew  there  is  an 
allusion  here  to  what  is  said  in  ver.  28, 
that  he  would  "  sift,"  that  is,  agitate  or 
toss  the  nations  as  in  a  winnowing 
ehovel.  f  Will  he  fight  with  it.  Marg. 
"  against  them."  Jehovah  would  fight 
against  the  "  rod,"  to  wit  the  Assyrian, 
and  destroy  him.  See  ch.  xxxvii.  36. 
33.  For  Tophet.  The  same  idea  is 
i,^nveyed  in  this  verse  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding, but  under  another  form,  and 
with  a  new  illustration.  The  sense  is, 
that  the  army  of  the  Assyrians  would 
be  completely  destroyed,  as  if  it  were  a 
21* 


much  wood  ;  the  breath  of  the 
Lord,  like  a  stream  of  brimstone, 
"doth  kindle  it. 

I  Jer.  7.  31.  9  from  yesterday, 

n  Rev.  14.  9,  10. 


large  pile  of  wood  in  the  valley  of  Hin- 
nom  that  should  be  fired  by  the  breath 
of  God.  The  word  Tophet,  i"inEF|  with 
ri  paragogic,  denotes  properly  what 
causes  loaihing,  or  abhorrence  ;  that 
which  produces  disgust  and  vomiting 
(from  the  Chaldee  CIW  Tiiph  to  spit 
out)  ;  Job  xvii.  6,  '  I  was  an  abhor- 
rence,' rsn  (improperly  rendered  in 
our  version,  "  I  was  among  them  as  a 
tabret").  The  word  occurs  only  in  2 
Kings  xxiii.  1U.  Jer.  vii.  31,33,  xix.  6, 
13,  14,  11, and  in  this  place.  It  is  ap- 
plied to  a  deep  valley  on  the  southeast 
of  Jerusalem,  celebrated  as  the  seat  of 
idolatry,  particularly  of  the  worship  of 
.Moloch.  The  name  also  of  "  the  val- 
ley of  Hinnom  "  was  given  to  it  ;  and 
hence  the  name  Gehennah  (yievva  Matt. 
v.  22,  29,  30,  x.  28,  xviii.  9,  xxiii  15, 
33.  Mark  ix.  43,  45,  47.  Luke  xii,  5. 
James  iii.  6),  as  denoting  the  place  of 
future  torments,  of  which  the  valley  of 
Hinnom,  or  Tophet,  was  a  strikingem- 
blem.  This  valley  was  early  selected 
as  the  seat  of  the  worship  of  Moloch, 
where  his  rites  were  celebrated  by 
erecting  a  huge  brazen  image  with  a 
hollow  trunk  and  arms,  which  was 
heated,  and  within  which,  or  on  the 
arms  of  which,  children  were  placed  as 
a  sacrifice  to  the  horrid  idol.  To  drown 
their  cries,  drums  were  beaten,  which 
were  called  ~Pl  Tcph,  or  Q^OH  Tophim, 
and  many  suppose  the  name  Topheth 
was  given  to  the  place  on  this  account. 
See  2  Kings  xvi.  3,  20,  xxi.  6,xxxiii  6. 
The  name  '  valley  of  Hinnom,'  or  Ge- 
hennah, was  probably  from  the  former 
possessor  or  occupier  of  that  name.  In 
subsequent  times,  however,  this  place 
was  regarded  with  deep  abhorrence.  It 
became  the  receptacle  of  all  the  filth 
of  the  city  ;  and  hence  in  order  to 
purify  the  atmosphere,  and  prevent  con- 
tagion, it  was  needful  to  keep  firea 
there  continually  burning.  It  was  thua 
a  most  striking  emblem  of  hell-fire,  and 


490 


ISAIAH. 


[jB.C.713. 


as  such  is  used  in  the  New  Testament. 
Hezekiah  was  (irmly  opposed  to  idola- 
try; and  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  had 
removed  the  images  of  Moloch,  and 
made  that  valley  the  receptacle  of  filth, 
and  a  place  of  abomination,  and  that 
the  prophet  refers  to  this  fact  in  the 
passage  before  us.  IT  Is  ordained.  Was 
fitted  up;  appointed;  constituted.  The 
prophet  by  a  figure  represents  Hezekiah 
as  having  Jilted  up  this  place  as  if  for 
the  appropriate  punishment  of  the  Assy- 
rians. II  Of  old.  Marg.  as  in  Heb. 
"  hum  yesterday."  This  expression 
may  mean  simply  '  formerly,  some  time 
since,'  as  in  Ex  iv.  10.  2  Sam  iii.  17. 
The  idea  here  seems  to  be,  that  Tophet 
had  been  formerly,  or  was  already  pre- 
pared as  If  for  the  destruction  of  Sen- 
nacherib and  his  army.  His  ruin  would 
be  as  certain,  and  as  sudden,  as  if  in 
the  valley  of  Tophet  the  breath  of  Je- 
hovah should  set  on  fire  the  vast  ma- 
terials that  had  been  collected,  and 
were  ready  to  be  kindled.  It  does  not 
mean  that  Tophet  had  actually  been 
prepared  for  the  army  of  Sennacherib  ; 
it  does  not  mean  that  his  army  would 
actually  be  destroyed  there — for  it  was 
on  the  other  side  of  the  city  that  they 
were  cut  off  (see  Notes  on  ch  x.  32)  ; 
it  does  not  mean  that  they  would  be  con- 
Bigned  to  hell-fire  ; — but  it  means  that 
that  place  had  been  fitted  up  as  if  to  be 
an  emblematic  representation  of  his 
ruin  ;  that  the  consuming  fires  in  that 
valley  were  a  striking  representation 
of  the  sudden  and  awful  manner  in 
which  the  abhorred  enemies  of  God 
would  be  destroyed.     1  For  the  king  it 


is  prepared.  For  Hezekiah  ;  as  if  the 
place  had  been  fitted  up  for  his  use  in 
order  to  consume  and  destroy  his  ene- 
mies. It  is  not  meant  that  Hezekiah 
actually  had  this  in  view,  but  the  whole 
language  is  figurative.  It  was  as  if 
that  place  had  been  fitted  up  by  Heze- 
kiah as  a  suitable  place  in  which  en- 
tirely to  destroy  his  foes,  f  He  hath 
made  it  deep  and  large.  Vast ;  as  if 
able  to  contain  the  entire  army  that  was 
to  be  destroyed.  11  The  pile  thereof. 
The  wood  that  was  collected  there  to  be 
consumed,  f  The  breath  of  the  Lord. 
As  if  Jehovah  should  breathe  upon  it, 
and  enkindle  the  whole  mass,  so  that  it 
should  burn  without  the  possibility  of 
being  extinguished.  The  meaning  is, 
that  the  destruction  of  the  Assyrian 
would  as  really  come  from  Jehovah  as 
if  he  should  by  his  own  agency  ignite 
the  vast  piles  that  were  collected  in  the 
valley  of  Hinnom.  H  Like  a  stream 
of  brimstone.  Brimstone,  or  sulphur,  is 
used  in  the  Scriptures  to  denote  a  fire 
of  great  intensity,  and  one  that  cannot 
be  extinguished,.  Gen  xix.  24.  Ps.  xi. 
6.  Ezek.  xxxviii.  22.  Rev.  ix.  17,  18. 
Hence  it  is  used  to  denote  the  eternal 
torments  of  the  wicked  in  hell.  Rev. 
xxi.  8,  xiv.  10,  xix.  20.  IT  Doth  kindle 
it.  The  army  of  the  Assyrian  would 
be  destroyed  in  a  manner  which  would 
be  well  represented  by  Jehovah's  send- 
ing down  upon  a  vast  pile  collected  in 
the  valley  of  Hinnom  a  burning  stream 
of  sulphurous  flame  that  should  ignite 
and  consume  all  befoie  it.  See  Notes 
on  ch.  xxxvii.  36. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


ANALYSIS. 

It  is  evident  that  this  chapter  was  composed  at  about  the  same  time  ns  the  proeoding.  and  relate! 
M  Uw  not  subject.  Thai  general  ohject/iike  'be  former,  is  to  dissuade  the  Jews  from  their  con- 
templated ulbance  with  Egypt,  and  to  lead  them  to  rely  on  God.  In  doing  this,  the  prophet  tirst  de- 
nounces a  wo  on  lho>e  who  went  down  to  Kgypt  to  seek  aid  (v.-r.  1) ;  1)6  then  slates  that  God  will 
punish  them  lor  it  (v.t.  2)  ;  he  then  urges  the  utter  inability  of  the  Egyptians  to  furnish  the  aid  winch 
was  needed,  sine;  JEHOVAH  was  about  to  stretch  out  his  arm  over  them  also,  and  they  as  well  as 
those  who  sought  their  aril  should  sutler  under  his  disoleasure,  ver  3.  The  prophet  then,  in  order  to 
recall  them  from  this  contemplated  alliance,  and  to  induce  them  to  put  confidence  in  JEHOVAH, 
usurca  Uiem  by  two  most  beautiful  figures  (vs.  4,  5)  that  God  »»«'.!  protect  their  city  w  the  threat- 


B.C. lid.] 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


491 


eneil  invasion,  and  save  it  from  destruction.  He  calls  on  them,  therefore  (ver.  6).  to  turn  unto  God  : 
assures  them  (vei.  7)  that  at  that  time  every  man  would  see  the  lolly  of  trusting  in  idols;  and 
finally  (vs.  8,  9),  assures  them  of  the  complete  overthrow  of  the  army  of  the  Assyrian.  The  scope 
of  the  prophecy  is  therefore,  simple  and  direct;  the  argument  condensed,  impressive,  and  beautiful. 
It  is  not  improbablei  by  any  m.  ans,  that  these  exhortations  of  Isaiah  had  a  sensible  effect  on  the 
conduct  of  Hezekiah.  The  whole  narrative  respecting  the  invasion  of  Sennacherib  would  lead  to  the 
conclusion  that  at  first  Hezekiah  himself  joined  in  ihe  purpose  of  seeking  the  alliance  with  Egypt, 
but  that  he  was  afterwards  led  to  abandon  it,  and  to  use  all  his  influence  to  induce  his  people  also  to 
rely  on  the  aid  of  God.    Comp.  ch.  xxxvi.  ver.  6,  with  ver.  18. 


1  Wo  to  them  that  go  down  to 
Egypt  for  help,  and  stay  on 
horses,  and  trust  in  chariots,  be- 
cause they  are  many ;  and  in 
horsemen,  because  they  are  very 
strong  :  but  rthey  look  not  unto 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  neither 
seek  the  Lord. 

2  Yet  he  also  is  wise,  and  will 
bring  evil,  and  will  not  2call  back 
his  words  :  but  will  arise  against 
the  house  of  the  evil-doers,  and 
against  the  help  of  them  that 
work  iniquity. 

3  Now  the  Egyptians  are  men, 

r  Hos.  7.  7.  2  remove. 


1.  Wo.  Note  ch.  xxx.  ver.  1  IT  To 
them  that  go  down  to  Egypt.  Note  ch. 
xxx.  2.  If  And  stay  on  horses.  See 
Note  on  ch.  xxx.  16.  IT  And  trust  in 
chariots.'  See  Note  ch  xxi.  7.  That 
they  were  often  used  in  war  is  appar- 
ent from  the  following  places.  Josh, 
xi.  4.  Judges  i.    19    1  Sam    xiii.  5.  2 

'  Sam.  viii.  4.  IT  Because  they  are  many. 
Because  they  hope  to  secure  the  aid  of 
many.  See  the  references  above.  It 
is  evident  that  their  confidence  in  them 
would  be  in  proportion  to  the  number 
which  they  could  bring  into  the  field 
If  But  they  look  not,  &c.  Note  ch. 
xxx.  1 

2.  Yet  he  also  is  7oise.  God  is  wise. 
It  is  in  vain  to  attempt  to  deceive  him, 
or  to  accomplish  such  purposes  without 
his  knowledge.  IT  And  will  bring  evil. 
The  punishment  which  is  due  to  such 
want  of  confidence  in  him.  IT  But  will 
ari.se  against  the  house  of  the  evil-doers. 
This  is  a  general  proposition,  and  it  is 
evidently  just  as  true  now  as  it  was  in 
the  time  of  Isaiah. 

3.  Now  the  Egyptians  are  men. 
They  are  nothing  but  men  ;  they  have 


and  not  God  ;  and  their  horses 
flesh,  and  not  spirit.  When  the 
Lord  shall  stretch  out  his  hand, 
both  he  that  helpeth  shall  fall, 
and  he  that  is  holpen  shall  fall 
down,  and  they  all  shall  fail  to- 
gether. 

4  For  thus  hath  the  Lord 
spoken  unto  me,  Like  as  the  liou 
'"and  the  young  lion  roaring  on 
his  prey,  when  a  multitude  of 
shepherds  is  called  forth  against 
him,  he  will  not  be  afraid  of  their 
voice,  nor  abase  himself  for  the 
6noise  of  them  :  so  shall  the  Lord 


to  Hos   11,  10. 


6  or,  multitude. 


no  power  but  such  as  other  men  possess. 
The  idea  here  is,  that  the  case  in  refer- 
ence to  which  they  sought  ai'l  was  one 
in  which  divine  help  was  indispensable, 
and  that,  therefore,  they  relied  on  the 
aid  of  the  Egyptians  in  vain.  "IT  And 
their  horses  flesh,  and  not  spirit.  There 
is  need,  not  merely  of  physical  strength, 
but  of  wisdom,  and  intelligence,  and  it 
is  in  vain  to  look  for  that  in  mere  brutes. 
TT  Both  he  that  helpeth.  Egypt,  whoso 
aid  is  sought.  If  And  he  that  is  holpen. 
Judah,  that  had  sought  the  aid  of  Egypt. 
Neither  of  them  would  be  able  to  stand 
against  the  wrath  of  God 

4.  For  thus  hath  the  Lord  spoken. 
The  design  of  this  verse  and  the  follow- 
ing is  to  assure  the  Jews  of  the  certain 
protection  of  Jehovah,  and  thus  to  in- 
duce them  to  put  their  trust  in  hm 
rather  than  to  seek  the  alliance,  with 
Egypt.  To  do  this  the  prophet  ma^es 
use  of  two  striking  illustrations,  the 
first  of  which  is  that  Jehovah  would  be 
no  more  alarmed  at  the  number  and 
power  of  their  enemies  than  a  fierce 
lion  would  be  that  was  intent  on  his 
prey,  and  cou  d  not  be  frightened  from 


492 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  7  j 3. 


of  hosts  come  down  to  fight  for 
mount  Zion,  and  for  the  hill 
thereof. 

5  As  birda  flying,  so  will  the 


it  by  any  number  of  men  that  should 
come  against  him.  The  point  of  this 
comparison  is,  that  as  the  lion  that  was 
intent  on  his  purpose  could  not  be 
frightened  from  it  by  numbers,  so  it 
would  be  with  Jehovah,  who  was  equal- 
ly intent  on  his  purpose — the  defence 
of  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  It  does  not 
mean,  of  course,  that  the  purpose  of 
God  and  of  the  lion  resembled  each 
other,  but  merely,  that  there  was  simi- 
lar intensity  of  purpose,  and  similar  ad- 
herence to  it  notwithstanding  all  oppo- 
sition. The  figure  is  one  that  denotes 
the  highest  vigilance,  firmness,  steadi- 
ness, and  a  deteimination  on  the  part 
of  Jehovah  that  Jerusalem  should  not 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Assyrians. 
1  Like  as  the  lion.  The  divine  nature 
and  purposes  are  often  represented  in 
the  Scriptures  by  metaphors,  allegories, 
and  comparisons  taken  from  animals, 
and  especially  from  the  lion.  See  Hos. 
xi.  10.  Deut.  xxxiii.  20.  Job  x.  16.  Ps. 
vii.  2.  IT  And  the  young  lion.  The 
vigorous,  strong,  fierce  lion.  The  use 
of  the  two  here  gives  intensity  and 
strength  to  the  comparison.  It  is  ob- 
servable that  the  lion  is  seldom  men- 
tioned alone  in  the  Scriptures.  IT  Roar- 
ing on  his  prey.  Roaring  as  he  seizes 
on  his  prey.  This  is  the  moment  of 
the  greatest  intensity  of  purpose  in  the 
lion,  and  it  is  therefore  used  by  Isaiah 
to  denote  the  intense  purpose  of  Je- 
hovah to  defend  Jerusalem,  and  not  to 
be  deterred  by  any  number  of  enemies. 
V  IVhen  a  multitude  of  shepherds  is 
called  forth.  When  the  neighbourhood 
is  alarmed,  and  all  the  inhabitants  turn 
But  to  destroy  him.  This  comparison 
is  almost  exactly  in  the  spirit  and  lan- 
guage of  Homer,  Iliad  xii.  209,  seq. : 

So  pressed  with  hunger  from  the  mountain's  brow, 

Descends  a  lion  on  the  flocks  below; 

So  Stalks  the  lordly  savage  o'er  (he  Wain, 

In   -alien  majesty  and  stern  disdain  ! 

In  vain  loud  mastiffs  bay  him  from  alar, 

An  I  shepherds  gull  him  with  an  iron  war ; 


Lord  of  hosts  defend  ^Jerusalem  ; 
defending  also  he  will  deliver  it, 
and  passing  over  he  will  pre- 
serve it. 

y  Ps.  46.  5. 


Regardless,  furious,  he  pursues  his  way  ; 
He  foams,  he  roars,  he  rends  the  panting  prey. 
Pop*. 
So  also  Iliad  xviii.  161,  162: 

—But  checked  he  turns:  repulsed  attacks  again. 
With  fiercer  shouls  his  lingering  troops  he  fires. 
Nor  yields  a  slep,  nor  lrom  his  post  retires  ; 
So  watchful  shepherds  strive  to  fore.,  in  vain. 
The  hungry  lion  from  the  carcass  slain.     Pope. 

IT  He  will  not  be  afraid.  He  will  be 
so  intent  on  his  prey  that  he  will  not 
heed  their  shouting.  IT  Nor  abase  him- 
self. That  is,  he  w:ll  not  be  frighten- 
ed, or  disheartened.  ^  So  shall  the 
Lord  of  hosts.  That  is,  with  the  same 
intensity  of  purpose  ;  with  the  same 
fixedness  of  d  'sign.  He  will  be  as 
little  dismayed  and  diverted  from  his 
purpose  by  the  number,  the  des'jns, 
and  the  war-shout  of  the  Assyrian 
armies. 

5.  As  birds  flying.  This  is  another 
comparison  indicating  substantially  the 
same  thing  as  the  former,  that  Jehovah 
would  protect  Jerusalem.  The  idea 
here  is  that  He  would  do  it  In  the  same 
manner  as  birds  defend  their  young  by 
hoveling  over  them,  securing  then,  un- 
der their  wings,  and  leaping  forward, 
if  they  are  suddenly  attacked,  to  de- 
fend them.  Our  Saviour  has  used  a 
similar  figure  to  indicate  his  readiness 
to  have  defended  and  saved  the  same 
city  (Matt,  xxiii.  27),  and  it  is  possible 
that  he  may  have  had  this  passage  in 
his  eye.  The  phrase  "  birds  tlying  " 
may  denote  the  rapidity  with  which 
birds  fly  to  defend  their  young,  and 
hence  the  rapidity  with  which  God 
would  come  to  defend  Jerusalem  ;  ot 
it  may  refer  to  the  fact  that  birds, 
when  their  young  are  attacked,  fly,  oi 
flutter  around  them  to  defend  tl  em  ; 
they  will  not  leave  them.  IT  And 
passing  over.  1^03  pdsodhh.  Lowth 
renders  this,  "  leaping  forward  "  This 
word,  which  is  usually  applied  in  some 
of  its  forms  to  the  Passover  (Ex.  xii 
13,  23,  27.  2  Chron.  xx.i.  18.  Num  ix 


ti.C.ll'S.] 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


493 


6  Turn  *ye  unto  him  from 
whom  the  children  of  Israel  have 
deeply  "revolted. 

7  For  in  that  day  every  man 
shall  cast  away  his  idols  of  silver, 
and  8his  idols  of  gold,  which  your 
own  hands  have  made  unto  you 
for  a  sin. 

8  Then  shall  the  Assyrian  fall6 
with  the  sword,  not  of  a  mighty 
man  :   and   the   sword,  not  of  a 


2  Jer.  3.  12. 

S  the  iilols  of  hit  gold. 


a  Hos  9.  9. 

b  ch.  87.  63. 


4  Josh.  v.  11),  properly  means  as  a 
verb  to  pass  over,  and  hence  to  preserve 
or  spare.  The  idea  in  the  passage  is, 
that  Jehovah  would  protect  Jerusalem, 
as  a  bird  defends  its  young. 

6.  Turn  ye  unto  him.  In  view  of 
the  fact  that  he  will  assuredly  defend 
Jerusalem,  commit  yourselves  unto  him 
rather  than  seek  the  aid  of  Egypt. 
II  Have  deeply  revolted.  For  the 
meaning  of  this  phrase  see  Note  ch. 
xxix.  15 

7  For  in  that  day.  That  is,  in  the 
invasion  of  Sennacherib,  and  the  events 
that  shall  be  consequent  thereon 
IF  Etery  man  shall  cast  away  his  idols. 
See  Note  ch.  xxx.  22.  Comp.  Note  ch. 
ii.  20.  IT  For  a  sin.  Or  rather,  the 
6in  which  your  own  hands  have  made. 
The  sense  is,  that  the  making  of  those 
idols  had  been  a  sin,  or  sin  itself  It 
had  been  the  sin  by  way  of  eminence 
which  was  chargeable  upon  them. 

8.  Then  shall  the  Assyrian  fall  with 
the  sword.  The  sword  is  often  used 
as  an  instrument  of  punishment.  It 
is  not  meant  here  literally  that  the 
sword  would  be  used,  but  it  is  employ- 
ed to  denote  that  complete  destruction 
would  come  upon  them.  1T  Not  of  a 
mighty  man.  The  idea  here  is,  that 
the  army  should  not  fall  by  the  valour 
of  a  distinguished  warrior,  but  that  it 
should  be  done  by  the  direct  interposi- 
tion of  God.  See  ch.  xxxvii.  36. 
TT  Of  a  mean  man.  Of  a  man  of  hum- 
ble rank.  His  army  shall  not  be  slain 
by  the  hand  of  mortals.  IT  But  he 
shall  flee.      The    Assyrian     monarch 


mean  man,  shall  devour  him:  hut 
he  shall  flee  'from  the  sword,  and 
his  young  men  shall  be  'discom- 
fited. 

9  And  8he  shall  pass  over  to 
his  'strong  hold  for  fear,  and  his 
princes  shall  be  afraid  of  the  en- 
sign, saith  the  Lord,  whose  fire 
is  in  Zion,  and  his  furnace  in 
Jerusalem. 

1  or  for  fear  (if. 

2  for  melting,  or,  tributf,  or.  tributary. 

3  his  rock  shall  pass  away  for  fear. 

4  or,  strength. 

escaped  when  his  army  was  destroyed, 
and  fled  towards  his  own  land  ;  ch. 
xxxvii.  37.  IT  From  the  sword.  Marg. 
'for  fear  of.'  The  Heb.  is  '  from  the 
face  of  the  sword  ;'  and  the  sense  is, 
that  he  would  flee  in  consequence  of 
the  destruction  of  his  host,  here  repre- 
sented as  destroyed  by  the  sword  of 
Jehovah.  IT  And  his  young  men. 
The  flower  and  strength  of  his  army. 
IT  Shall  be  discomfited.  Marg.  '  for 
melting;  or  tribute,  or  tributary;' 
LXX, '  for  destruction,'  ei{  rirrr/^o.    The 

Hebrew  word  03?  mas,  derived  proba- 
bly from  DO'Q  mdsds,  to  melt  away,  to 
dissolve,  is  most  usually  employed  to 
denote  a  levy,  fine,  or  tax — so  called, 
says  Taylor,  because  it  wastes  or  ex- 
hausts the  substance  and  strength  of  a 
people.  The  word  is  often  used  to  de- 
note that  men  become  tributary,  or 
vassals,  as  in  Gen.  xlix.  15.  Deut.  xx. 
11.  Comp.  1  Kings  v.  13.  Est.  x.  1. 
2  Sam.  xx.  24.  1  Kings  iv.  6.  Josh, 
xvi.  10.  Probably  it  does  not  here 
mean  that  the  strength  of  the  Assyrian 
army  would  become  literally  tributary 
to  the  Jews,  but  that  they  would  be  as 
if  they  had  been  placed  under  a  levy 
to  them ;  their  vigour  and  strength 
would  melt  away,  as  property  and 
numbers  do  under  taxation  and  tribute. 
9.  And  he  shall  pass  over.  Marg. 
'  His  rock  shall  pass  away  for  fear.' 
The  Hebrew  would  bear  this,  but  it 
does  not  convey  a  clear  idea.  The 
sense  seems  to  be  this.  The  word 
rendered  '  strong  hold  '  (Heb.  his  rock) 


4H4, 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.713. 


denotes  his  fortifications,  or  the  places 
of  strength  in  which  he  trusted.  Pro- 
bably the  Assyrian  monarch  had  many 
euch  places  which  he  regarded  as  per- 
fectly secure,  both  in  the  limits  of  his 
own  kingdom,  and  on  the  line  of  his 
march  towards  Judea.  Those  places 
would  naturally  be  made  strong,  in 
order  to  afford  a  refuge  in  case  of  a 
defeat.  The  idea  here  is,  that  so  great 
would  be  his  alarm  at  the  sudden  de- 
struction of  his  army  and  the  failure 
of  his  plans,  that  in  his  night  he  would 
puns  over  or  beyond  these  strong  places  ; 
he  would  not  even  stop  to  take  refuge 
there  and  reorganize  his  scattered 
forces,  but  would  flee  with  alarm  be- 
yund  them,  and  make  his  way  to  his 
own  capital.  This  appears  to  have 
been  most  strikingly  fulfilled.  See  ch. 
xxxvit.  37.  \  Ami  his. princes.  Those 
perhaps  that  ruled  over  his  dependent 
provinces.  H  Shalt  be  afraid  of  the 
ensign.  That  is,  of  any  standard  or 
banner  that  they  saw.  They  would 
suppose  that  it  was  the  standard  of  an 
enemy.  This  denotes  a  state  of  great 
consternation,  when  all  the  princes  and 
nobles  under  the  command  of  the  As- 
syrian would  be  completely  dismayed. 


11  Whose  fire  is  in  Zion,  &.c.  That  is. 
whose  altar  is  there,  and  always  burn! 
there.  That  was  the  place  where  he 
was  worshipped,  and  it  was  a  place, 
therefore,  which  he  would  defend. 
The  meaning  is,  that  they  would  be.  as 
certainly  destroyed  as  the  God  whose 
altar  was  in  Jerusalem  was  a  God  of 
truth,  and  would  defend  the  place 
where  he  was  worshipped.  11  And  his 
furnace,  &,c.  See  Note  ch.  xxix.  1. 
Where  his  altar  continually  burns. 
The  word  rendered  *'  furnace"  (^IHJ 
means  properly  a  baking  oven.  fclx.  vii. 
28.  Lev.  ii.  4,  vn.  9,xi.  35.  This  was 
either  a  large  conical  pot  which  was 
heated, in  which  the  cakes  we-e  baked 
at  the  sides  ;  or  an  excavation  made  in 
the  earth  which  was  heated  by  putting 
wood  in  it,  and  when  that  was  removed 
the  dough  was  put  in  it. — Perhaps  the 
whole  idea  here  is,  that  Jehovah  had  a 
home  in  Jerusalem,  with  the  usual  ap- 
pendages of  a  house  ;  that  his  fire  and 
his  oven  were  there — an  expression 
descriptive  of  a  dwelling-place.  If  so, 
then  the  meaning  is,  that  he  would  de- 
fend his  own  home,  and  that  the  Assy- 
rian could  not  expect  to  prevail  against 
it. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    CHAPTER. 

This  chapter  has  heen  regarded  by  many  as  a  continuation  and  conclusion  of  the  prediction  com- 
menced in  the  preceding  chapter.  Though  it  was,  however,  probably  uttered  at  about  the  same  time, 
and  with  reference  to  the  simc  general  subject,  yet  there  is  no  impropriety  in  its  being  separated 
The  previous,  chapter  closes  with  a  prediction  that  the  Assyrian  arnn  which  had  been  so  much  the 
ob  ect  of  dread  would  be  totally  destroyed.  This  would  be  ofeotirs  followed  with  important  conse- 
quences, sume  nt"  which  are  depicted  in  this  chaptc.  The  prophet  therefore  slates  >vs,  1-8)  that 
the  def 'at  of  Sennacherib  would  be  followed  by  the  peaceful  and  pros,  erous  state  of  the  kingdom 
under  a  righteous  prince ;— under  Whose  reign  there  would  be  amide  protection  vef  2  ;  at  which 
time  the  advantages  of  instruction  would  prevail,  and  the  ignorant  would  be  enlightened  (vs  3, -i  ; 
wheh  there  would  bra  proper  estimate  put  on  mural  worth,  and  when  illiberaliiy.  hyi  ooisy,  and 
falsehood  would  be  no  longer  It  Id  in  repute  (vs.  6,  7  ;  and  when  the  character  of  the  nation  would 
be  that  of  a  people  which  devised  and  executed  large  and  liberal  purposes  (ver.  8).  That  this  has  a 
reference  to  the  reign  of  Hev.ekiah,  has  been  abundantly  shown  by  Viiruna;  and  indeed  must  be 
obvious  on  the  slightest  inspection.  For,  (i.)  It  is  immediately  connected  wilt)  the  account  of  the 
destruction  of  Sennacherib,  and  evidently  means  that  the  state  of  things  here  described  would  imme- 
diately succeed  that.  (•> )  There  is  mulling  in  the  account  that  does  not  fully  accord  with  the  pros- 
perous ami  liaopy  times  of  the  reirn  of  Hezekiali  (3.)  There- arc  statements  in  it  which  cannot  l« 
applied  directly,  or  with  propriety  literally  to  the  times  of  the  Messiah.  For  example,  the  statement 
(ver  li  tint  "princes  shall  rule  in  righteousness"  cannot  be  applied  with  any  propriety  to  the 
apostles,  since  they  are  not  any  where  designated  by  that  name.  That,  after  the  usual  manner  of 
Isaiah,  be  might  not  also  in  the  progress  of  nil  description  have  glanced  at  the  times  of  the  Messiah 
perhaps  there  Can  be  no  reason  to  doubt.  But  the  main  and  leading  purpose  was  doubtless  to  give  a 
description  of  the  happy  times  that  would  succeed  the  destruction  of  the  army  of  the  Assyrian,  t'al- 
POMS,  not  improbably,  I  think,  that  this  prophecy  may  have  been  littered  in  the  tunc  of  Ahaz, 

in  whose  reign  wickedness  so  much  abounded,  and  ignorance  and  idolatry  .so  much  prevailed  But 
whether  the  prophecy  was  actually  utter-  d  In  the  time  of  Ahaz  or  not— which  cannot  now  be  deter- 
sained— yet  it  may  have  been  uttered  in  view  of  the  ignorance,  and  superstition,  and  hypuci  s>  which 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


495 


prevailed  in  his  reign,  and  which  extended  their  influence  into  the  time  of  his  successor,  and  on  ac< 
count  of  which  the  nation  was  to  lie  subjected  to  the  calamities  arising  from  the  invasion  of  Sen- 
nacherib After  that,  the  kins  Hezekiah  would  rule  in  righteousness,  and  his  kingdom  would  enjoy 
the  bles-iugs  of  his  mild  and  virtuous  reign 

The  prophet  then  (vs.  10  —  I  n  proceeds  to  show  that  previous  to  the  prosperous  times  predicted 
there  would  he  a  stale  of  desolation  and  alarm.  This  is  indicated  by  his  calling  on  the  daughters  of 
luxury  and  fashion,  who  were  re;  using  in  security  and  confidence,  to  rise  up  in  consternation  at  the 
calamities  which  were  impending  (vs  l".  in.  ami  by  the  assurance  thai  there  would  he  a  time  when 
they  would  sigh  ibr  the  luxuries  which  ihcy  had  belbre  enjoyed,  vs  t'J-14.  This  is  descriptive  of 
tin-  calamines  which  would,  attend  the  i.vusion  of  the  Assyrian.  Yet  the  prophet  says,  as  is  usual 
wi  h  him,  that  these  calamities  would  be  succeeded  by  more  happy  times,  vs  15— i0._  They  would 
continue  until  the  .Spirit  should  be  poured  out  from  on  high  tver.  15),  and  the  result  of  this  would  be 
the  prevalence  of  righteousness  in  the  nation  (ver  16),  and  peace  and  salety  (vs.  17,  18)  :  there  would 
i>e  safety,  and  the  privilege  of  pursuing  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  agriculture,  and  of  cultivating  the  en- 
tire land  without  molestation  (vs.  19,  2U). 

1  Behold,  a  king  shall  feign 
in  righteousness,"  and  princes 
shall  rule  in  judgment. 

2  And  a  man  shall  be  as  an 
hiding-place  from  the  wind,  and 

1.  Behold,  a  king.  That  is,  Heze- 
kiah.  That  it  refers  to  him  is  apparent 
from  the  connection.  The  reign  of 
Ahaz  had  been  one  of  oppression  and 
idolatry.  This  was  to  be  succeeded 
by  the  reign  of  one  under  whom  the 
rights  of  the  people  would  be  secured, 
and  under  whom  there  would  be  a  state 
of  general  prosperity.  This  may  have 
been  uttered  while  Ahaz  was  on  the 
throne,  or  it  may  have  been  when  Heze- 
kiah  began  to  reign.  Perhaps  the  latter 
is  the  more  probable,  as  Ahaz  might  not 
have  tolerated  any  thing  that  would 
have  looked  like  a  reflection  on  his  own 
reign  ;  nor,  perhaps,  while  he  was  on 
the  throne  would  Isaiah  have  given  a 
description  that  would  have  been  a 
contrast  between  his  reign  and  that  of 
his  successor.  IT  Shall  reign  in  right- 
eousness. That  is,  a  righteous  king 
shall  reign  ;  or  his  administration  shall 
be  one  of  justice,  and  strongly  in  con- 
trast with  that  of  his  predecessor. 
This  was  certainly  the  general  charac- 
teristic of  the  reign  of  Hezekiah. 
IT  And  princes  shall  rule.  Heb.  For 
princes,  or,  as  to  princes.  O^TID?  . 
Lowth  proposes  to  read  this  without 
the  3  as  the  ancient  versions  do.  But 
it  is  not  necessary  to  change  the  text. 
It  may  be  rendered,  '  As  to  princes, 
they  shall  rule.'  Comp.  Ps.  xvi.  3. 
The  "  princes  "  here  denote  the  various 
officers  of  government,  or  those  to 
whom  the  administration  was  confided. 
IT  In  judgment.     That  this  is  a  just 


a  covert6  from  the  tempest ;  as 
riversc  of  water  in  a  dry  place  j 
as  the  shadow  of  a  'great  rock  in 
a  weary  land. 

a  Ps.  45.  6,  7.     Jer.  23.  5,  6. 
b  ch,  4.  6.  c  ch.  44.  3.  1  heavy. 

description  of  the  reign  of  Hezekiah  b 
apparent  from  the  history.  See  2  Kings 
xviii  3-6 :  "  He  removed  the  high 
places,  and  broke  the  images,  and  cut 
down  the  groves.  He  trusted  in  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel,  so  that  after  him 
was  none  like  him  among  all  the  kings 
of  Judah,  nor  any  that  were  before 
him,  for  he  clave  unto  the  Lord,  and 
departed  not  from  following  him  " 

2.  And  a.  man.  That  is,  evidently, 
the  man  referred  to  in  the  previous 
verse,  to  wit,  Hezekiah.  IT  Shall  be  as 
an  hiding-place  from  the  wind.  A 
place  where  one  may  take  refuge  from 
a  violent  wind  and  tempest.  See  Note 
ch.  xxv.  4.  1T  A  covert.  A  place  of 
shelter  and  security.  Wind  and  tem- 
pest are  emblematic  of  calamity  and 
oppression  ;  and  the  sense  is,  that  He- 
zekiah would  be  the  protector  of  his 
people,  and  would  save  them  from  the 
calamities  to  which  they  had  been  sub- 
jected in  former  reigns.  IT  As  rivers 
of  water.  This  figure  is  often  used  in 
Isaiah.  See  ch.  xxxv.  6,  7.  Notes  xli. 
18.  It  means  that  the  blessings  of  such 
a  reign  would  be  as  grateful  and  re- 
freshing as  gushing  fountains  and  run- 
ning streams  were  to  a  thirsty  travel- 
ler. Here  it  refers  to  the  benefits  that 
would  be  conferred  by  the  reign  of  He- 
zekiah— a  reign  which,  compared  with 
that  of  his  father,  would  be  like  a  re- 
freshing fountain  to  a  weary  pilgrim  in 
a  pathless  desert.  TT  As  the  shadow 
of  a  great  rock.  In  a  burning  deser 
of  sand  nothing  is  more  grateful  than 


4i*> 


ISAIAH. 


[BC.1W. 


3  And  the  eyes  of  them  Mint 
see  shall  not  be  dim  :  and  the 
cars  of  them  that  hear  .shall 
hearken. 


the  cooling  shade  of  a  far-projecting 
rock,  li  not  only  excludes  ibe  rays 
of  the  sun.  but  si  has  itself  a  refreshing 
coolness  that  is  most  grateful  t<>  a 
weary  traveller.  The  Bame  figure  is 
often  u^i-ii  by  the  classic  writers  S<  e 
Virgil,  Georg  HI.  145;  Eiesiod  ii  106. 
H  lii  ii  weary  land.  A  land  where 
there  is  fatigue  and  weariness,  Proba- 
bly here  it  is  used  to  denote  a  land 
destitute  of  trees,  ami  groves,  ami 
pleasant  abodes  ;  a  land  where  one 
expects  weariness  and  fatigue,  without 

any  refreshment  ami  shelter.  The  fol- 
lowing   description    from    Campbell's 

Travels    in    Alma   will    explain    this: 

"  Well  does  the  traveller  remember  a 
day  iii  the  wilds  of  Africa,  where  the 
country  was  chiefly  covered  with  burn- 
ing sand  ;  when  scotched  with  the 
powerful    rays   pf    an    almost    vertical 

sun,  the  thermometer  in  the  shade 
standing  al  100  .  He  remembers  long 
looking  hither  and  thither  for  some- 
thing thai  would  afford  protection  from 
the  almost  insupportable  heat,  mid 
where  the  least  motion  of  air  felt  like 
n  Bame  coming  against   the  fane.     At 

1<  Qgth     he     espied     ;i     huge    loose    rock 

leaning   against  the   front  of  a  small 

cliff  which  laced  the  sun.      Al  once  he 

fled  for  refuge  underneath  its  inviting 

shade.        The    coolness     entitled    front 

this  rocky  canopy  he  found  exquisitely 
exhilarating.  The  wild  beasts  of  the 
deserts  were  all  fled  to  their  dens,  and 
the  feathered  songsters  were  till  roost' 
ing    among  the    thickest   foliage  they 

( Id  find  of  the  evergreen  trees     The 

whole  creation  around  seemed  to  groan, 
ns  if  their   vigour  had    been   entirely 

exhausted  A  small  river  was  provi- 
deiltittlly  at  hand,  to  the  side  of  which, 
after  a  while,  he  ventured,  and  sipped 
a  little  of  its  cooling  water,  which 
tasted  better  than  the  best  Burgundy, 
>r  the  finest  old  Hock  in  the  world. 
Uurinu;  all   this  enjoyment,   the  above 


■1  The  heart  also  of  the  "rash 
shall  understand  knowledge*,  and 

the    tOOgae    of    the    stammerers 

shall  be  ready  to  speak  'plainly. 

I  taffy.  3  or,  (Utzantly. 

apropos  text  was  the  interesting  subject 
of  the   traveller^  meditation;  though 

the  allusion,  a-;  a  figure,  uiiisl  tall  in- 
finitely short  oi  that  which  is  meant  to 
he  prefigured  by  ii  " 

'.i  Anil  I  In  eyes  of  them  that  srr,  &c. 
The  sense  of  this  verse  is,  that  there 
shall  he,  under  the  rei^'ii  of  this  wise 
and  pious  prince,  on  the  part  of  the 
prophets  and  teachers  a  clear  view  of 
divine  truth,  and  on  the  part  of  the 
people  who  hear  a  disposition  \i<  hearken 
and  lo  attend  to  it  Tin'  phrase  •'  of 
them  thai  see,"  refers  probably  to  the 

prophet!^    as    those    who    were    called 

seere  (Note  ch,  xxix.  10,  xxx.  10. 
COmp.  1  Sam.  ix.  !>).  or  those  who  had 
rismns  (Note  eh,  i.  t)  of  the  things  that 
Sod  would  communicate  to  men.  The 
word  rendered  "he  dim"  (nj',?,jr')) 
is  derived  from  ^^  ,  which  usually 
signifies  i«  see,  to  look,  but  it  also  has 
a  meaning  similar  to  3?S\o ,  to  spread 
over,  to  close,  to  make  blind.  Of  this 
tact    Lowth   seems  not  to  have  been 

aware  when  he  proposed,  without  the 
authority   of  any    IMS  ,   to  change   the 

text.      The     sense     is,   that     those    who 

were  prophets  and  religious  teaohefs 

should  no  more  see  obscurely,  hut  should 

have  clear  and  just  views  of  divine 
truth,  n  And  the  ears  •■/  them  thai 
hear.  Of  the  pe'ople  who  were  in- 
si meted  by  their  religious  teachers. 
1  Shall  hearken.  It  shall  he  a  charac- 
teristic of  those  times  that  they  shall  he 
disposed  to  attend  to  the  truth  of  God. 
4.   Thr  In  nit  iilsn  rf  the  I'lth     Mar;,' 

hasty.  The  Hebrew  word  denotes 
these  whs  hasten ;  that  is,  those  who 
are  precipitate  in  forming  a  judgment, 
or  deciding  on  a  course  of  action. 
They  do  not  take  time  to  deliberate, 
and  consequently  they  an  led  head- 
long into  error,  and  into  improper 
courses  of  life,  if  Shall  understand 
knowledge.     They  shall  take   time  to 


B.C.  713.] 


CHA1 


.-: 


'  :.e  vile  person  shall  be  no 
more  called  liberal,  Dor  the  churl 
said  to  ie  bountiful. 

6  For    ihe   vile    person    will 
-k  villany,  and  his  heart  will 
work  iniquity. -.o  i  •  ;  poc- 

to  nttei       • .  ■ 
Lokd,   to  mike    t 

_ 

%  A 

•lammerer-. 

I   i  ad  coafur- 

■pafcle  of  ez; 
nig  ciear  a 

neyafj  ro  tpeak 
plainly.  Marg.  degutkg.  The  He- 
brew »  PIPS  Madly  ap- 
-ar.  while  light- 
The  sense  is,  mat  there  should  be  bo  in- 
distinctness or  obscurity  in  their  views 
and  modes  of  atterance. 

5  ~  '.  vile  person.  Heb.  foal  Bat 
the  connection  requires  as  to  under- 
stand this  as  the  opposite  of  liberal; 
and  it  means  a  person  who  is  close, 
miserly, narrow-minded,  coretoas.  This 
person  is  designated,  very  appropr-. 
as  a  :  '       .all  be  no  mure  called 

liberal.     It  is  probable  that  under  the 
rf  former  princes,  when  ail  views 
g  had  been  perverted, 
men    of   unprincipled    character    had 
:ne  subject-  and  names 

oi  virtue  had  been  attributed  te 

-nds  and  admir-  - 
would    not   be  so   under  the  virtuous 
reign  of  the    prince   here  celebrated- 

names,  and  flattery  ■•aid  ....  z-e  al- 
lowed to  attribute  to  men  qualities 
which  they  did  not  possess  T~  _ 
cAurl.  Tee  word  churi  means  pro- 
perly a  rode,  surly,  ill-bred  man  ;  then 
a  miser,  a  niggard.  The  Hebrew  word 
means  properly  a  deceiver,  a  fraudu- 
lent man.  Geseniut.  The  word  ava- 
ricious, however,  seems  to  suit  the 
connection.  Lowth  renders  it  "  nig- 
gard f  Noyes,   ■  crafty ."     \   £.. 


soul  of  the  hungry  ;  and  he 
cause  the  dri.uk  of  the  thiiv. 

7  The  instruments  also  of  the 
-.  art  evil :  he  deriseth  wick- 
ed devices  to  destroy  the  poor 

.; 

.  .-   ■ 


'  •-•■       ■--■-.:       : 


t  fite  pmr  imjmm.  mi  as 


-  .'   --  ;•  :   ■-.-.   i    ._!.-  •.:-;  s: .:  = 

r.  :  ■-■■..-. 4  :-. 

6.    For  tke   vile  person.     Heb    tie 

tea  the  idea  than  "vile  person.* 

:- '..:-.  '..:  ::   y  >:.e   .-.•: .: .:-  .:'•_:       ;- 

-  -    -    -_'    ■-•-•-  •-■  ■.'■-    ■-  .-•■    ■.■--?. 

-  ■    .  c   -.  :-,—: 

-  -  im.  iiL  33. 
.  apeak  villain. 
Heb.  Kill  apeak  fall*.  That  is,  he  will 
act  in  accordance  with  his  nature  ;  it 
is  his  nature  to  speak  folly,  and  he  will 
do  it.  Under  a  wicked  and  unjust  ad- 
:;.  :.-;-. .~i :.:.-.  s;.l.  p-r  .-=•..-=  :.  _:.:  :-  \- 
--.-•-:  -. :'  £i-.:ery  vT-  £  .  i:  ;  .-_•_  _  -. 
be  raised  to  office  and  power.  Bat  un- 
der the  administration  of  a  virtooos 
king  they  would  not  be  admitted  to  fe- 
v.  ..-  :  i ...  -.;.-  -•:_-..  v.  :  .  .  •- :  -_-. 
•*•.-_:  l.:  :-::  .:.-.;  -'-::.-e.  --. ;  vr . ;  : 
corrupt  all  around  them.     A  monarch, 

: 

- 
eonnst         I   7    m«le  eatpty  the  soul 
oi  the  kunsrt.     Probably  tins  refers  to 
spiritual  hunger  and  thirst ;  and  means 

:  ■-.:  -.  .:.  -  if-'.  •  .  .  .  ::■.-  :  -■  :y 
::.-  :.-:■  ::  ;.:..■.  t .  j-r  :'::-  -.--  pe;- 
pie,  and  leave  them  to  error,  ignorance, 
and  want.  The  sense  is,  that  if  sack 
persons  were  raised  to  office  they  would 
:".:::::  '-t  '..-...  i:.;  z-r.::j  ::..: 
confidence  in  God;  and  this  was  a 
reason  why  a  virtuous  prince  would 
exclude  them  from  any  participation  m 

The   instrument*  aim.     In    the 
Hebrew  here  there  is  a  paronomasia 

»": ■-- ■  :t      ...:-.:--.  ...  .  :r...z.^- 


498 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


8  But  the  liberal  deviseth  lib-  '      9  Rise  up,  ye  women  that  are 
eral  things  ;  and  by  liberal  things    at  'ease  ;  hear  my  voice,  ye  care- 
less daughters  ;  give  ear  unto  my 
Amos6.  i.  speedh. 


shall  he  'stand 

8  or,  be  established 


tion.  The  word  instruments  here  de- 
notes evidently  the  means  by  which  the 
churl  Bcconlplishes  bis  object ; — whe- 
ther  it  be  hy  words  ;  by  judicial  deci- 
sions ;  or  by  crafty  devices  This  is 
also  a  kind  of  proverbial  expression, 
and  is  given  as  a  farther  reason  why 
such  a  person  would  not  be  employed 
by  a  wise  and  virtuous  prince.  U  Are 
tril.  lie  will  make  use  of  any  un- 
principled means,  any  wicked  plan  or 
device,  to  accomplish  his  purpose. 
H  With  lying  words.  With  false  re- 
presentations ;  or  with  deceitful  pro- 
mises and  assurances.  His  aim  would 
be  particularly  directed  to  the  poor  and 
humble,  as  more  easily  deprived  of  their 
rights  than  the  rich  and  powerful.  It 
was  also  of  theater  importance  to  de- 
fend the  rights  of  the  poor,  and  there- 
tore  the  prophet  says  that  such  a  per- 
son should  not  be  in  the  employ  of  a 
just  and  virtuous  ruler.  IT  Even  when 
the  needy  speakath  right.  That  is,  al- 
though the  cause  of  the  needy  is  one 
of  truth  and  equity.  When  this  would 
be  manifest,  the  unprincipled  man  in 
power  would  deprive  him  of  his  rights, 
and,  therefore, under  a  wise  and  virtuous 
administration  such  a  person  should 
not  be  employed. 

8.  But  the  liberal.  This  seems,  also, 
to  have  the  force  of  a  proverbial  ex- 
pression. The  word  '  liberal '  means 
generous,  noble,  large-hearted,  benevo- 
lent ;  a  man  of  large  views  and  of  pub- 
lic spirit  ;  a  man  above  covetousness, 
avarice,  and  self-seeking  ;  a  man  who 
is  willing  to  devote  himself  to  the  wel- 
fare of  his  country,  and  to  the  interests 
of  his  fellow-men.  It  is  implied  here 
that  such  persons  would  be  selected  to 
administer  the  affairs  of  the  govern- 
ment under  the  wise  and  virtuous  prince 
of  which  the  prophet  speaks.  IT  Devi- 
seth lihrrnl  things.  He  purposes  those 
things  which  will  tend  to  promote  the 
public  welfare,  and  not  those  merely 
which  will  conduce  to  his  private  ends 


and  gratification.  H  And  by  liberal 
things  shall  he  stand.  Marg.  "be  esta- 
Wished."  That  is,  according  to  the  con- 
nection, he  shall  be  confirmed,  or  ap- 
proved in  the  government  0f  die  virtuous 
king  referred  to.  It  is,  however,  a  propo- 
sition in  a  general  form,  and  means  also 
that  a  man  by  a  liberal  course  shall  be 
established  ;  that  is,  his  character,  re- 
putation, hopes,  shall  be  established  by 
it.  This  is  true  now.  If  a  man  wishes 
to  obtain  permanent  peace  and  honour, 
the  esteem  of  his  fellow-men,  or  the 
evidence  of  divine  approbation,  it  can 
be  best  done  by  large  and  liberal 
schemes  to  advance  the  happiness  of  a 
dying  world.  He  who  is  avaricious 
and  narrow-minded  has  no  happiness, 
and  no  durable  reputation  ;  he  who  is 
large-hearted  and  benevolent,  has  the 
approbation  of  the  wise  and  good,  the 
favour  of  God,  and  a  firm  and  unshaken 
support  in  the  trials  of  life  and  in  the 
agonies  of  death. 

ii.  Rise  u]/,  &.e.  Rosenmuller  sup- 
poses that  this  commences  a  new  vision 
or  prophecy  ;  and  that  the  former  part 
(vs.  9-14)  refers  to  the  desolation  of 
Judea  by  the  invasion  of  Sennacherib, 
and  the  latter  (vs.  13-20)  to  the  pros- 
perity which  would  succeed  that  inva- 
sion. It  cannot  be  doubted  that  this  is 
the  general  reference  of  the  passage, 
but  there  does  not  seem  to  be  a  neces- 
sity of  making  a  division  here.  The 
entire  prophecy,  including  the  whole 
chapter,  relates  in  general  to  the  reign 
of  Hezekiah  ;  and  as  these  events  were 
to  occur  during  his  reign,  the  prophet 
groups  them  together,  and  presents 
them  as  constituting  important  events 
in  his  reign.  The  general  design  of 
this  portion  of  the  prophecy  (vs.  D-14) 
is  to  show  the  desolation  that  would 
come  upon  the  land  of  Judea  in  conse- 
quence of  that  invasion.  This  he  re- 
presents in  a  poetical  manner,  by  call- 
ing on  the  daughters  of  fashion  and 
ease  to  arouse,  since  all  their  comforts 


£.C.713.J 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


499 


10.  Many  9days  and  years 
shall  ye  be  troubled,  ye  careless 
women  :  for  the  vintage  shall  fail, 
the  gathering  shall  not  come. 

11  Tremble,  ye  women  that 
are  at  ease  ;  be  troubled,  ye 
careless  ones ;  strip  ye,  and 
make  ye  bare,  and  gird  sackcloth 
upon  your  loins. 

were  to  be  taken  away.  U  Ye  womfii 
that  are  at  ease.  They  who  are  sur- 
rounded by  the  comforts  which  afflu- 
ence gives,  and  that  have  no  fear  of 
being  reduced  to  want.  Conlp.  ch 
iii.  16-26.  IT  Ye  careless  daughters. 
Heb.  '  daughters  confiding ;'  that  is, 
those  who  felt  no  alarm,  and  who  did 
not  regard  God  and  his  threatenings. 

10.  Many  days  and  years.  Marg. 
'  days  above  a  year.'  This  is  a  literal 
translation  of  the  Hebrew.  LXX, 
'  Make  mention  of  a  day  of  a  year  in 
sorrow,  with  hope.'  Targum,  '  Days 
with  years.'  Kimchi  supposes  it  means 
'  two  years.'  Grotius  supposes  it  means 
'  within  three  years  '  Various  other 
interpretations  may  be  seen  in  Pool's 
Synopsis.  Gesenius  renders  it,  '  for  a 
year's  time,'  according  to  the  vulgar 
expression  '  a  year  and  a  day,'  denot- 
ing a  complete  year,  and  supposes  that 
it  means  a  considerable  time,  a  long 
period.  The  phrase  literally  means 
'  the  days  upon  [or  beyond]  a  year,' 
■and  may  denote  a  long  time  ;  as  the 
entire  days  in  a  year  would  denote  a 
long  period  of  suffering.  Lowth  ren- 
ders it,  not  in  accordance  with  the  He- 
brew, '  years  upon  years.'  Noyes, '  one 
year  more  and  ye  shall  tremble.'  Per- 
haps this  expresses  the  sense ;  and 
then  it  would  denote  not  the  length  of 
time  which  they  would  suffer,  but 
would  indicate  that  the  calamities 
would  soon  come  upon  them.  TT  For 
the  vintage  shall  fail.  A  large  part 
of  the  wealth  and  the  luxury  of  the 
nation  consisted  in  the  vintage.  When 
the  vine  failed,  there  would  be,  of 
course,  great  distress.  The  sense  is, 
that  in  consequence  of  the  invasion 
or   the   Assyrians,   either    the   people 


12  They  shall  lament  for  the 
teats,  for  the  pleasant1  fields,  for 
the  fruitful  vine. 

13  Upon  the  land  of  my  peo- 
ple shall  come  up  thorns'  and 
briers,  ~yea,  upon  all  the  houses 
of  joy  in  the  joyous  city. 

9  days  above  a  year.        1  Jlelds  rfdasi  e. 
I  Hoa.  10.  8.  2  or,  burning  upon. 

would  neglect  to  cultivate  the  lands, or 
they  would  fail  to  collect  the  harvest. 
This  might  occur  either  from  the  dread 
of  the  invasion,  or  because  the  Assyrian 
would  destroy  every  thing  in  his  march. 

11.  Strip  ye,  and  make  ye  bare. 
That  is,  take  off  your  gay  and  splendid 
apparel,  and  put  on  the  habiliments  of 
mourning,  indicative  of  a  great  cala- 
mity. ^  And  gird  sackcloth.  See 
Note  ch.  iii.  24. 

12.  They  shall  lament  for  the  teats. 
Interpreters  have  been  not  a  little  per- 
plexed by  this  expression.  Lowth  sup- 
poses it  is  to  be  taken  in  connection  with 
the  previous  verse,  and  that  it  denotes 
that  sackcloth  was  to  be  girded  upon 
the  breast  as  well  as  upon  the  loins. 
Others  have  supposed  that  it  denotes  to 
"  smite  upon  the  breasts,"  as  a  token 
of  grief;  others,  that  the  word  '  breast' 
here  denotes  children  by  a  synecdoche, 
as  having  been  nourished  by  the  breast, 
and  that  the  women  here  were  called 
to  mourn  over  their  children.  But  it  is 
evident,  I  think,  that  the  word  breasts 
here  is  used  to  denote  that  which  nou- 
rishes or  sustains  life,  and  is  synony- 
mous with  fruitful  fields.  It  is  so  used 
in  Homer  (Iliad,  ix.  141),  where  ovdup 
dpjvpns  denotes  fertility  of  land.  And 
here  the  sense  doubtless  is,  that  they 
would  mourn  over  the  fields  which 
once  contributed  to  sustain  life,  bi  t 
which  were  now  desolate.  In  regard 
to  the  grammatical  difficulties  of  the 
place,  Rosenmuller  and  Gesenius  may 
be  consulted.  IT  The  pleasant  fields. 
Marg.  as  in  the  Hebrew,  "fields  of 
desire." 

13.  Upon  the  land  of  my  people. 
A  description  similar  to  this,  in  regard 
to  the  consequences  ot  the  invasion  of 


ftOO 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


14  Because  the  palaces  shall 
I*  forsaken ;  the  multitude  of 
the  city  shall  be  left :  the  forts 
6and  towers  shall  be  for  dens 
for  ever,  a  joy  of  wild  asses,  a 
pasture  of  flocks ; 


Sennacherib, is  given  in  ch.  vii.  20-25. 
See  Notts  on  that  passage.  II  Yea, 
upon  all  the  houses  of  joy.  Margin, 
"  Or,  bun. tug  upon."  The  marginal 
reading  lias  originated  from  the  suppo- 
sition that  the  word  ",3  is  derived  from 
■~i"S  ,  to  be  burned  This  conjecture 
lias  been  adopted  hy  Junius  and  Tre- 
meJlius,  and  by  some  others  But  it  is 
evidently  mere  conjecture,  and  is  not 
demanded.  The  word  "  yea  "  will 
express  the  sense,  meaning  that  desola- 
tion, indicated  by  the  growth  of  thorns 
and  briers,  would  come  upon  the  cities 
that  were  then  tilled  with  joy.  This 
does  not  refer  to  Jerusalem,  which  was 
not  taken  by  Sennacherib,  but  to  the 
other  cities  that  were  destroyed  by  him 
in  his  march,  and  this  account  accords 
with  the  statement  in  ch.  vii.  20-25. 

14.  Because  the  palace*  shall  be  for- 
saken. That  is,  the  palaces  in  the  cities 
and  towns  which  Sennacherib  would 
lay  waste.  Or,  if  it  refers,  as  Lowth 
supposes,  to  the  invasion  of  the  land  in 
the  time  of  the  Chaldeans,  then  it  re- 
lates to  the  palaces  in  Jerusalem.  Vi- 
tringa  supposes  that  the  temple  at  Jeru- 
salem is  particularly  designated  by  the 
word  rendered  palaces.  But  that  is 
not  the  usual  word  to  denote  the  tem- 
ple, and  it  is  not  necessary  to  suppose 
that  that  is  particularly  referred  to. 
The  word  "(i?:ix  usually  denotes  a 
palace,  or  royal  residence  in  some  part 
of  the  royal  citadel.  See  Isa.  xxv.  2. 
Jer.  xxx  18.  Amos  i.  4,  7,  10,  12. 
1  Kings  xvi.  18.  J  The  forts.  Marg. 
"  cliffs  and  watch  towers."  Heb.  ?2" 
ophei.  This  word  properly  denotes  a 
hill  or  a  cliff,  such  as  is  an  advanta- 
geous situation  for  fortresses.  It  is 
translated  in  Micah  iv.  8,  "  the  strong 
hold  ;"  in  2  Kings  v.  24,  "  the  tower  ;" 
in  2  Ghron.  xxvii.  3.  Neh.  iii.  27,  xi. 


15  Until  the  Spirit  "be  poured 
upon  us  from  on  high,  and  the 
wilderness  be  a  fruitful  field,  and 
Hhe  fruitful  field  be  counted  lbi 
a  forest. 

6  or,  r tiffs  and  ictuch-towcrs. 
0  Joel  2.  -28.  p  Pa.  107.  33  4  (. 

21,  "  Ophel ;"  also  in.  2  Chron.  xxx. 
14.  With  the  article  (the  hill)  it  was 
given  by  way  of  eminence  to  a  bluff 
or  hill  lying  north-east  of  Mount  Zion 
and  south  of  Mount  .Moriali,  which  was 
surrounded  and  fortified  with  a  wall. 
Josephos'  Jewish  Wars,  vi.  6  It  ex- 
tends south  from  .Mount  Moriali,  run- 
ning down  to  the  Fountain  of  Siloam, 
lying  between  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat 
on  the  east,  and  the  Tyropoeon,  or 
\  alley  of  Cheesemongers  on  the  west. 
It  terminates  over  the  Pool  of  Siloam 
in  a  steep  point  of  rock  forty  or  fitly 
feet  high.  The  top  of  the  ridge  is  flat, 
and  the  ground  is  now  tilled  and  planted 
with  olive  and  other  fruit-trees.  See 
Robinson's  Bibli.  Research,  i.  pp.  341, 
394.  It  may  be  used  here,  however 
to  denote  a  hill  or  cliff,  a  strongly  for- 
tified place  in  general,  without  suppos- 
ing of  necessity  that  it  refers  to  the 
mountain  in  Jerusalem.  %  Towers. 
Towers  were  erected  on  the  walls  of 
cities  at  convenient  distances  for  pur- 
poses of  observation.  If  Shall  be  Jor 
dens.  Shall  become  places  where  ban- 
ditti and  robbers  may  abide,  and  secure 
themselves.  If  For  ever.  This  is  evi- 
dently one  instance  in  which  the  word 
"  for  ever,"  C512J~"I2  ,  denotes  a  long 
time,  because  in  the  verse  following 
there  is  a  period  specified  when  the  de- 
solation would  terminate.  When  the 
word  is  used  without  any  such  limita- 
tion it  denotes  proper  eternity.  If  A 
joy  of  wild  asses.  A  place  where  wild 
animals  will  have  unlimited  range. 

15.  Until  the  Spirit.  The  Spirit  of 
God,  as  the  source  of  all  blessings,  and 
especially  as  able  to  meet  and  remove 
the  ills  of  the  long  calamity  and  deso- 
lation. This  evidently  relets  to  some 
future  period  when  the  evils  which  ttie 
prophet  was  contemplating  would  be 
succeeded    by   the    spread  of  the  true 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


501 


16  Then  judgment  shall  dwell 
in  the  wilderness,  and  righteous- 
ness remain  in  the  fruitful  field. 

17  And  the  work  of  righteous- 
ness   shall    be   peace ;  rand    the 

r  P».  85.  10.    James  3.  18.  s  Heb.  4.  9. 

religion.  If  the  prophet  meant  to  con- 
fine his  description  of  calamities  to 
those  which  would  attend  the  invasion 
of  Sennacherib,  then  this  refers  to  the 
piety  and  prosperity  which  would  pre- 
vail after  that  during  the  reign  of  He- 
zekiah.  If  he  designed,  as  Lowth  sup- 
poses, to  describe  the  calamities  which 
would  attend  the  invasion  of  the  Chal- 
deans and  the  desolation  of  the  city 
of  Jerusalem  during  the  captivity,  then 
this  refers  to  the  prosperous  times  that 
would  occur  after  their  return  to  their 
own  land  And  if  he  looked  forward 
beyond  even  that,  then  this  refers  to 
the  times  of  the  Messiah  also,  and  he 
designed  to  describe  the  happy  period 
when  the  Messiah  should  have  come, 
and  when  the  Spirit  should  be  poured 
out.  Vitringa  supposes  that  all  three 
ot  these  events  are  referred  to.  But 
although  the  expressions  are  such  as 
are  used  in  reference  to  the  times  of 
the  Messiah,  yet  the  word  "  until " 
seems  to  limit  the  prediction  to  some 
event  previous  to  that.  The  plain 
sense  of  the  passage  is,  that  the  city 
would  lie  waste,  and  would  be  a  pas- 
ture for  flocks,  until  the  Spirit  should 
be  poured  out  ;  that  is,  would  lie  waste 
a  long  time,  and  then  be  succeeded  by 
the  merciful  interposition  of  God  re- 
storing them  to  their  land  and  privi- 
leges. This  idea  would  seem  to  limit 
it,  at  the  utmost,  to  the  return  from 
Babylon.  H  Be  poured  out.  This  is 
a  common  and  usual  mode  of  indicat- 
ing that  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  would  be  imparted.  Ezek.  xxxix. 
39.  Isa.  xliv.  3.  Joel  ii.  28,  29.  Acts 
ii.  17,  18.  V  From  on  high.  From 
heaven.  Comp.  Luke  xxiv.  49.  IT  And 
the  wilderness  be  a  fruitful  field.  Until 
that  change  shall  come  when  the  places 
that  are  desolate  shall  become  fertile, 
and    the    places  which  are  now  fertile 


effect  of  righteousness,  quietness 
and  assurance  for  ever. 

18  And  my  people  shall  dwell 
in  a  peaceable  'habitation,  and  in 
sure  dwellings,  and  in  quiet  rest- 
ing places, 

and  prosperous  shall  become  desolate 
and  barren.  This  may  refer  to  the 
time  when  Jerusalem,  that  would  have 
lain  so  long  waste,  would  be  again  inha- 
bited and  cultivated,  and  when  Baby- 
lon, then  so  prosperous,  would  become 
desolate  and  ruined.  The  expression 
has  a  proverbial  cast,  and  denotes 
change  and  revolution.  See  Note 
cii.  xxix.  17. 

16.  Then  judgment  shall  dwell  Or, 
justice  shall  make  its  appropriate  dwell- 
ing-place there.  IT  In  the  wilderness. 
In  the  place  that  was  a  wilderness,  but 
that  shall  now  be  turned  to  a  fruitful 
field.  IT  In  the  fruitful  fi eld.  In  the 
nation  that  is  like  a  fruitful  field  ;  in 
Judea  restored. 

17.  And  the  work  of  righteousness. 
That  which  righteousness  produces  ; 
or  the  effect  of  the  prevalence  of  right- 
eousness on  the  nation.  IT  Shall  be 
peace.  There  shall  be  no  internal  agi- 
tation, and  no  conflicts  with  foreign 
nations.  If  Qu'eltiess  and  assurance. 
This  is  a  beautiful  description  of  the 
happy  effect  of  the  prevalence  of  piety  ; 
and  it  is  as  true  now  as  it  was  in  the 
time  of  Isaiah.  True  religion  would 
put  an  end  to  strifes  and  litigations  ; 
to  riots  and  mobs ;  to  oppressions  and 
tumults  ;  to  alarms  and  robbery  ;  to 
battle,  and  murder,  and  conflict. 

18.  And  my  people  shall  dwell  in  a 
peaceable  habitation.  In  cities  and 
towns  that  would  not  be  alarmed  by  in- 
ternal or  external  foes.  IT  And  in 
sure  dwellings.  In  dwellings  that 
would  be  secure  from  invasion. — All 
this  is  descriptive  of  the  peaceful  times, 
and  the  general  security  which  followed 
the  return  from  Babylon.  To  this  pe- 
riod of  happiness  and  prosperity,  Isaiah, 
as  well  as  the  other  prophets,  oftep 
refers. 


502 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


19  When  it  shall  hail,  'coming 
down  on  the  forest ;  and  the  city 
shall  be  4low  in  a  low  place. 

r  cb.  30.  30.  4  or,  utterly  abased. 

19.  When  it  shall  hail.  n"»12  Tl3 
and  it  shall  hail  in  coming  down.' 
There  is  a  paranomasia  in  the  original 
here  which  cannot  he  expressed  in  a 
translation — a  figure  of  speech,  which, 
as  we  have  seen,  is  common  in  Isaiah. 
Hail  is  an  image  of  divine  vengeance 
or  punishment  ;  and  the  reference'  here 
is  doubtless  to  the  storms  of  indignation 
that  would  come  on  the  enemies  of  the 
Jews,  particularly  the  Assyrians.  See 
Notes  ch.  xxx.  30.  II  Coming  down  on 
the  forest.  Coming  down  on  the  army 
of  the  Assyrian,  which  is  here  called  a 
forest.  The  same  term  forest  is  given 
to  the  army  of  the  Assyrians  in  ch  x. 
lb,  19,  33,  34.  The  sense  is,  ihat  the 
divine  judgment  would  come  down  on 
that  army  with  as  much  severity  as  a 
storm  of  hail  descends  on  a  forest — 
stripping  the  leaves  from  the  trees,  de- 
stroying its  beauty,  and  laying  it  waste. 
IT  And  the  city.  According  to  Gesenius 
this  is  Nineveh,  the  capital  of  the  Assy- 
rian empire.  According  to  Rosen- 
mUller,  Grotius,  and  others,  it  is  Baby- 
lon. Hensler  supposes  that  it  is  Jer- 
usalem, and  that  the  sense  is,  that  as  a 
city  that  is  situated  in  a  valley  is  safe 
when  the  storm  and  tempest  sweep 
over  the  hills,  so  would  it  be  to  Jerusa- 
lem when  the  storm  of  wrath  should 
sweep  away  the  army  of  the  Assyrian 
But  the  connexion  evidently  requires  us 
to  understand  it  of  the  capital  of  the 
enemy  ;  though  whether  it  be  Nineveh 
or  Babylon  perhaps  cannot  be  deter- 
mined. V  Shall  be  low  in  a  loir  place. 
Marg.  "  Utterly  abased."  Heb.  '  In 
humility  shall  be  humbled.'  The 
sense  is,  shall  be  completely  prostrate. 
Those  who  refer  this  to  Jerusalem  sup- 
pose it  refers  to  the  time  when  God 
should  humble  it  by  bringing  the  ene- 
my so  near,  and  exciting  so  much  con- 
sternation and  alarm.  Those  who 
refer  it  to  Babylon  suppose  it  relates  to 
its  destruction.  If  referred  to  Nineveh, 
H  must   mean   when   the  pride   of  the 


"20  Blessed   are   ye   that    sow 
beside  all  waters,  "that  send  forth 
thither  the  feet  of  the  OX  and  the  ass. 
u  Eccles.  n.  l,  i 


capital  of  the  Assyrian  empire  should 
he  humbled  by  ihe  complete  overthrow 
of  their  army,  and  the   annihilation  of 

their  hopes.  The  connexion  seems  tc 
require  us  to  adopt  this  latter  interpre- 
tation. The  whole  verse  is  very  ob- 
scure ;  but  perhaps  the  above  will  ex- 
puss  its  general  sense. 

20,  Biased  are  ye.  The  sense  ol 
this  verse  is,  that  while  the  enemies  of 
the  Jews  would  be  overthrown,  they 
themselves  would  lie  permitted  to  culti- 
vate their  lands  in  security.  Jnstead 
•  I  predicting  this  directly,  the  prophet 
implies  that  this  would  occur,  by  de- 
claring that  those  who  were  permitted 
to  do  this  were  happy.  *i  That  $uw 
beside  all  waters.  Heb.  '  Uj>on  (5?) 
all  waters.'  This  may  mean  that  they 
selected  places  near  running  streams  as 
being  most  fertile  ;  or  it  may  refer,  as 
Lowth  supposes,  to  the  planner  of  sow- 
ing grain,  and  particularly  rice,  in  east- 
ern countries.  This  is  done  by  casting 
the  seed  upon  the  water.  This  custom 
is  referred  to  in  Keel  xi.  1,  "  Cast  thy 
bread,"  i.  e.  thy  seed.  "  upon  the  wa- 
ters, for  thou  shalt  find  it  after  many 
days  ;" — that  is,  cast  thy  seed  upon  the 
waters  when  the  river  overflows  the 
banks,  and  the  seed  will  sink  into  the 
slime  and  mud,  and  will  spring  up 
when  the  waters  subside,  and  you  will 
find  it  again  after  many  days  in  a  rich 
and  luxuriant  harvest.  Sir  John  Char- 
din  thus  describes  this  mode  of  sowing  : 
"  They  sow  it  (the  rice)  upon  the 
water ;  and  before  sowing,  while  the 
earth  is  covered  with  water,  they  cause 
the  ground  to  be  trodden  by  oxen, 
horses,  and  asses,  who  go  mid-leg  deep  ; 
and  this  is  the  way  they  prepare  the 
ground  for  sowing."  Harmer's  Obs.  i. 
p.  380.  IT  That  send  forth  thither  the 
feet  of  the  ox  and  the  ass  That  is, 
for  the  purpose  of  treading  the  earth 
while  the  water  is  on  it,  and  preparing 
it  for  the  seed.  In  this  way  the  ground 
would  need  no  ploughing,  but  the  seed 


RC.713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


503 


would  fall  into  the  Mime,  and  be  suffi- 
ciently covered  when  the  waters  should 
subside  The  idea  in  this  verse  is,  that 
there  would  be  a  state  of  security  suc- 


ceeding the  destruction  of  their  ene- 
mies ;  and  that  they  would  be  permit- 
ted to  pursue  the  cultivation  of  the  soi;, 
unannoyed  and  undisturbed. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    CHAPTER. 

This  chapter  comprises  a  new  and  distinct  prophecy,  thoush  manifestly  relating  to  the  same  een- 
eral  subject  as  the  preceding.  In  ver.  19  of  the  previous  chapter,  the  prophet  had  foretold  thr  de- 
struction of  the  army  ol  Sennacherili ;  and  this  chapter  is  designed  still  further  to  set  forth  the  cir- 
cumstances and  the  effects  of  that  destruction.  That  it  refers  to  Sennacherib  is  apparent  from  the 
u  hole  structure  of  the  prophecy.  So  it  is  understood  by  Louth,  Kosenmuller,  Grotius  and  Calvin, 
.hough  Vitringa  supposes  that  it  refers  to  the  destruction  of  the  Sfriant,  instead  of  the  Axsitrians, 
*nd  particularly  after  tue  time  and  for  the  crimes  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes.  All  the  circumstances, 
as  well  as  the  connexion,  however,  agr.e  with  the  invasion  by  Sennacherib,  and  agree  far  better  with 
that  than  either  with  the  destruction  of  Babylon,  or  the  judgments  that  catm-  unon  the  byriana. 
The  ffrtS'S'"  of  the  prophecy  is  to  assure  the  .lews  that  iheir  nation  and  city  would  be  sale  notwith- 
standing the  invasion  ol  the  Assyrian,  and  that .  JEH'iVA  II  would  be  to  them  a  source  of  constant 
protection  and  consolation,  ver  '-'1  The  object  of  the  prophecy,  therefore,  is,  to  comfort  them  in 
this  threatened  invasion,  and  to  lead  them  to  look  up  to  God 

The  prophecy,  or  poem,  is  one  of  uncommon  beauty  in  its  structure,  and  is  peculiarly  elegant  in 
its  expressions.  It  abounds,  indeed,  in  transitions  ;  but  they  are  easily  seen,  and  can  be  distinctly 
marked,    The  structure  and  design  of  the  poem  may  be  seen  in  the  following  analysis 

I.  Wo  is  denounced  asainst  the  Assyrian  who  had  invaded  Judea  without  provocation,  and  who 
was  spreading  desolation  over  a  nation  that  had  not  injured  him,  ver.  1.  This  contains  the 
ge.ncul  scope  and  purport  of  the  chapter, 

II.  The  Jews  are  introduced  (ver  2,)  as  offering  up  supplications  to  JEHOVAH  in  view  of  the 
threatened  invasion,  and  beseeching  him  to  be  merciiul  to  them,  and  expressing  their  confi- 
dence in  him. 

III.  God  himself  is  introduced  declaring  the  overthrow  of  Sennacherib,  vs  3,  4.  This  he  repre- 
sents tver.  3)  under  the  image  of  the  people— that  is,  the  people  in  his  army— fleeing  at  the 
noise  ofthe  tumult  caused  by  the  desolating  tempest  that  should  sweep  them  away,  and  at 
the  act  of  God's  lifting  up  himself  to  scatter  the  nations 

IV.  A  chotus  of  Jews  is  introduced  (vs  5,  6)  extolling  the  greatness  and  mercy  of  God  (ver.  £  ; 
and  also  celebrating  the  wisdom  and  piety  of  Hezekiah,  who  had  put  his  confidence  in  God, 
ver.  6. 

V.  In  vs.  7—9,  the  despair  and  alarm  of  the  Jews  are  described  on  the  approach  of  Sennacherib. 
This  is  exhibited  in  the  following  manner: 

(a)   The  messengers  whom  Hezekiuh  had  sent  to  Sennacherib  with  three  hundred  talents 
of  silver  and  thirty  talents  01   gold,  to  propitiate  his  favour  (a  Kings  xviii.  14— 16).  re- 
turn without  success  and  weeping  bitterly,  ver.  7. 
t6)  The  desolation  is  described  that  attended  the  march  of  Sennacherib— a  desolation 
that  extended  to  the  highways,  the  cities,  and  to  the  most  beautiful  and  fertile  places, 
represented  by  hewing  down  Lebanon,  and  turning  Carmel  into  a  wilderness,  vs  8.  9. 
71.  God  is  now  introduced  (vs    10—1!)  as  saying  that  he  would  take  the  work  of  the  destruction 
ofthe  Assyrian  into  his  own  hand,  and  showing  that  he  would  be  himself  exalted  (ver  in) ; 
that  he  would  disappoint  their  expectations  (ver.  11) ;  that  they  should  be  totally  destroyed  as 
if  by  tire  (ver.  i-_>).  and  calling  on  the  nations  near  and  remote  to  hear  what  he  had  done,  ver  13. 
VII.  The  various  effects  ofthe  invasion  on  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  are  described  (vs.  14—19). 
(a)  The  effect  on  the  hypocrites,  producing  consternation  and  alarm  of  the  highest  degree, 

ver.  14. 
(6)  This  is  finely  contrasted  with  the  confidence  and  security  ofthe  righteous  in  that  time. 
They  would  confide  in  God  (vs   15,  16)  ;  they  would  see  the  king'  in  his  beauty  (ver. 
17  ;  and  they  would  see  their  foe  completely  destroyed,  vs.  IS,  19. 
VIII.  The  whole  account  is  closed  with  a  statement  of  the  fact  that  Jerusalem  was  safe,  and  that 
the  enemy  would  be  completely  destroyed,  vs.  20 — 24. 

1  Wo  to  thee  that  spoilest, 
wand  thou  wast,  not  spoiled  ;  and 
dealest   treacherously,  and   they 

to  ch.  21.  2.    Hab.  2.  8. 


1.  Wo  to  thee  that  spoilest.  This 
oeecription  accords  entirely  with 
Sennacherib   and  his  army,  who  had 


dealt  not  treacherously  with  thee  ! 
when  thou  shalt  cease  to  spoil, 
thou  ^shalt  be  spoiled  ;  and  when 


x  Rev.  13. 10. 


plundered  the  cities  and  countries 
which  they  had  invaded,  and  who  were 
about  to  advance  to  Jerusalem  for  the 


504 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.713 


thou  shalt  make  an  end  to  deal 
treacherously,  they  shall  deal 
treacherously  with  thee. 

2  O   Lord,  be  gracious  unto 
us :   we    have    waited    for  thee  : 


came  purpose.  Comp.  ch  xxix.  7,  8, 
xxxvii.  11.  It  And  than  wast  not 
spoiled.  That  is,  thou  hadst  not  been 
plundered  by  the  Jews  against  whom 
thou  art  coining.  It  was  because  the 
war  was  so  unprovoked  and  unjust, 
that  God  would  bring  so  signal  ven- 
geance on  them.  II  And  dealest 
treacherously.  See  Note  ch.  xxi.  2. 
The  treachery  of  the  Assyrians  consist- 
ed in  the  fact  that  when  their  assist- 
ance was  asked  by  the  Jews,  in  order 
to  aid  them  against  the  combined  forces 
of  Syria  and  Samaria  (seech  vii.  1,  2), 
they  had  taken  occasion  from  that  in- 
vitation to  bring  desolation  on  Judah. 
See  ch.  vii.  17,  20.  Notes  ch.  viii.  6-8, 
x.  6.  Hekekiah  also  gave  to  Sennach- 
erib thirty  talents  of  gold  and  three 
hundred  talents  of  silver,  evidently  with 
an  understanding  that  this  was  aU  that 
he  demanded,  and  that  if  this  was  paid 
he  would  leave  the  nation  in  peace. 
But  this  implied  promise  he  perfidiously 
disregarded  See  2  Kings  xviii.  14,  15. 
H  Wiien  thou  shalt  cease  to  spoil.  This 
does  not  refer  to  his  having  voluntarily 
ceased  to  plunder,  but  to  the  fact  that 
God  would  put  an  end  to  it.  If  Thou 
shalt  be  spoiled.  This  was  literally 
fulfilled.  The  Assyrian  monarchy  lost 
its  splendour  and  power,  and  was  finally 
merged  in  the  more  mighty  empire  of 
Babylon.  The  nation  was,  of  course, 
subject  to  the  depredation  of  the  con- 
querors, and  compelled  to  submit  to 
them.  If  When  thou  shalt  make  an 
end.  The  idea  is,  that  there  would  be 
a  completion,  or  a  finishing  of  his  acts 
of  treachery  towards  the  Jews,  and  that 
would  be  when  God  should  overthrow 
him  and  his  army,  IT  They  shall  deal 
treacherously  with  thee.  The  words 
"  they  shall,"  are  here  equivalent  to, 
*  thou  shalt  be  dealt  with  in  a  treacher- 
ous manner.'  The  lesult  was.  that 
Sennacherib  was  treacherously  slain  by 
his  own  sons  as  he   was  "worshipping 


be  thou  their  arm  every  morning, 
our  salvation  also  in  the  time  of 
trouble. 

3  At  the  noise  of  the  tumult 
the  people  (led  ;   at  the  lifting  up 

in  the  house  of  Nisroch  his  god"  (Isa. 
xxxvii  38),  and  thus  the  prophecy  was 
literally  fulfilled.  The  sense  of  the 
whole  is,  that  God  would  rewaid  their 
desire  of  plundering  a  nation  that  had 
not  injured  them  by  the  desolation  of 
their  own  land  ;  and  would  recompense 
the  perfidiousness  of  the  kings  of  Assyria 
that  had  Bought  to  subject  Jerusalem  to 
their  power,  by  perfidiousness  in  the 
royal  family  itself. 

2.  O  Lord.  This  is  a  solemn  prayer 
to  Jkiiovah,  made  by  the  Jews  in  the 
apprehension  of  the  invasion  of  the 
Assyrian.  It  is  not  meant  that  this 
prayer  was  actually  offered,  but  it  is  a 
prophetic  representation  indicating  the 
alarm  of  the  Jews  at  his  approach,  and 
their  disposition  to  throw  themselves 
upon  the  mercy  of  God  If  We  hare 
waited  for  thee.  That  is,  we  have 
looked  for  deliverance  from  this  threat- 
ened invasion,  from  thy  hand.  Comp. 
Note  ch.  xxvi.  8.  If  Be  thou  their  arm. 
The  arm  is  a  symbol  of  Strength.  It 
is  used  in  the  Scriptures  as  emblematic 
of  the  divine  protection,  or  of  the  inter- 
position of  God  in  time  of  calamity  and 
danger.  Ex.  xv.  16.  Job  xl  9.  Ps  xliv. 
3.1xxvii.  15  lxxxix.21,xcviii.  1.  Lowih 
proposes  to  read  "  our  arm  "  instead  ot 
"  their  arm  ,"  and  the  connexion  would 
seem  to  demand  such  a  reading.  The 
Vulgate  and  the  Ghaldee  read  it  in  this 
manner,  but  there  is  no  authority  from 
MSS.  for  a  change  in  the  text.  The 
truth  seems  to  be,  that  Isaiah,  impelled 
by  prophetic  inspiration,  here  interposes 
his  oion  feelings  as  a  Jew,  and  offers 
his  own  prayer  that  God  would  be  the 
strength  of  the  nation.  The  form, 
however,  is  immediately  changed,  and 
he  presents  the  prayer  of  the  people. 
H  Every  morning-  Constantly  ;  Bt  nil 
times  If  ///  the  time  of  troubli .  Re- 
ferring particularly  to  the  trouble  cdn- 
sequention  the  invasion  offhe   Vs-yrians. 

'A.  At  the  noise  of  the  tumuft.  LoVth 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


505 


of  thyself  the  nations  were  scat- 
tered. 

4  And  your  spoil  shall  be 
gathered  like  the  gathering  of  the 
caterpillar ;    as   the    running  to 

supposes  that  this  is"  addressed  by  the 
prophet  in  the  name  of  God,  or  rather 
by  God  himself  to  the  Assyrian,  and 
that  it  means  that  notwithstanding  the 
terror  which  he  had  caused  the  invaded 
countries,  he  would  himself  fall  and 
become  an  easy  prey  to  those  whom  he 
intended  to  subdue.  But  probably  it 
should  be  regarded  as  a  part  of  the  ad- 
dress which  the  Jews  made  to  Jehovah 
(ver.  2),  and  the  word  "  tumult"  ("P^'l 
sound,  noise,  as  of  rain,  1  Kings  xviii. 
41,  or  of  music,  Ezek.  xxvi.  13.  Amos 
v.  23,  or  the  bustle  or  tumult  of  a  people 
1  Sam.  iv.  11,  xiv.  19.  Job  xxxix.  7), 
refers  here  to  the  voice  of  God  by  which 
the  army  was  overthrown.  Jehovah 
is  often  represented  as  speaking  to  men 
in  a  voice  fitted  to  produce  consterna- 
tion and  alarm.  Thus  it  is  said  of  the 
vision  which  Daniel  saw  of  a  man  by 
the  side  of  the  river  Hiddekel,  "  his 
words"  were  "  like  the  voice  of  a  mul- 
titude" ("pEfJ),  Dan.  x.  6.  And  thus 
in  Rev.  i.  10,  the  voice  of  Christ  is  said 
to  have  been  "  like  the  voice  of  a  trum- 
pet ;"  and  in  ver.  15,  "like  the  sound 
many  waters."  It  will  be  recollected 
also  that  it  was  said  that  God  would 
send  upon  the  Assyrian  army  "  thunder, 
and  an  earthquake,  and  a  great  noise, 
with  storm  and  tempest,  and  a  flame 
of  devouring  fire"  (lsa.  xxix.  6,  comp. 
ch.  xxx.  30)  ;  and  it  is  doubtless  to  this 
prediction  that  the  prophet  refers  here. 
God  would  come  forth  with  the  voice 
of  indignation,  and  would  scatter  the 
combined  armies  of  the  Assyrian. 
V  The  people  fled.  The  people  in  the 
army  of  the  Assyrian.  A  large  part 
of  them  were  slain  by  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  in  a  single  night,  but  a  portion  of 
them  with  Sennacherib  escaped  and 
fled  to  their  own  land.  Isa  xxxvii.  36, 
37.  H  At  the  lifting  up  of  thyself. 
01  Jehovah  ;  as  when  one  rouses  him- 
self to  strike.     X   The    ,-<tion*.     The 


and  fro  of  locusts  shall  he  run 
upon  them. 

5  The  Lord  is  exalted ;  dfor 
he    dvvelleth   on    high :  he    hath 

d  Ps.  97.  9. 

army  of  Sennacherib  was  doubtless 
made  up  of  levies  from  the  nations  that 
had  been  subdued,  and  that  composed 
the  Assyrian  empire. 

4.  And  your  spoil.  The  booty  that 
the  Assyrian  army  had  gathered  in 
their  march  towards  Jerusalem,  and 
which  would  now  be  left  by  them  to  be 
collected  by  the  Jews.  1T  Shall  be 
gathered  like  the  gathering  of  the 
caterpillar.  The  grammatical  con- 
struction here  is  such  that  this  may 
admit  of  two  interpretations.  It  may 
either  mean,  as  the  caterpillar  or  the 
locust  is  gathered  ;  or  it  may  mean,  as 
the  caterpillar  "gathers  its  spoil.  It 
often  occurred  that  in  countries  where 
the  locust  was  an  article  of  food,  they 
were  scraped  together  in  large  quan- 
tities, and  thrown  into  ditches,  or  into 
reservoirs,  and  retained  to  be  eaten. 
This  is  the  custom  in  some  parts  of 
Africa.  But  the  meaning  here  is,  un- 
doubtedly, that  the  plunder  of  the  As- 
syrian army  would  be  collected  by  the 
Jews,  as  the  locust  gathered  its  food. 
The  sense  is,  that  as  locusts  spread 
themselves  out  over  a  land  ;  as  they  go 
to  and  fro  without  rule  and  without 
molestation,  gathering  whatever  is  in 
their  way,  and  consuming  every  thing, 
so  the  Jews  in  great  numbers,  and  with- 
out regular  military  array,  would  run 
to  and  fro  collecting  the  spoils  of  the 
Assyrian  army.  In  a  country  where 
such  devastation  was  made  by  the 
caterpillar  and  locust  as  in  Palestine, 
this  was  a  very  striking  figure.  The 
word  rendered  "caterpillar"  here 
(b^Dn  from  'Gil  to  cut  off,  consume), 
properly  denotes  the  devourer,  and  is 
applied  usually  to  a  species  of  locust. 
So  it  is  understood  here  by  most  of  the 
versions  The  LXX  render  it,  "  as  if 
one  were  gathering  locusts,  so  will  they 
insult  you." 

5.  The  Lord  is  exalted.    Comp   Pa 


506 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


filled  Zion  with  judgment   eand 
righteousness. 

6  And  wisdom  and  knowledge 
shall  he  the  stability  of  thy  times, 


e  Rom.  3.  26. 
/  Fr.  14.  27. 


4  salvations. 

5  or,  messengers. 


xcvii.  9.  The  prophet  here  introduces 
a  chorus  of  the  Jews,  celebrating  the 
praises  of  God  for  delivering  them  from 
the  Assyrian.  IT  He  hath  filled  Zion 
with  judgment.  That  is,  the  effect  of  his 
destroying  his  enemies  will  be  to  fill 
Jerusalem  with  reverence  for  his  name. 
The  deliverance  would  be  so  signal, 
and  the  manifestation  of  the  divine 
mercy  so  great,  that  the  effect  would 
be  that  the  nation  would  turn  to  God, 
and  acknowledge  his  gracious  inter- 
position. See  eh.  xxx.  22-26,  29,  xxxi. 
6,  xxxii.  15-1 8. 

6.  And  wisdom  and  knowledge  shall 
be.  This  verse  contains  evidently  an 
address  to  Hezekiah,  and  asserts  that 
his  reign  would  be  characterized  by  the 
prevalence  of  piety  and  knowledge. 
This  chapter  abounds  in  sudden  transi- 
tions ;  and  it  accords  with  its  general 
character  that  when  Jehovah  had  been 
addressed  (ver.  5),  there  should  then 
be  a  direct  address  to  Hezekiah.  IT  The 
stability.  This  word  denotes  firmness, 
steadiness,  constancy ;  and  means  that 
in  his  times  knowledge  and  the  fear  of 
the  Lord  would  be  settled  on  a  firm 
foundation.  The  whole  history  of  the 
virtuous  reign  of  Hezekiah  shows  that 
this  was  fulfilled.  See  2  Kings  xviii. 
1  And  strength  of  salvation.  Or  sav- 
ing strength  ;  that  is,  mighty  or  dis- 
tinguished salvation.  Thy  times  shall 
be  distinguished  for  great  reforms,  and 
for  the  prevalence  of  the  doctrines  of 
Balvation.  t  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is 
his  treasure.  The  principal  riches  of 
Hezekiah.  His  reign  shall  not  be  dis- 
tinguished for  wars  and  conquests,  for 
commercial  enterprise,  or  for  external 
splendour,  but  for  the  prevalence  of 
piety,  and  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

7.  Behold.  This  verse  introduces  a 
new  subject  by  a  very  sudden  transition. 
It  is  designed,  with  the  two  following, 
to  exhibit  the  desolation  of  the  land  on 
ihe  invasion   of  Seiu.acherib,  and  the 


and  strength  of  salvation  ;'  the 
fear  -^of  the  Lord  is  his  treasure. 
7  Behold  their  svaliant  ones 
shall  cry  without ;  the  ambassa- 
dors of  peace  shall  weep  bitterly. 

consternation  t*hat  would  prevail.  For 
this  purpose,  the  prophet  introduces 
(ver.  7,)  the  ambassadors  who  had  been 
sent  to  sue  for  peace,  as  having  sought 
it  in  vain,  and  as  weeping  now  bitter- 
ly ;  he  represents  (in  ver.  8,)  the  deso- 
lation that  abounded,  and  the  fact  that 
Sennacherib  refused  to  come  to  any 
terms  ;  and  (in  ver.  9)  the  extended 
•Violations  that  had  come  upon  the 
fairest  portions  of  the  land.  If  Their 
valiant  ones.  The  "  valiant  ones"  of 
the  Jews  who  had  been  sent  to  Sennach- 
erib to  obtain  conditions  of  peace,  or  to 
enter  into  a  negociation  with  him  to 
spare  the  city  and  the  nation.  The 
word  which  is  here  rendered  "  valiant 
ones,"  D2X"1X  ,  has  given  great  per- 
plexity to  expositors.  It  occurs  no- 
where else  in  the  Scriptures.  The  LXX 
render  the  verse,  "  with  the  dread  of 
you  shall  they  be  terrified  ;  they,  of 
whom  you  have  been  afraid,  will,  for 
fear  of  you,  raise  a  grievous  cry." 
Jerome  renders  it,  "  Behold,  they  see- 
ing, cry  without,"  as  if  the  word  was 
derived  from  ^SO  to  see.  The  Chaldee 
renders  it,  "  And  when  it  shall  be  re- 
vealed to  them,  the  messengers  of  the 
people  who  went  to  announce  peace, 
shall  cry  bitterly."  The  Syriac,  "  If 
he  shall  permit  himself  to  be  seen  by 
them,  they  shall  weep  bitterly."  Sym- 
machus  and  Theodotion  render  it,  tioi 
dfpOi'itrofiai  aiiTOis — Lo,  I  will   appear  tc 

them.         So    Aquila,    bpaOfivopai    airotf 

Most  or  all  the  versions  seem  to  have 
read  it  as  if  it  were  compounded  of 
cb  HJ<"iJ<  /  j/);7/  appear  to  them.  Bu 
probably  the  word  is  formed  from  'X^J? 
the  same  as  PX'^X  Ariel  a  hero  (see 
Note  ch.  xxix.  1),  and  means  their  hero 
in  a  collective  sense,  or  their  heroes , 
that  is,  their  men  who  were  distinguish- 
ed as  military  leaders,  and  who  were 
sent  to  propose  terms  of  peace  with 
Sennacherib.      The    most    honou'ablo 


tf.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


507 


8  The  highways  lie  waste,  the 
wayfaring  man  ceaseth  :  he  hath 
broken    the    covenant,   he   hath 

and  valiant  men  would  be  selected  of 
course  for  this  purpose  (comp  Note  ch. 
xxx.  4),  but  they  had  made  the  effort  to 
obtain  peace  in  vain,  and  were  return- 
ing with  consternation  and  alarm. 
IT  Shall  cry  without.  They  would  lift 
up  their  voice  with  weeping  as  they  re- 
turned, and  publicly  proclaim  with  bit- 
ter lamentation  that  their  efforts  to  ob- 
tain peace  had  faded  IT  The  ambassa- 
dors of  peace.  When  Sennacherib  in- 
vaded the  land,  and  had  advanced  as 
far  as  to  Lachish,  Hezekiah  sent  mes- 
sengers to  him  with  a  rich  present, 
having  stripped  the  temple  of  its  gold, 
and  sent  him  all  the  silver  which  was 
in  his  treasury,  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
pitiating his  favour,  and  of  inducing 
him  to  return  to  his  own  land.  2  Kings 
xviii.  14—16.  But  it  was  all  in  vain. 
Sennacherib  sent  his  generals  with  a 
great  host  against  Jerusalem,  and  was 
unmoved  by  all  the  treasures  which 
Hezekiah  had  sent  to  him,  and  by  his 
solicitations  for  peace.  2  Kings  xviii. 
17.  It  was  to  the  failure  of  this  em- 
bassy that  Isaiah  refers  in  the  passage 
before  us. 

8.  The  highways  lie  waste.  This 
verse  contains  a  description  of  the  deso- 
lations that  had  been  caused  by  the 
invasion  of  Sennacherib.  Some  have 
understood  it  as  containing  the  account 
which  the  ambassadors  sent  by  Heze- 
kiah gave  of  the  effects  of  the  invasion. 
Thus  Grotius  interprets  it.  But  it  is 
probably  a  description  made  by  the 
prophet  himself,  and  is  designed  to  state 
one  cause  why  the  messengers  that  had 
been  sent  out  wept  bitterly.  They  had 
not  only  failed  of  inducing  Sennacherib 
to  abandon  his  purpose  of  attacking 
Jerusalem,  but  they  had  witnessed  the 
effects  of  his  invasion  already.  The 
public  ways  were  desolate.  In  the 
consternation  and  alarm  that  was  pro- 
duced by  his  approach,  the  roads  that 
had  been  usually  thronged  were  now 
solitary,  and  still.  A  mournful  desola- 
lation   already  prevailed,  and  they  ap- 


despised  the  cities,  he  regardeth 
no  man. 


prehended  still  greater  calamities,  and 
hence  they  wept.  1T  The  wayfaring 
man  ceaseth.  Heb.  He  that  passes 
along  the  road  ceases.  That  is,  there 
is  a  cessation  of  travel.  No  one  is  seen 
passing  along  the  streets  that  used  to 
be  thronged.  H  He  hath  broken  the 
covenant.  This  may  either  mean  that 
the  Assyrian  king  had  violated  the  com- 
pact which  had  been  made  with  him  by 
Ahaz,  by  which  he  was  to  come  and 
aid  Jerusalem  against  the  allied  armies 
of  Syria  and  Samaria  (see  Notes  on  ch. 
vii  ),  or  it  may  mean  that  he  had  vio- 
lated an  implied  compact  with  Heze- 
kiah. When  Judea  was  threatened 
with  an  invasion  by  Sennacherib, 
Hezekiah  had  sent  to  him  when  he  was 
at  Lachish  and  had  sought  for  peace. 
2  Kings  xviii.  14.  In  that  embassy 
Hezekiah  said,  "I  have  offended,  re- 
turn from  me  ;  that  which  thou  puttest 
on  me  I  will  bear.  And  the  king  of 
Assyria  appointed  unto  Hezekiah  king 
of  Judah  three  hundred  talents  of  silver 
and  thirty  talents  of  gold  "  To  pay 
this,  Hezekiah  exhausted  his  treasury, 
and  even  stripped  the  temple  of  its 
golden  ornaments.  2  Kings  xviii.  15, 
1G.  A  compact  was  thus  made  by 
which  it  was  understood  that  Sennach- 
erib was  to  withdraw  his  army,  and 
depart  from  the  land.  But  notwith- 
standing this,  he  still  persisted  in  his 
purpose,  and  immediately  despatched  a 
part  of  his  army  to  lay  siege  to  Jeru- 
salem. All  the  treaties,  therefore,  had 
been  violated.  He  had  disregarded 
that  which  was  made  with  Ahaz,  and 
that  which  he  had  now  himself  made 
with  Hezekiah,  and  was  advancing  in 
violation  of  all  to  lay  siege  to  the  city. 
If  He  hath  despised  the  cities.  That 
is,  he  disregards  their  defences,  and 
their  strength  ;  he  invades  and  takes 
all  that  comes  in  his  way.  He  sjieake 
of  them  with  contempt  and  scorn  aa 
being  unable  to  stand  before  him,  or  to 
resist  his  march.  See  his  vain  and 
confident    boasting    in    chs.   x.    9,  and 


508 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.tlS. 


9  The  earth  mourneth  and 
languishcth  ;  Lebanon  is  asham- 
ed and  *he\vn  down  ;  Sharon  is 
like  a  wilderness  ;  and  Bashan 
and  Carmel  shake  off  their  fruits. 

10  Now  will    I    rise,  saith  the 

6  or,  wittered  away. 

xxxvi.  19  T  He  regardeth  no  man. 
Up  spares  no  one,  and  he  observes  no 
compact  with  any  man. 

y.   The   earth  mourneth.     The  land 
through  which  he  has  passed.     For  the  i 
sense  of  this  phrase,  see  Note  ch.  xxiv.  | 
4.     TF  Lebanon  is  ashamed  and   hewn 
down.     For  the  situation   of  Lebanon 
see  Note  ch.  x.  34.     Lebanon  was  dis-  i 
tinguished  for  its  ornaments  of  beauti-  j 
ful "cedars.     Here  it   is  represented  as 
being  stript  of  these  ornaments,  and  as  j 
covered  with  shame   on   that   account. 
There  is  not  any  direct  historical  evi- 
dence that  Sennacherib  had   advanced  t 
to    Lebanon,    though    there   are    some  \ 
intimations  that  this  had  orcurred  (see  j 
Note  ch.  xiv.  8),  and   it  was  certainly  | 
a  part  of  his  boast  that  he  had  done  it.  i 
See  ch.  xxxvii.  24.     There   is  no  im-  j 
probability  in  supposing   that  he   had 
sent  a  part  of  his  army  to  plunder  the 
country   in  the   vicinity   of    Lebanon. 
See  ch.   xx.    1.     H    Sharon   is   like    a 
wilderness.     Sharon  was  the  name  of 
a  district  south  of  Mount  Carmel  along 
the  coast  of  the    Mediterranean,   ex- 
tending to  Cesarea   and   Joppa.     The 
name  was  almost  proverbial  to  express 
any  place  of  extraordinary  beauty  and 
fertility.     See  Isa.  xxxv.  2,  lxv.  10.     1 
Chron.   v.    16,  xxvii.   '29    Cant.   ii.  1. 
There  was  also  another  Sharon  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Jordan,  and  in  the  vi- 
cinity of    Bashan,  which   was   also  a 
fertile  region.   1  Chron.  v.  16.     To  this, 
it  is  more  probable   that  the  prophet 
here  refers,  though  it   is  not   certain. 
The  object  seems  to  be  to  mention  the 
.  most  fertile  places  in  the  land  as  being 
now  desolate.     IT  Bashan.     For  an  ac- 
count of  the  situation  of  Bashan  subse- 
quently called  Batanea,  see  Note  ch.  ii. 
13.      IT  And  Carmel.    See  Note  on  ch. 
sxix.  17.  1  Shake  off  their,  fruity  The 
Words  "  their  fruits,"  are   not   in   the 


Lord  ;  now  will   I  be  exalted  ; 
"now  will  I  lift  up  myself. 

11  Ye  shall  conceive  chaff; 
ye  shall  bring  forth  stubble : 
your  breath  as  fire  shall  devour 
you. 

h  Pa.  46.  10. 

Hebrew.  The  LXX  read  this,  "  Galilee 
and  Carmel  are  made  bare,"  tpavcpb 
carat  k.  r.  X.  The  Hebrew  word  ">?3 
probably  means  to  shake  ;  to  shake  out, 
or  off;  and  refers  here  to  the  fact 
probably  that  Bashan  and  Carmel  are 
represented  as  having  shaken  off  their 
leaves,  and  were  now  lying  desolate  as 
in  winter. 

10.  Now.      This  verse   commences 

another    transition.      In    the   previous 

verses  the  desolation  of  the  land  had 

been  described,   and    the   hopelessness 

of  obtaining  any  terms  of  favour  from 

Sennacherib,  or  of  binding  him  to  any 

compact  had  been  stated.     In  thisstate 

of  things,  when  inevitable  ruin  seemed 

to  be  coming  upon  the  nation,  God  said 

that   he  would   interpose.      H    Will   I 

j  rise.     To  vengeance  ;  or  to  punish  the 

invading  host.     The   emphasis    in  this 

passage  should  be    placed  on  "  I,"  in- 

1  dicating  that  Jehovah  would  himself  do 

what   could   not  be  effected    by  men. 

:  %  Now    will   I  be    exalted.     That    is, 

\  God  would  so  interpose  that  it  should 

be  manifest  that   it  was  his  hand  that 

brought  deliverance. 

11.  Ye  shall  conceive  chaff.  An 
address  of  God  to  the  Assyrians.  The 
figure  is  one  that  denotes  that  their 
counsels  would  be  in  vain.  Chaff  and 
stubble  are  used  in  the  Scriptures,  in 
contrast  with  grain,  to  denote  any 
thing  which  is  not  solid,  nutritious  or 
substantial;  then  any  thing  which 
is  frivolous,  useless,  vain  A  similar 
image  occurs  in  ch.  xxvi.  18.  See 
Note  on  that  place.  Comp.  ch.  hx. 
4.  f  Your  breath  as  fire  shall  de- 
vour you.  The  word  "breath"  here 
(nil  spirit)  is  evidently  used  in  the 
sense  of  the  Greek  BvPt:,  and  deHotea 
anger,  as  in  ch.  xxx.  28.  It  refere  to 
the    haughty    and   arrogant    spirit  ot 


£.G\713.J 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


503 


12  And  the  people  shall  be  as  I  14  The  sinners  in  Zion  are 
the  burnings  of  lime;  as  thorns  afraid;  fearfulness  hath  surpris- 
cut  up  shall  they  be  burned  in  ed  fcthe  hypocrites  :  who  among 
the  fire.  us  shall  dwell  with  the  devouring 

13  Hear,  ye  that  are  far  off,  fire?  who  among  us  shall  dwell 
what  I  have  done;  and  ye  that  with  everlasting  burnings'? 

are  near,  acknowledge  my  might.  kMatt.  22. 12. 

night,  when  it  should  blaze  against  that 
great  anny,  was  so  terrible,  how  ?ould 
it  be  borne  for  ever  ?  This  seems  to  be 
the  general  idea  ot  the  passage.  A  great 
variety  ot'interpretationshavebeen  pro- 
posed which  may  :  e  seen  in  Vitringa 
and  Pool.  The  phrase,  "  sinners  in 
Zion "  here  refers  to  the  wicked  and 
rebellious  in  Jerusalem.  f  Fearful- 
ness  hath  surprised  the  hypocrites. 
Those  who  professed  to  serve  God,  and 
yet  who  were  secretly  depending  on 
the  aid  of  Egypt.  See  ch.  xxxi.  Comp. 
Note  ch.  ix.  17.  The  sentiment  here 
is,  that  those  who  professedly  are  the 
friends  of  God,  but  who  are  secretly 
and  really  his  enemies,  are  often  alarm- 
ed at  his  judgments.  When  the  judg- 
ments of  God  overtake  sinners,  they 
are  conscious  that  they  deserve  also 
his  wrath,  and  their  minds  are  filled 
with  consternation.  So  in  a  time  of 
prevailing  sickness,  or  of  pestilence, 
they  who  have  really  no  confidence  in 
God,  and  no  evidence  that  they  are 
prepared  to  die,  are  filled  with  alarm. 
A  true  friend  of  God  will  be  calm  in 
such  scenes  ;  a  hypocrite  will  show  by 
his  consternation  that  he  has  no  re- 
ligion. IT  Who  among  us  shall  dwell 
with  the  devouring  fire.  Some  have 
understood  this  as  referring  to  the  fires 
which  they  supposed  the  Assyrian 
would  kindle  in  Jerusalem,  apprehend- 
ing that  he  would  take  and  burn  the 
city.  But  the  more  probable  interpre- 
tation is  that  which  refers  it  to  the 
judgment  that  would  be  brought  upon 
the  Assyrians — the  burning  wrath  of 
God  like  fire  that  would  consume  them. 
The  destruction  of  the  Assyrians  is  re- 
peatedly represented  under  the  image 
of  a  storm  and  tempest,  where  there 
would  be  the  "  flame  of  devouring  fire.'' 
See  Note  ch.  xxix.  6.  The  sense  is 
this.      '  God   has  suddenly  consumed 


Sennacherib  ;  the  enraged  and  excited 
mind  intent  on  victory  and  plunder. 
The  sense  is,  that  his  mind  so  intent  on 
conquest — so  proud,  excited,  and  angry, 
would  be  the  means  of  his  own  destruc- 
tion. Lowth  proposes  to  read  "my 
spirit,"  but  for  this  change  there  is  no 
authority  from  MSS.  See  Notes  onch. 
i.  31. 

12.  And  the  people.  In  the  army 
of  Sennacherib,  f  As  the  burnings 
of  lime.  As  if  placed  in  a  burning 
lime-kiln,  where  they  must  certainly 
be  destroyed.  See  ch.  xxx.  33.  Comp. 
Amos  ii.  1.  IT  As  thorns  cut  up.  As 
thorns,  or  small  brush-wood,  that  has 
been  long  cut  up  and  perfectly  dried 
are  speedily  consumed,  so  shall  it  be 
with  the  Assyrian  army.  This  is  an 
image  like  many  that  are  employed, 
denoting  that  the  destruction  of  the 
army  of  the  Assyrians  would  be  sudden 
and  entire. 

13.  Hear,  ye  that  are  far  off.  This 
is  an  address  of  Jehovah,  indicating 
that  the  destruction  of  the  Assyrian 
army  would  be  so  signal  that  it  would 
be  known  to  distant  nations,  and  would 
constitute  an  admonition  to  them.  H  Ye 
that  are  near.  Ye  .lews;  or  the  nations 
immediately  adjacent  to  Judea.  The 
phrase  "  far  and  near,"  is  equivalent  to 
all. 

14.  The  sinners  in  Zion  are  afiaid. 
This  verse  is  evidently  designed  to  de- 
scribe the  alarm  that  was  produced  in 
Jerusalem  on  impenitent  sinners  and 
hypocrites  by  a  view  of  the  judgment 
of  God  on  the  army  of  Sennacherib. 
They  would  see  his  wrath  on  his  ene- 
mies then,  and  in  view  of  the  terrors 
of  his  indignation  in  relation  to  that 
army  they  would  be  alarmed,  and  would 
ask  how  it  would  be  possible  for  them 
to  endure  such  wrath  for  ever.  If  the 
effect  of  the  wrath  of  God   even  for  a 


510 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


15  He  mthat  walketh  3right-  I  from  holding  of  bribes,  that  stop- 
eously  and  speaketh  *  uprightly  ;  j  peth  his  ears  from  hearing  of 
he  that  despiselh  the  gain  of  5oji-  'blood,  and  shutteth  his  "eyes 
pressions,  that  shaketh  his  hands    from  seeing  evil ; 

m  Pi.  15.  a.    Unrightamtnuat    4  uprightness.   \    5  or,  deceits.  7  bloods.  nPt.  119.37. 


that  immense  army  of  his  foes.  Such 
must  be  the  awful   punishment  of  the 

wicked.  How  can  we  abide  it  I  We 
also,  though  among  his  people,  are  his 
foes,  and  are  exposed  to  his  wrath. 
How  can  we  endure  the  terrors  of  that 
day  when  his  burning  indignation  shall 
also  overtake  us  ?'  IT  Shall  dwell  with 
everlasting  burnings?  Who  among 
us  could  endure  to  suffer  amid  such 
burning  wrath  for  ever?  If  that  wrath 
is  so  fierce  as  to  consume  such  an  im- 
mense host  in  a  single  night,  who  could 
abide  it  should  it  be  continued  forever 
and  for  ever  ?  This  is  the  obvious  sense 
oi  this  passage  ;  and  it  implies  (1.) 
That  hypocrites  will  be  greatly  alarmed 
when  they  see  punishment  come  upon 
the  open  and  avowed  enemies  of  God. 
(m2.)  That  in  such  times  they  will  have 
none  of  the  peace  and  quiet  confidence 
which  his  true  friends  have.  (3.)  That 
such  an  alarm  is  evidence  of  conscious 
guilt  and  hypocrisy.  (4.)  That  the  per- 
sons here  spoken  of  had  a  belief  of  the 
doctrine  of  eternal  punishment — a  be- 
lief which  hypocrites  and  sinners  always 
have,  else  why  should  they  be  alarmed  ? 
(5.)  That  the  punishment  of  hypocrites 
in  the  church  will  be  dreadful  and  ter- 
rific. This  seems  to  have  been  the 
conviction  here.  They  saw  that  if  such 
judgments  came  upon  those  who  had 
no  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  it  must 
be  infinitely  more  terrible  on  those  who 
had  been  trained  amidst  the  institutions 
of  religion,  and  who  had  professed  at- 
tachment to  Jehovah.  And  so  it  will 
be  in  a  pre-eminent  degree  among 
those  who  have  been  trained  in  the 
Christian  church,  and  who  have  been 
die  professed  but  insincere  followers 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

15.  He  that  walketh  righteously .  In 
this  and  the  following  verses  the  prophet 
presents,  in  contrast,  the  confidence  and 
the  security  of  the  righteous.  He  first, 
in  this  verse,  describes  the  character- 


istics of  the  righteous,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing verses  their  confidence  in  God,  and 
their  security  and  safety.  The  first 
characteristic  of  the  righteous  man  ia 
that  he  walks  righteously  ;  that  is,  he 
Uvea  righteously  ;  he  does  right.  IT  And 
speaketh  uprightly.  The  second  char- 
acteristic— his  words  are  well-ordered. 
He  is  not  false,  perfidious,  slanderous, 
or  obscene  in  his  words.  If  a  private 
individual,  his  words  are  simple,  hon- 
est, and  true  ;  if  a  magistrate,  his  de- 
cisions are  according  to  justice.  IT  He 
that  despiseth  the  gain  of  oppressions. 
Marg.  deceits.  The  third  character- 
istic— he  abhors  the  gain  that  is  the 
result  of  imposition,  fatae  dealing,  and 
false  weights.  Or  if  it  mean  oppres- 
sions, as  the  word  usually  does,  then 
the  sense  is,  that  he  does  not  oppress 
the  poor,  or  take  advantage  of  their 
needy  condition,  or  affix  exorbitant 
prices,  or  extort  payment  in  a  manner 
that  is  harsh  and  cruel.  IT  That  shaketh 
his  hands  from  holding  of  bribes.  The 
fourth  characteristic.  This  relates 
particularly  to  magistrates.  They  ad- 
judge causes  according  to  justice,  and 
do  not  allow  their  judgment  to  be 
swayed  by  the  prospect  of  reward. 
IT  That  stoppeth  his  ears  from  hearing 
of  blond.  This  is  the  fifth  characteris- 
tic. It  means,  evidently,  he  who  does 
not  listen  to  a  proposal  to  shed  blood, 
or  to  any  scheme  of  violence,  and  rob- 
bery, and  murder.  See  Note  ch.  i.  15. 
^  And  ehutteth  his  eyes  from  seeing 
evil.  He  does  not  desire  to  see  it  ; 
he  is  not  found  in  the  places  where  it 
is  committed.  A  righteous  man  should 
not  only  have  no  part  in  evil,  but  he 
will  keep  himself  if  possible  from  being 
a  witness  of  it.  A  man  who  sees  all 
the  evil  that  is  going  forward  ;  that  is 
present  in  every  brawl  and  contention, 
is  usually  a  man  who  has  a  fondness 
for  such  scenes,  and  who  may  be  ex- 
pected to  take  part  in  them.     It  is  a 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


511 


16  He  shall  dwell  on  'high  ; 
his  place  of  defence  shall  be  t  e 
munitions  of  rocks;  bread  shall 
be  given  him,  his  waters  shall  be 
sure. 

17  Thine  eyes  shall  see  ?the 
King  in  his  beauty :  they  shall 

remarkable  fact  that  very  few  of  the 
society  of  Friends  are  ever  seen  in 
courts  of  justice  as  tvitnesses.  The 
reason  is,  that  they  have  no  fondness 
for  seeing  the  strifes  and  contentions 
of  men,  and  are  not  found  in  those 
places  where  evil  is  usually  committed. 
This  is  the  sixth  characteristic  of  the 
righteous  man  ;  and  the  sum  of  the 
whole  is,  that  he  keeps  himself  from 
all  forms  of  iniquity. 

16.  He  shall  dwell  on  high.  See 
the  margin.  Heights,  or  high  places, 
were  usually  places  of  safety,  being  in- 
accessible to  an  enemy.  The  sense 
here  is,  that  such  a  man  as  is  described 
in  ver.  15  should  be  preserved  from 
alarm  and  danger,  as  if  his  habitation 
were  on  a  lofty  cliff  or  rock.  The  par- 
ticular and  special  meaning  is,  that  he 
should  be  safe  from  the  anger,  wrath, 
and  consuming  fire,  which  the  sinner 
and  the  hypocrite  dreaded.  Ver.  14. 
IT  The  munitions  of  rocks.  The  lite- 
ral translation  of  this  place  would  be, 
•  The  strong  holds  of  the  rocks  shall 
be  his  lofty  fortress.'  Comp.  Note 
ch.  ii.  21.  1!  Bread  shall  be  given  him. 
He  shall  be  sustained,  and  his  life  shall 
be  preserved. 

17.  Thine  eyes.     The  eyes   of   the 
ighteous,  described  in  ver.  15.   If  Shall 

see  the  King  in  his  beauty.  Some  un- 
derstand this  of  the  Assyrian  king. 
Thus  Kimchi  understands  it,  and  sup- 
poses it  means  that  they  shall  see  him 
at  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  ;  that  is, 
shall  see  him  destroyed.  Vitringa  sup- 
poses .'.  means  Jehovah  himself,  as  the 
king  of  his  people,  and  that  they  should 
see  him  in  his  glory.  Others  suppose 
it  refers  to  the  Messiah.  But  the  im- 
mediate connection  requires  us  to  un- 
derstand it  of  Hezekiah.  Comp.  Note 
ch.  xxxii.  1,  2.  The  sense  is,  '  You 
ehall  be  defended  from  the  hostile  army 


behold  the  land  that  k;s  very  far 
off. 

18  Thine  heart  shall  meditate 
terror.  Where  is  the  scribe  ? 
where  is  the  2receiver  ?  where  is 
he  that  counted  the  towers  I 


Shaghtfi,  or,  high  pluces. 
1  of  far  distances. 


q  John  17.  24. 
2  weigher. 


of  the  Assyrian.  You  shall  be  permit- 
ted to  live  under  the  peaceful  and  pros- 
perous reign  of  your  pious  monarch, 
and  shall  see  him,  not  with  diminished 
territory  and  resources,  but  with  the 
appropriate  magnificence  which  be- 
comes a  monarch  of  Israel.'  IT  The 
land  that  is  very  far  off.  You  shall  be 
i  permitted  to  look  to  the  remotest  part 
of  the  land  of  Judea  as  delivered  from 
enemies,  and  as  still  under  the  happy 
sceptre  of  your  king.  You  shall  not 
be  confined  by  a  siege,  and  straitened 
within  the  narrow  walls  of  Jerusalem. 
The  empire  of  Hezekiah  shall  be  ex- 
tended over  the  wide  dominions  that 
appropriately  belong  to  him,  and  you 
shall  be  permitted  to  range  freely  over 
the  whole  land,  even  over  the  parts 
that  are  now  occupied  by  the  forces  of 
the  Assyrian.  Virgil  bos  a  beautiful 
passage  remarkably  similar  to  this : 

juvat  ire,  et  Dorica  castra, 

Desertosque  videre  locos,  ^itusque  relictum. — JEn. 
ii.  28. 

18.  Thine  heart.  The  heart  of  the 
people  of  Jerusalem.  IT  Shall  meditate 
terror.  This  is  similar  to  the  expres- 
sion in  Virgil : 

— forsan  et  haec  olim  meminisse  juvabit.— JEn. 
ii.  203. 

The  sense  here  is, '  You  shall  hereafter 
think  over  all  this  alarm  and  distress. 
When  the  enemy  is  destroyed,  the  city 
saved,  and  the  king  shall  reign  in 
magnificence  over  all  the  nation  then 
enjoying  peace  and  prosperity,  you 
shall  recall  these  days  of  terror  and 
alarm,  and  shall  then  ask  with  grati- 
tude and  astonishment.  Where  are  they 
who  caused  this  alarm  ?  Where  are 
now  they  who  so  confidently  calculated 
on  taking  the  city  ?  They  are  all  gone 
— and  gone  in  a  manner  fitted  to  excite 
astonishment  and  adoring  gratitude.' 
"  Sweet  is  the  recollection,"  says  Ro- 


512 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. IIS. 


19  Thou  shalt  not  see  a  fierce    shall  see  Jerusalem  a  quiet  habi- 
people  ;   a    people  of    a    deeper    tation,  a  tabernacle  tliat  shall  not 


speech  than  thou  canst  perceive  ; 
of  a  •stammering  tongue,  that 
thou  canst  not  understand. 

20  Look  upon  Zion,  the  city 
of  our    solemnities:  thine    eyes 

Benm  filler, "  ot  dangers  that  are  passed." 
IT  Where  is  the  scribe  ?  How  soon, 
how  suddenly  has  he  vanished  !  The 
word  scribe  here  P?0)  evidently  re- 
fers to  sonic  prominent  class  of  officers 
in  i he  Assyrian  army.  It  is  from  "ISO  , 
to  count,  to  number,  to  write  ;  and  pro- 
bably refers  to  a  secretary,  perhaps  a 
secretary  of  state  or  of  war,  or  an  in- 
spector general,  who  had  the  charge  of 
reviewing  an  army.  Jer.  xxxvii.  15, 
lii.  25.  2  Kings  xxv.  19.  U  Where  is 
the  receiver?  Margin,  as  in  the  He- 
brew, weigher.  The  Vulgate  renders 
this,  "  Where  is  he  that  ponders  the 
words  of  the  law  V  The  LXX,"  Where 
are  the  counsellors  (avpSovXivovTcs)  1" 
Probably  the  word  refers  to  him  who 
weighed  the  tribute,  or  the  pay  of  the 
soldiers  ;  and  means,  doubtless,  some 
officer  in  the  army  of  the  Assyrian ; 
probably  one  whose  office  it  was  to 
have  charge  of  the  military  chest,  and 
to  pay  the  army.  IT  Where  is  he  that 
counted  the  towers  ?  That  is,  who 
made  an  estimate  of  the  strength  of  Je- 
rusalem— either  Sennacherib,  or  some 
one  appointed  by  him  to  reconnoitre 
and  report  on  the  means  which  the  city 
had  of  defence.     Comp.  ch.  xxxvi.  4. 

19  Thou  shall  not  see  a  fierce  people. 
Or,  rather,  '  this  fierce  and  boasting 
people  you  shall  not  see.'  They  shall 
not  enter  the  city  ;  but  though  they  are 
advancing  with  so  much  confidence, 
they  shall  be  suddenly  cut  off  and  de- 
stroyed. The  word  rendeied  "  fierce," 
TS13  from  t?3  ,  probably  means  strong, 
or  wicked.  Lowth  renders  it,  "  barba- 
rous people,"  as  if  it  were  TSl?  .  Mi- 
chaelis  also  adopts  this  reading  by  sup- 
posing an  error  in  transcribing,  a 
change  of  3  into  3  .  Such  a  change 
might  have  easily  occurred,  but  theie 


be  taken  down ;  not  one  of  the 
stakes  thereof  shall  ever  "be  re 
moved,  neither   shall   any  of  the 
cords  thereof  be  broken. 


3  or,  ridiculous. 


v  Rev.  3.  12. 


is  no  authority  from  the  MSS.  for 
making  an  alteration  in  the  text.  The 
word  strong,  or  mighty,  agrees  well 
with  the  connection.  If  A  people  of  a 
deeper  speech.  A  people  whose  lan- 
guage is  so  deep,  i.  e.  so  dark,  or  ob- 
scure, that  it  cannot  be  understood  by 
you.  This  refers  to  the  army  of  the 
Assyrians,  who  spoke  the  Syrian  lan- 
guage, which  was  understood  by  some 
of  the  Jews,  but  which  was  unintelli- 
gible to  the  mass.  See  ch.  xxxvi.  11. 
IT  Than  thou  canst  perceive".  Than 
you  can  understand.  IT  Of  a  .stam- 
mering tongue.  See  Note  ch.  xxviii. 
11.  The  margin  is,  "ridiculous;"  a 
sense  which  the  Hebrew  will  bear,  bu* 
the  more  appropriate  meaning  is  that 
of  a  barbarous,  or  unintelligible  foreign 
language. 

20  Look  upon  Zion.  Lowth  ren- 
ders this,  "Thou  shalt  see  Zion,"  by 
changing  the  Hebrew  text  in  confor- 
mity with  the  Chaldee.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  this  accords  with  the  sense 
of  the  passage,  but  there  is  no  autho- 
rity for  the  change.  It  stands  in  con- 
trast with  what  had  been  said  in  ver. 
19.  There,  the  prophet  had  said  that 
they  should  no  more  see  those  foreign 
armies  that  were  coming  to  invade 
them.  Here  he  directs  them  to  look 
upon  Zion,  implying  that  they  should 
be  permitted  to  behold  Zion  in  a  situa- 
tion such  as  he  proceeds  to  describe  it. 
'  You  shall  not  see  that  foreign  army 
carrying  desolation  as  they  design 
through  the  city  and  the  land.  They 
shall  be  destroyed.  But  behold  Zion ! 
Her  you  shall  see  quiet,  prosperous, 
happy,  peaceful.'  IT  The  city  of  our 
solemnities.  Where  the  religious  so- 
lemnities of  the  nation  were  celebrated. 
IT  A  quiet  habitation.  Free  from  in« 
vasion,  and    from   the   terrors  of  war. 


A.C.71S.J 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


513 


21  But  there  the  glorious 
Lord  will  be  unto  us  a  place  5of 
bioad  rivers  and  streams  ;  where- 

5  broad  ofspacex.  or.  hands. 


IT  A  tabernacle.  A  tent  ;  a  dwelling, 
such  as  was  common  in  the  nomadic 
mode  of  life  in  the  East.  The  whole 
city  is  described  under  the  image  of  a 
tent  that  is  fixed  and  undisturbed, 
where  the  family  may  reside  in  safety 
and  comfort.  H  Not  one  of  the  stakes 
thereof.     The  stakes  here  refer  to  the 


in  shall  go  no  galley  with  oars, 
neither  shall  gallant  ship  pass 
thereby. 


poles  or  fixtures  which  were  driven  into 
the  ground  in  order  to  fasten  the  tent 
to  enable  them  to  spread  it,  or  to  the 
small  stakes  or  pins  that  were  driven 
in  the  ground  in  order  to  secure  the 
cords  by  which  the  tent  was  extended. 
The  following  cut  will  give  an  idea  of 
the  mode  in  which  tents  were  com- 


monly pitched,  and  will  serve  to  ex- 
plain this  passage,  as  well  as  the  similar 
passage  in  ch.  liv  2.  %  Shall  ever  be 
removed.  It  shall  be  a  fixed  and  per- 
nio nent  habitation.  The  word  "  ever  " 
must  mean  an  indefinite  period  of  du- 
ration. Sennacherib  had  designed  to 
blot  out  the  name  of  the  people  of 
God,  and  destroy  their  separate  and  in- 
dependent existence.  The  prophet 
says  that  that  should  never  be  done. 
Jerusalem,  the  residence  of  his  people 
and  the  emblem  of  his  church,  would 
be  safe,  and  would  not  be  destroyed. 
There  would  always  be  a  safe  and 
quiet  abode  for  the  friends  of  the  Most 
High  In  this  sense  it  accords  with 
the  declaration  of  the  Saviour,  that  the 
gates  of  hell  should  not  prevail  against 
his  church.  1  Neither  shall  any  of  the 
cords  thereof  be  broken.  Cords  were 
22* 


used  in  tents  to  fasten  the  cloth  to  the 
poles,  or  to  fasten  it  to  the  pins  which 
had  been  driven  into  the  ground,  in 
order  to  extend  the  cloth,  and  to  make 
it  firm. 

21.  But  there.  In  Jerusalem  ;  or 
in  h;s  church,  of  which  Jerusalem  waa 
the  emblem.  IT  The  glorious  Lord. 
Lowth  renders  it,  "  the  glorious  name 
of  Jehovah,"  taking  Dttj  to  be  a  noun 
as  if  it  were  pointed  WD .  So  the  Sy- 
riac  and  the  LXX  read  it.  The  word 
glorious,  "I^X  ,  means  magnificent ; 
denoting  that  Jehovah  would  manifest 
himself  there  as  magnificent  or  great 
in  the  destruction  of  his  enemies,  and 
in  the  protection  of  his  people.  11  Wili 
be  unto  us  a  place.  It  seems  to  be 
harsh  to  say  that  Jehovah  would  be  a 
place :  but   the    meaning   is,  that    he 


514 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C  713 


22  For  the  Lord  is  our  judge,    Lord  is  our  king;  he  will  save 
the  Lord  is  our  6hi\v-giver,  the    us. 

6  statute-maker. 

would  be  to  them  as  such  a  place  ; 
that  is,  his  presence  and  blessing  would 
be  such  as  would  be  represented  by 
broad  rivers  and  streams  flowing 
through  a  land,  or  encompassing  a  city. 
Rivers  and  streams  are  sources  of  fer- 
tility, the  channels  of  commerce,  and 
objects  of  great  beauty.  Such  seems 
to  be  the  idea  here.  The  presence  of 
JiiHOVAii  would  be  to  them  a  source 
of  great  prosperity  and  happiness  ;  and 
a  beauty  would  be  thrown  around  the 
city  and  nation  like  majestic  and  use- 
ful rivers  It  is  possible  that  there  may 
have  been  some  allusion  here  to  cities 
that  were  encompassed  or  penetrated 
by  rivers  and  canals,  like  Babylon,  or 
Thebes  in  Egypt.  Such  cities  derived 
important  advantages  nom  rivers.  But 
Jerusalem  had  nothing  of  this  nature 
to  contribute  to  its  prosperity  or  beauty. 
The  prophet  says,  that  the  presence 
of  Jehovah  would  be  to  them  what 
these  rivers  were  to  other  cities.  IT  Of 
broad  rivers  and  streams.  Heb  '  rivers, 
streams  broad  of  hands.'  The  sense 
seems  to  be,  broad  rivers  that  are  made 
up  of  confluent  streams ;  or  rivers  to 
which  many  streams  are  tributary — 
like  the  Nile — and  which  are  therefore 
made  broad,  and  capable  of  navigation. 
The  phrase  here  used — in  the  Heb. 
'  broad  of  handii,' — properly  denotes 
broad  on  both  hands,  or  as  we  would 
say,  on  both  sides;  that  is,  the  shores 
would  be  separated  far  from  each  other. 
The  word  hand  is  often  used  in  He- 
brew to  denote  the  side,  the  shore,  or 
the  bank  of  a  river.  The  following 
extract  will  show  the  importance  of 
such  rivers :  "  In  such  a  highly-culti- 
vated country  as  England,  and  where 
great  drought  is  almost  unknown,  we 
have  not  an  opportunity  to  observe  the 
fertilizing  influence  of  a  broad  river; 
but  in  South  Africa,  where  almost  no 
human  means  are  employed  for  im- 
proving the  land,  the  benign  influence 
of  rivers  is  most  evident.  The  Great, 
or  Orange  River,  is  a  remarkable  in- 
Btance  of  this.     I  travelled  on  its  banks, 


at  one  time,  for  five  or  six  weeks  ; 
when,  for  several  hundred  miles,  I 
found  both  sides  of  it  delightfully 
covered  with  trees  of  various  kinds,  all 
in  health  and  vigour,  and  abundance  of 
the  richest  verdure  ;  but  all  the  cour.'ry 
beyond  the  reach  of  its  influence  was 
complete  desert.  Every  thing  appeared 
to  be  struggling  for  mere  existence  ;  so 
that  we  might  be  said  to  have  had  the 
wilderness  on  one  side,  and  a  kind  of 
paradise  on  the  other."  Campbell. 
U  Wherein  shall  go.  The  mention  of 
broad  rivers  here  seems  to  have  sug- 
gested to  the  prophet  the  idea  that  na- 
vigable rivers,  while  they  were  the 
channels  of  commerce,  also  gave  to  an 
enemy  the  opportunity  of  approaching 
easily  with  vessels  of  war,  and  attack- 
ing a  city.  He,  therefore,  says  that  no 
such  consequence  would  follow,  from 
the  fact  that  Jehovah  would  be  to  them 
in  the  place  of  broad  rivers.  No  ad- 
vantage could  be  taken  from  what  was 
to  them  a  source  of  prosperity  and 
happiness.  While  other  cities  were 
exposed  to  an  enemy  from  the  very 
sources  from  which  they  derived  their 
wealth  and  prosperity,  it  would  not  be 
so  with  them.  From  what  constituted 
their  glory — the  protection  of  Jehovah 
— no  danger  ever  could  be  apprehended. 
It  had  all  the  advantages  of  broad 
rivers  and  streams,  but  with  none  of 
their  attendant  exposures  and  perils. 
U  Nu  galley  with  oars.  That  is,  no 
small  vessel — for  larger  vessels  were 
propelled  by  sails.  Still  the  reference 
is  doubtless  to  a  vessel  of  war  ;  since 
vessels  of  commerce  would  be  an  ad- 
vantage, and  it  would  not  be  an  object 
of  congratulation  that  none  of  them 
s?iould  be  there.  IT  Neither  shall  gal- 
lant ship.  No  great  p"^)  or  magni- 
ficent ship  ;  no  ship  fitted  out  for  pur- 
poses of  war.  The  sense  is,  therefore, 
that  though  Jerusalem  should  be  thus 
favoured,  yet  it  would  be  unapproach- 
able by  an  enemy. 

22.  For  the  Lcrd  is  our  judge.    Jk- 


&  C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


51b 


23  Thy  7  tacklings  are  loosed  ; 
tiny  could  not  well  strengthen 
their  mast ;  they  could  not  spread 
the  sail  ;  then  is  the  prey  of  a 
great  spoil  divided ;  the  lamea 
take  the  prey. 

hovah  will  be  to  us  nothing  but  a 
source  of  happiness,  truth,  and  prospe- 
rity. His  presence  will  be  to  us  only  a 
blessing,  and  a  means  of  success  and 
joy.  The  repetition  of  the  name  Je- 
hovah three  times  is  common  in  the 
Scriptures. 

23.  Thy  tacklings.  This  is  evi- 
dently an  address  to  Sennacherib.  The 
mention  of  the  war-galley  and  the  ship 
seems  to  have  suggested  the  applica- 
tion of  the  figure  to  the  enemies  of  the 
Jews,  and  particularly  to  Sennacherib. 
The  prophet,  therefore,  compares  the 
Assyrian  to  a  ship  that  was  rendered 
unserviceable ;  whose  sails  were  un- 
fastened, and  whose  mast  could  not  be 
made  firm,  and  which  was  therefore  at 
the  mercy  of  winds  and  waves.  The 
Hebrew  which  is  here  rendered  "  thy 
tacklings  are  loosed,"  means  '  thy  cords 
are  let  go  ;'  that  is,  the  cords  or  ropes 
that  fastened  the  sails,  the  masts,  and 
the  rudder,  were  loosened.  In  such  a 
condition  the  ship  would,  of  course,  go 
to  ruin.  II  They  could  not  well  strength- 
en their  mast.  They  could  not  fix  it 
firm  or  secure.  It  is  evident  that  if  the 
mast  cannot  be  made  firm,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  navigate  a  ship.  It  is  to  be 
observed  here,  however,  that  the  word 
which  our  translators  have  rendered 
"  well,"  "?  ,  not  only  signifies  well  as 
an  adverb,  but  is  also  used  as  a  noun, 
and  means  a  stand  or  station  (Gen  xl. 
13,  xli.  13.  Dan.  xi.  20,21)  ;  and  also 
a  base  or  pedestal.  1  Kings  vii.  31. 
Ex.  xxx.  18,  28,  xxxi.  9,  xxxv.  16, 
xxxviii.  8.  Lev.  viii.  II.  It  may  be 
uaed  here  to  denote  the  socket,  or  base 
of  the  ship's  mast ;  or  the  cross-beam 
which  the  mast  passed  through,  and 
which  held  it  firm.  This  was  called  by 
the  Greeks  Wrojiin  (Odyssey  xii.  51),  or 
f«£<rri<fyiij,  fa-ro&tq  (Iliad  i.  434).  The 
translation,  therefore,  '  They  could  not 


24  And  the  inhabitai  ts  shall 
not  say,  I  am  sick  ;b  the  people 
that  dwell  therein  shall  be  for- 
given0 their  iniquity. 

7  or,  they  have  fursaJ.  en  thy  tacklings. 
a  1  Cor.  l.  27.       6  Rev.  21.  4.       cJer.  50.  20. 

make  fast  the  base  of  their  mast,'  would 
better  express  the  sense  of  the  He- 
brew. The  LXX  render  it,  "  thy  mast 
gave  way."  H  They  could  not  spread 
the  sail.  Of  course  as  the  ropes  were 
all  loosened,  and  the  mast  could  not  be 
made  firm,  it  would  be  in  vain  to  at- 
tempt to  spread  a  sail.  The  sense  js, 
that  the  plan  of  the  Assyrian  would  be 
disconcerted,  his  scheme  discomfited, 
and  his  enterprise  would  come  to 
naught.  He  and  his  army  would  be 
like  a  vessel  at  sea  without  sails. 
IT  Then  is  the  prey  of  a  great  spoil 
divided.  The  word  dividedhere  means 
shall  be  distributed  or  apportioned  as 
plunder  was  usually  among  victors. 
The  sense  is,  that  much  booty  would 
be  taken  from  the  army  of  the  Assy- 
rian and  distributed  among  the  Jews. 
See  Note  on  ver.  4.  It  is  certain  that 
Hezekiah  had  given  to  Sennacherib 
three  hundred  talents  of  silver,  and 
thirty  talents  of  gold,  and  had  stripped 
the  temple,  and  given  the  gold  that 
was  on  the  temple  to  him  (2  Kings  xviii. 
14-lu),  and  this  treasure  was  doubtless 
in  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians.  And  it 
is  certain  that  after  this  invasion  of 
Sennacherib,  the  treasures  of  Hezekiah 
were  replenished,  and  his  wealth  so 
much  abounded  that  he  made  an  im- 
proper and  ostentatious  display  of  it  to 
the  ambassadors  that  came  from  Baby- 
lon (2  Kings  xx.  13-15)  ;  and  there  is 
every  presumption,  therefore,  that  a 
great  amount  of  spoil  was  collected 
from  the  camp  of  the  Assyrian.  IT  The 
lame  take  the  prey.  It  shall  be  so 
abundant,  and  shall  be  so  entirely 
abandoned  by  the  Assyrians,  that  even 
the  feeble  and  the  defenceless  shall  go 
forth  to  the  camp  and  take  the  spoil 
that  is  left. 

24.  And  the  inhalitant.  The  in- 
habitant of  Jerusalem.  IT  Shall  not 
say  I  am  sick.     That  is,  probably,  tha 


516 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


spoil  shall  be  so  abundant,  and  the  fa- 
cility for  taking  it  so  great,  that  even 
the  sick,  the  aged,  and  the  infirm  shall 
go  forth  nerved  with  new  vigour  to 
gather  the  spoil.  11  The  people  that 
Iwell  therein.  In  Jerusalem.  IT  Shall 
be  forgiven  their  iniquity.  This  is 
equivalen  to  saying  that  the  calamities 
of  the  ir.asion  would  be  entirely  re- 
moved. This  invasion  is  represented 
as  coni'ng  upon  them  as  a  judgment 
for  their  sins.  When  the  Assyrian 
should  be  overthrown  it  would  be  a 
proof  that  the  sin  which  had  been  the 
cause  of  the  invasion  had  been  forgiven, 


and  that  God  was  now  disposed  to 
show  them  favour  and  mercy.  It  ii 
common  in  the  Scriptures  to  represent 
any  calamity  as  the  consequence  of  sin, 
to  identify  the  removal  of  the  calam'ty 
and  the  forgiveness  of  the  sin  Thus 
the  Saviour  said  (Mark  ii.  5,)  to  the 
man  afflicted  with  the  palsy,  "  Son, 
thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee."  And  when 
the  scribes  murmured,  he  urged  that 
the  power  of  forgiving  sins  and  of  heal- 
ing disease  was  the  same,  or  that  the 
forgiveness  of  sin  was  equivalent  to  th« 
removal  of  disease.  Mark  ii.  9. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    CHAPTElt. 

The  xxxivth  and  xxxvth  chapters  make  one  distinct  and  beautiful  prophecy,  consisting  of  wo 
parts,  the  first  containing  a  denunciation  of  judgment  on  the  enemies  of  the  ,'ows— particularly  Ri  om 
Oh  xxxiv)  ;  and  the  second  a  most  beautiful  description  of  the  flourishing  state  of  the  people  of  God 
which  would  follow  these  judgments,  ch.  x\xv 

At  whit  time  the  prophecy  was  delivered  it  is  uncertain,  and  indeed  can  be  determined  by  no- 
thing in  ihe  prophecy  itself  It  is  observable,  however,  that  it  is  the  cloe  of  the  iirsi  part  of  the 
proph  cic:  ol  Isaiah,  the  remaining  chapters  to  the  xlth.  which  commences  the  second  part  of  the 
prophecies,  being  occupied  with  an  historical  description  of  the  invasion  of  Sennacherib  ai.d  his 
army.  It  has  been  supposed  (see  ihe  Introduction  5  2,  3,)  th:it  between  the  delivery  01  the  prophe- 
cies in  the  first  and  second  portion  of  Isaiah,  an  interval  of  some  years  elapsed  and  that  the  second 
part  was  delivered  for  his  own  consolation,  and  the  consolation  of  the  people,  near  the  close  of 
his  life.  ,    ,  , 

A  somewhat  similar  purpose,  as  I  apprehend,  led  to  the  composition  and  publication  01  the  pro- 
phecy be  lore  us.  The  general  sirainat'  his  prophecies  thus  far  has  been  that,  however  numerous 
and  mighty  were  the  enemies  of  the  Jews,  the  people  of  God  would  be  delivered  from  them  all.  Such 
wa.-  the  case  in  regard  to  the  alliedarmies  of  .Syria  and  Samaria  (chs.  vii.  viii.) ;  of  the  Assyrian  (ch. 
X.) ;  of  Babylon  ichs.  xiii  xiv.) ;  of  Moab  (chs  xv.  xvi.l ;  of  Damascus  and  Ethiopia  (chs.  xvii.  xviii.) ; 
of  Egypt  (chs  xi,.  xx.)  1  and  more  narticularly  of  the  Assyrians  under  Sennacherib  (chs.  xxv,  x\ix, 
x.xx.  xxxi.  xx.xii.  xxxiii.).  The  prophecy  before  us  1  regard  as  a  kind  of  summing  up,  or  recapitula- 
tion of  all  that  he  had  delivered  ;  and  the  general  idea  is.  that  the  peopl  of  God  would  be  delivered 
from  all  their  foes,  and  that  happier  times  und  r  th  ■  Messiah  would  succeed  all  ihe.ir  calamities. 
This  he  had  expressed  often  in  the  particular  prophecies  ;  he  here  expresses  it  in  a  summary  and 
condensed  manner. 

Keeping  this  general  design  of  the  prophecy  in  view,  we  may  observe  that  it  consists  of  the  fol- 

I.  A  general  statement  that  all  the  enemies  of  the  people  of  God  would  be  destroyed,  ch. 
xxxiv.  I — 4.  .  '. 

(a.)  The  nations  ol"  the  earth  are  summoned  to  see  this,  and  to  become  acquainted  with 

the  purpose  of  God  thus  to  destroy  all  his  enemies,  ver.  1. 
(t.)  The  destruction  of  the  enemies  of  God  described  under  the  image  ol"  a  great 

slaughter,  vs.  2,  3. 
(c.)  The  same  destruction  described  under  the  image  of  the  heavens  rolled  togetheras 
a  scroll,  ver,  4. 

II.  This  general  truth  particularly  applied  to  Edom  or  Idumea  as  among  the  most  virulent  of 
their  enemies,  vs.  5-17. 

(a.)  JEHOVAH'S  vengeance  would  come  upon  the  land  of  Idumea,  and  the  land  would 

be  covered  with  the  slain,  and  Booked  in  blood,  vs.  5—8. 
(6.)  'Ihe  entire  and  utter  desolation  of  ihe  land  ol  Idumea  is  foretold.    The  kmguom 

should  be  destroyed     the  land  laid  waste  ;  and  the  whole  country  become  a  dwell 

ing  place  of  wild  beasts,  vs.  9— 17. 

III.  The  happy  times  that  would  succeed— the  times  of  the  Messiah— are  exhibited  (ch.  xxxv.) 
in  language  of  great  beauty  and  sublimity.  This  is  the  substance  of  all  that  the  prophet 
had  predicted,  and  all  his  visions  terminate  there.  The  wilderness  shall  blossom  ;  and  the 
sick  and  afflicted  shall  be  healed:  the  desolate  lands  shall  be  fertile;  there  shall  be  no 
enemy  to  annoy  and  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  return  and  come  to  iCion  with  songs 
and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads. 

As  so  larg»  a  part  of  thi-  prophee]  relates  to  Edom,  or  Idumea.  it  may  be  proper  to  pre'ace  the 
exposition  of  the  chapter  with  a  brief  notice  of  the  history  of  that  country,  and  of  the  causes  lor  which 
Bod  denounced  vengeance  upon  it. 

Idumea  was  the  name  given  by  the  Greeks  to  the  land  of  Edom,  the  country  which  was  settled  b» 


tf.C.713.]  CHAPTER  XXXIV.  517 

EMM  The  territory  which  they  occupied  extended  originally  from  the  Dead  f-ea  to  the  Ehnilic  gulf 
«»f  the  Red  Sea.  Theit  territory,  however,  they  extended  considerably  by  conquest,  and  earned  their  arms 

o  the  cast  and  northeast  of  Moah,  and  obtained  possession  of  the  country  of  which  Bozrah  was  the 
Chief  city.  To  this  they  had  access  through  the  intervening  desert  without  crossing  the  country  of 
the  Moabites,  or  Ammonites.  The  capital  of  East  Idumea  was  Bozrah  ;  the  capital  of  South  Edom 
was  Petra,  or  Selah-called  in  2  Kings  xiv.  7,  Joktheel.    See  Notes  eh.  xvi.  I. 

This  country  received  its  name  from  Esau,  the  son  of  Isaac,  and  the  tw  in  brother  of  Jacob.     He 

=vas  called  Edom,  which  signifies  red,  from  the  colour  of  the  red  pottage  which  he  obiained  from 
Jacob  by  the  sale  of  his  birthright.  Gen.  xxv.  30.  After  his  marriage,  he  removed  lo  Mount  Seir,  and 
made  that  his  permanent  abode,  and  the  country  adjacen'  to  it  received  the  name  of  Edom.  Mount 
Seir  had  been  occupied  by  a  people  railed  Horites,  who  were  displaced  by  Esau,  when  he  took 
possession  of  their  country  and  made  it  his  own.  Dent,  ii  12.  The  Edomites  were  at  first  governed 
by  princes,  improperly  translated  "  Dukes,"  in  Gen  xxxvi.  9—31.  They  were  an  independent  people 
until  the  time  of  David.  They  seem  to  have  continued  under  the  government  of  separate  pr.uecs, 
until  the  apprehension  of  foreign  invasion  compelled  them  to  unite  under  one  leader,  and  to  submit 
themselves  to  a  king.  When  the  children  of  Israel  were  pacing  through  the  wilderness,  as  the  land 
of  Edom  lay  between  them  and  Canaan,  Moses  sent  ambassadors  to  the  king  of  Edom  soliciting  the 
privilege  of  a  peaceful  passage  through  their  country,  on  the  ground  that  they  were  descended  from 
the  same  ancestor,  and  promising  that  the  property  of  the  Edomites  should  not  be  injured,  and  order- 
ing to  pay  for  all  that  they  should  consume.  Num.  xx.  14—19.  To  this  reasonable  request  the  king 
of  Edom  sent  a  positive  refusal,  and  came  out  with  a  strong  army  to  resist  them.  Num.  xx.  20.  This 
refusal  was  long  remembered  by  the  Jews,  and  was  one  cause  of  the  hostile  feeling  which  was  cher- 
ished against  them.  The  kingdom  of  Edom  seems  to  have  risen  io  a  considerable  degree  of  pros- 
perity. There  is  indeed  no  direct  mention  made  of  it  alter  this  until  the  time  of  David  ;  lmt  it  seems 
to  havethen  risen  into  so  much  importance  as  to  have  attracted  his  attention.  David  carried  his  arms 
there  after  having  obtained  a  victory  over  the  Syrians,  Moabites,  and  Ammonites.  It  i«  not  known, 
indeed,  what  was  the  cause  of  this  war,  but  it  is  known  that  he  slew  eighteen  thousand  Jdomites  in 
the  valley  of  Salt  (2  Sam.  viii.  13.  1  I  hron  xviii.  12),  and  the  rest  of  them  were  either  brought  into 
subjection  under  Joab,  or  forced  to  fly  into  foreign  countries.  Hadad,  their  young  king,  fled  to  Egvpt, 
and  was  favorably  received  by  Pharaoh,  and  was  highly  honoured  at  his  court.  He  Was  married  to 
the  sister  of  Tahpanes,  who  was  the  queen  of  Egypt,  l  Kings  xi.  15—20  Yet  though  he  lived  at 
the  court  of  Pharaoh,  he  waited  only  ibr  an  opportunity  to  recover  his  kinedom,  and  w  hen  David  and 
Joab  were  dead  he  proposed  to  the  king  of  Egypt  to  make  an  effort  to  accomplish  it  He  returned  to 
Idumea.  but  was  unsuccessful  in  his  attempts  to  overcome  the  garrisons  which  David  had  stationed 
to  guard  and  secure  the  country.  Joseph.  Ant.  B.  viii.  ch  2.  The  kinedom  of  Edom  continued  under 
the  house  of  David  until  the  time  of  Jehoshaphat,  and  was  probably  governed  by  deputies  or  viceroys 
appointed  by  the  kings  of  Judah.  In  the  reign  of  Jehoshaphat  they  joined  the  Mowbites  and  Ammon- 
ites in  an  attemp'  to  recover  their  freedom,  out  they  were  unsuccessful.  In  the  reign  of  Jehoram  trie 
son  of  Jehoshaphat,  however,  they  rose  in  a  body,  and  though  they  suffered  great  slaughter,  yet  they 
regained  their  liberty.  2  Chron.  xxi.  8—10.  After  this,  no  attempts  were  made  to  subdue  them  for 
more  than  sixty  years.  In  the  reign  of  Amaziah  king  of  Judah.  however,  they  were  Httacked,  and 
ten  thousand  of  them  fell  in  buttle  in  the  valley  of  Salt,  and  many  were  made  prisoners  ;  their  capital, 
Selah.  was  taken  by  storm,  and  the  two  thousand  captives  were  by  Amaziah's  orders  thrown  down 
the  ragged  precipices  near  the  city,  and  dashed  in  pieces  2  Kings  xiv.  7.  2  Chron.  xxv.  vi.  Universal 
History,  Vol.  i.  p.  3S0,  Ed.  Loud.  1779.  8vo.  When  the  Jews  were  subdued  by  the  Babylonians,  and 
earned  captive,  they  seem  to  have  regarded  it  as  a  favourable  opportunity  to  avenge  all  the  injustice 
which  they  had  suffered  from  the  hands  of  the  Jews.  They  joined  the  Babylonians  in  their  attempts 
to  subdue  Jerusalem,  and  exulted  in  the  fall  and  ruin  of  the  city. 

Remember,  0  LORD,  the  children  of  Edom 

In  the  day  of  Jerusalem  ;  who  said 

Rase  it,  rase  it,  even  to  the  foundation  thereof.       Ps.  exxxvii.  7. 

They  seem  to  have  resolved  to  take  full  vengeance  for  the  fact  that  their  nation  had  been  so  long  sub- 
jected by  David  and  his  successors  ;  to  have  cut  oft' such  of  the  Jews  as  attempted  to  escape  j  to  have 
endeavoured  to  level  the  whole  city  with  the  ground  ;  to  have  rejoiced  in  the  success  of  the  Baby- 
lonians, and  to  have  imbrued  their  hands  in  the  blood  of  those  whom  the  Chaldeans  had  left— and 
were  thus  held  to  be  guilty  of  the  crime  of  fratricide  by  God.  See  particularly  Obad  10—12.  IS; 
Ezek.  xxv.  12,  13,  14 ;  xxxv.  3—15.  It  was  for  this  especially  that  they  were  denounced  and  threat- 
ened by  the  prophets  with  heavy  judgment,  and  with  the  utter  destruction  of  the  nation.  Isa.  xxxiv. 
5,  10— 17,  Jer.  xlix.  7— 10,  12— IS;  Ezek.  xxv.  12,  13. 14, 15,  xxxv.  1—15  ;  Joel  lii.  19  ;  Amos  i.  11  ;  Obad. 
vs.  2,  3.  8,  17,  18  ;  Mai.  i.  3.  4.  This  refusing  to  aid  their  brethren  the  Jews,  and  joining  with  the  ene- 
mies of  the  people  of  God.  and  exulting  in  their  success,  was  the  great  crime  in  their  history  which 
was  to  call  down  the  divine  vengeance,  and  terminate  in  their  complete  and  utter  ruin. 

But  their  exultation  does  not  long  continue,  and  their  cruelty  to  the  Jews  did  not  long  remain  un- 
punished. Five  years  after  the  taking  of  Jerusalem,  Nebuchadnezzar  humbled  all  the  states  around 
Judea.  and  particularly  Idumea     Jer.  xxv  15 — 26.  Mai.  i.  3,  4. 

During  the  Jewish  exile,  it  would  appear  the  Edomites  pressed  forward  into  the  south  of  Palestine, 
of  Which  they  took  possession  as  lar  as  to  Hebron.  Here  they  were  subsequently  attacked  and  sub- 
dued by  John  Hircanus,  and  compelled  to  adopt  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  Jews.  The  name 
Idumea  was  transferred  to  this  part  of  the  land  of  Judea  which  they  occupied,  and  this  is  the  Idumea 
which  is  mentioned  by  Pliny.  Ptolemy,  Strabo.  and  other  ancient  writers  Indeed  the  name  Idumea 
was  sometimes  given  by  the  Roman  writers  to  the  whole  of  Palestine.  Reland's  Palestine.  Idumea, 
including  the  southern  part  of  Judea,  was  henceforth  governed  by  a  succession  of  Jewish  prelects. 
One  of  these,  Antipater,  an  idumean  by  birth,  by  the  favour  of  Ccesar,  was  made  procurator  of  all 
Judea.  He  was  the  father  of  Herod  the  Great,  who  became  king  of  Judea  including  Idumea  While 
the  Edomites  had  been  extending  themselves  to  the  northwest,  they  had  in  turn  been  driven  out  from 
the  southern  portion  of  their  own  territory,  and  from  their  chief  city  itself,  by  the  Nabatheans.  an 
Arabian  tribe,  the  descendants  of  rv'ebaioth,  the  eldest  son  of  Ishmael.  This  nomadic  people  had 
spread  themselves  over  the  whole  of  desert  Arabia,  from  the  Euphrates  to  the  borders  of  Palestine, 
»nd  finally  to  the  Elantic  gulf  of  the  Red  Sea.  They  thus  grew  up  into  the  kingdom  of  Arabia 
Petraea,  occupying  very  nearly  the  same  territory  which  was  comprised  within  the  limits  of  ancient 
EdiTO.  A  king  of  this  country,  Aretas,  is  mentioned  as  cotemporary  with  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  aboul 
166  B  C.    From  this  time  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the  sovereigns  of  Arabia  Petraea  come 


t>18 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C   Ms 


into  lroqnent  contact  with  the  Jews  and  Romans  both  in  war  and  peace.— The  nominal  indepen 
deuce  ot  this  kingdom  continued  lor  some  thirty  years  alter  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Under  the 
reign  of  Trajan,  about  A.  I)  iu5,  it  «  as  overrun  and  conquered  by  Cornelius  ("alma,  then  governor  of 
Syria,  and  formally  annexed  to  the  Homan  empire.  Dio  Cass,  Ixviii.  14.  Amm.  Marceli.  xiv.  8  —The 
kingdom  ol'Edom  was  thu.-i  blotted  out,  and  their  name  w;is  lost  In  their  own  land  they  oeafcsd  to 
be  a  separate  people,  and  mingled  with  the  other  descendants  of  Istunael,  in  Judia  they  became, 
under  John  Hircamis,  converts  to  the  Jewish  laith  ;  received  the  rite  of  circumcision  ;  ami  were 
incorporated  with  the  Jews.  Very  interesting  remains  of  cities  ami  towns  of  Idumea,  and  particularly 
of  I'eira,  have  been  recently  discovered  by  the  travellers  Burckhardt,  and  Seetzen.  See  Universal 
History,  vol  i.  pp.  370—383;  Biblical  Repository,  vol.  hi.  pp.  S47— 270:  (icsenius's  Introduction  to  his 
Commcn  on  thi~  chapter ;  the  Travels  of  Burckhardt,  Legh,  Laliorde.  and  .Stephens ,  Keith  on  the 
Evidences  oi  prophecy,  pp.  135—168;  and  Robinson's  Biblical  Researches,  vol.  li.  p.  551,  seq. 


1  Come  'near,  ye  nations,  to 
hear  ;  and  hearken,  ye  people : 
let  the  earth  -^hear,  and  'all  that 
is  therein ;  the  world,  and  all 
things  that  come  forth  of  it. 

2  For  "the  indignation  of  the 
Lord  is  upon  all  nations,  and  his 
fury  upon  all  their  armies  :  he 
hath  utterly  destroyed   them,  he 

e  Pa.  49.1.    /Deut  32.  l.    1  the  fulness  tltereof. 
h  Zeph.  3.  8. 


1.  Come  near,  ye  nations,  to  hear. 
That  is,  to  hear  of  the  judgments  which 
God  was  about  to  execute,  and  the 
great  purposes  which  he  was  about  to 
accomplish.  If  the  supposition  be  cor- 
rect that  this  and  the  following  chapter 
contain  a  summing  up  of  all  that  the 
prophet  had  thus  far  uttered  ;  a  dec- 
laration that  all  the  enemies  of  the 
people  of  God  would  be  destroyed — the 
most  violent  and  bitter  of  whom  was 
Idumea  ;  and  that  this  was  to  be  suc- 
ceeded by  the  happy  times  of  the 
Messiah,  then  we  see  a  plain  reason 
why  all  the  nations  are  summoned  to 
hear  and  attend.  The  events  pertain 
to  them  all  ;  the  truths  communicated 
are  of  universal  interest.  IT  And  all 
that,  is  therein.  Heb.  as  in  the  margin, 
«'  fulness  thereof;"  that  is,  all  the  in- 
habitants of  the  earth  IT  All  things 
that  come  forth  of  it.  All  that  proceed 
from  it ;  that  is,  all  the  inhabitants  that 
the  world  has  produced.  The  LXX 
render  it,  "  the  world  and  the  people 
(b  Xadi)  who  are  therein." 

2  For  the  indignation  of  the  Lord. 
Jehovah  is  about  to  express  his  wrath 
against  all  the  nations  which  are  op- 
posed to  his  people.  IT  He  hath  utter- 
ly destroyed  them,  in  his  purpose,  or 
Intention.    The  prophet  represents  this 


hath     delivered     them     to    the 
slaughter. 

3  Their  slain  also  shall  be  cast 
out,  and  their  stink  shall  come 
up  out  of  their  carcases,  and  the 
mountains  shall  be  meltei  with 
their  blood. 

4  And  'all  the  host  of  heaven 
shall  be  dissolved,  and  the  heav- 

l  Ps.  102.  26.     Ezek.  32.  7,  8.     Joel  2.  31.     3.  15,  16. 
Watt.  24.  29.     2  Pet.  3.  10.     Rev.  6.  13,  14. 


as  so  certain  that  it  may  be  exhibited 
as  already  done. 

3.  Their  slain  also  shall  be  cast  out. 
They  would  lie  unburied.  The  slaugh- 
ter would  be  so  extensive,  and  the 
desolation  would  be  so  entire,  that  there 
would  not  remain  enough  to  bury  the 
dead.  Comp.  Notes  ch.  xiv.  19.  ^  And 
the  mountains  shall  be  melted  with  their 
blood.  The  expression  here  is  evidently 
hyperbolical,  and  means  that  as  moun- 
tains and  hills  are  wasted  away  by 
descending  showers  and  impetuous 
torrents,  so  the  hills  would  be  washed 
away  by  the  vast  quantity  of  blood  that 
would  be  shed  by  the  anger  of  Jehovah. 

4.  And  all  the  host  of  heaven.  On 
the  word  host  (x9^)  see  Note  ch.  i.  9. 
The  heavenly  bodies  often  represent 
kings  and  princes.  Comp.  Note  on  ch. 
xxiv.  21.  IT  Shall  be  dissolved.  IpttJ} . 
This  figure  Vitringa  supposes  to  be 
taken  from  the  vulgar  prejudice  by 
which  the  stars  appear  to  be  crystals, 
or  gems,  set  in  the  azure  vault  of  hea- 
ven, which  may  melt  and  flow  down 
by  the  application  of  heat.  The  sense 
is,  that  the  princes  and  nobles  who  had 
opposed  God  and  his  people  would  be 
destroyed,  as  if  the  sparkling  stars,  like 
gems,  should  melt  in  the  heavens,  and 


B  C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


»19 


ens  shall  be  rolled  together  as  a 
scroll  :  and  all  their  host  shall 
fall  down,  as  the  leaf  falleth  off 
from  the  vine,  and  as  a  falling 
Jig  from  the  fig-tree. 

flow  down  to  the  earth.  1T  And  the 
heuve ns  shall  be  rolled  together  as  a 
scroll.  The  word  scroll  here  ("^EO 
lipher)  means  a  roll,  or  a  book.  Books 
were  made  of  parchment,  leaves,  &,c, 
and  were  rolled  together  instead  of 
being  bound  as  they  are  with  us.  The 
figure  here  is  taken  from  what  strikes 
the  eye,  that  the  heaven  above  us  is 
an  expanse  (?"1P^!  Gen.  i.  8.  Ps.  civ. 
2,)  which  is  spread  out :  and  which 
might  be  rolled  together,  and  thus  pass 
away.  It  is  possible  that  there  may  be 
a  reference  also  to  the  fact,  that  in  a 
storm,  when  the  sky  is  filled  with  dark 
rolling  clouds,  the  heavens  seem  to  be 
rolled  together,  and  to  be  passing  away. 
The  sense  is,  that  there  would  be  great 
destruction  among  those  high  in  office 
and  in  power — a  destruction  that  would 
be  well  represented  by  the  rolling  up 
of  the  firmament,  and  the  destruction 
of  the  visible  heavens  and  their  host, 
and  by  leaving  the  world  to  ruin  and 
to  night,  IT  And  all  their  host  shall 
fall  down.  That  is,  their  stars  ;  either 
by  being  as  it  were  melted,  or  by  the 
fact  that  the  expanse  in  which  they  are 
apparently  located  would  be  rolled  up 
and  removed,  and  there  being  no  fix- 
tures for  them  they  would  fall.  The 
same  image  occurs  in  Rev.  vi.  13.  One 
somewhat  similar  occurs  in  Virgil, 
Georg.  i.  365,  seq.  IF  As  the  leaf 
falleth  off  from  the  vine,  &c.  That 
is,  in  a  storm,  or  when  violently  shaken. 
5.  For  my  sword  shall  be  bathed  in 
heaven.  A  sword  is  an  instrument  of 
vengeance,  and  is  often  so  used  in  the 
Scriptures  because  it  was  often  em- 
ployed in  capital  punishments.  See 
Note  ch.  xxvii.  1.  This  passage  has 
given  much  perplexity  to  commenta- 
tors, on  account  of  the  apparent  want 
of  meaning  of  the  expression  that  the 
sword  would  be  bathed  in  heaven. 
Lowth  reads  it, 


5  For  my  sword  shall  be  bath- 
ed in    heaven  :  behold,    it   shall 
come   down   upon   Idumea,  ?and 
upon  the  people  of  my  curse,  to 
:  judgment. 

p  Jer.  49.  7. 
For  my  sword  is  made  bare  in  the  heavens  ; 
j  following  in  this  the  Chaldee  which 
reads  \*Pn  shall  be  revealed.  But 
there  is  no  authority  from  MSS  for 
this  change  in  the  Hebrew  text.  The 
Vulgate  renders  it,  Quoniam  inebriatus 
est  in  ccelo  gladius  meus ;  '  my  svord 
is  intoxicated  in  heaven.'  The  LXX 
render  it  in  the  same  way,  '^cQiaQq  fi 
fxa^atpd  uov  iv  rS> ovpaio> ;  and  the  Syriac 
and  Arabic  in  the  same  manner.  The 
Hebrew  word  ^1^1  •  from  ""^  ,  means 
properly  to  drink  to  the  full  ;  to  be 
satisfied,  or  sated  with  drink  ;  and  then 
to  be  full  or  satiated  with  intoxicating 
liquor,  to  be  drunk.  It  is  applied  to 
the  sword,  as  satiated  or  made  drunk 
with  blood,  in  Jer.  xlvi.  10. 

And  the  sword  shall  devour, 
And  it  shall  be  satiate,  and  made  drunk  with  their 
blood. 

And  thus  in  Deut.  xxxii.  42,  a  similar 
figure  is  used  respecting  arrows,  the 
instruments  also  of  war  and  vengeance  : 

I  will  make  mine  arrows  drunk  with  blood ; 
And  my  swonl  shall  devour  flesh. 

A  similar  figure  is  often  used  in  Orien- 
tal writers,  where  the  sword  is  repre- 
sented as  glutted,  satiated,  or  made 
drunk  with  blood.  See  Rosenmuller 
on  Deut.  xxxii.  42.  Thus  Bohaddinus 
in  the  life  of  Saladin,  in  describing  a 
battle  in  which  there  was  a  great 
slaughter,  says,  "  The  swords  drank  of 
their  blood  until  they  were  intoxicated." 
The  idea  here  is,  however,  not  that  the 
sword  of  the  Lord  was  made  drunk  with 
blood  in  heaven,  but  that  it  was  in- 
toxicated, or  made  furious  with  wrath  ; 
it  was  excited  as  an  intoxicated  man  is 
who  is  under  ungovernable  passions  ; 
it  was  in  heaven  that  the  wrath  com- 
menced, and  the  sword  of  divine  jus- 
tice rushed  forth  as  if  intoxicated,  to 
destroy  all  before  it.  There  are  few 
figures,  even  in  Isaiah,  that  are  mere 


520 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.llS 


6  The  sword  of  the  Lord  is 
filled  with  blood  ;  it  is  made  fat 
with  fatness,  and  with  the  blood 
of  lambs  and  goats,  with  the  fat 


Oold  than  this.  1T  It  shall  come  doion 
upon  ldumea.  See  the  Analysis  of 
the  chapter  for  the  situation  of  ldumea, 
and  for  the  causes  why  it  was  to  be 
devoted  to  destruction.  IT  Upon  the 
people  of  my  curse.  The  people  de- 
voted to  destruction. 

6.  IT  The  sword  of  the  Lord  is  filled 
with  blood.  The  idea  here  is  taken 
from  the  notion  of  sacrifice,  and  is, 
that  God  would  devote  to  sacrifice,  or 
to  destruction,  the  inhabitants  of  ldu- 
mea. With  reference  to  that,  he  says, 
that  his  sword,  the  instrument  of 
slaughter,  would  be  satiated  with  blood. 
It  is  made  fat  with  fatness  The  allu- 
sion here  is  to  the  sacrifices  which 
were  made  for  sin,  in  which  the  blood 
and  the  fat  were  devoted  to  God  as  an 
offering.  See  Lev.  vii.  IT  With  the 
blood  of  lambs  and  goats.  These  were 
the  animals  which  were  usually  offered 
in  sacrifice  to  God  among  the  Jews, 
and  to  speak  of  a  sacrifice  was  the 
«ame  as  to  speak  of  the  offering  of 
rams,  lambs,  bullocks,  &c.  Yet  it  is 
evident  that  they  denote  here  the 
people  of  ldumea,  and  that  these  terms 
are  used  to  keep  up  the  image  of  a 
sacrifice.  The  idea  of  sacrifice  was 
always  connected  with  that  of  slaugh- 
ter, as  the  animals  were  slaughtered 
before  they  were  offered.  So  here,  the 
idea  is,  that  there  would  be  a  great  I 
slaughter  in  ldumea  ;  that  it  would  be 
so  far  of  the  nature  of  a  sacrifice  that 
they  would  be  devoted  to  God  and  to 
his  cause.  It  is  not  probable  that  any 
particular  classes  of  people  are  denoted 
by  the  different  animals  here  mention- 
ed, as  the  animals  here  mentioned  in- 
clude all,  or  nearly  all  those  usually 
offered  in  sacrifice,  the  expressions 
denote  simply  that  all  classes  of  people 
in  ldumea  would  be  devoted  to  the 
■laughter.  Grotius,  however,  supposes 
that  the  following  classes  are  intended 
»y  the  animals  specified,  to  wit,  by  the 


of  the  kidneys  of  rams  :  for  the 
Lord  hath  a  sacrifice  in  Bozrah. 
rand  a  great  slaughter  in  the  land 
of  ldumea. 

r  ch.  63.  1,  4c. 

lambs,  the   people  in  general ;  by  the 
goats,   the    priests ;    by   the    rams,   the 
opulent  inhabitants.     1T  .For  the  Lord 
hath   a  sacrifice  in  Bozrah.     Bozrah  is 
here    mentioned    as   one  of  the   chief 
cities   of  ldumea.     .  t    vvas  a  city   of 
great  antiquity,  and  was  known  among 
the  Greeks  and  Romans   by  the  name 
of  Bostra.     It  is  generally  mentioned 
in  the  Scriptures  as  a  city  of  the  Edom- 
ites  (Isa.   lxiii.    1.    Amos  i.   12.    Jer. 
xlix.  13,  22),  but  once  it  is  mentioned 
as  a  city  of  Moab,  Jer    xlviii.  24.     It 
probably  belonged  at  different   periods 
to  both  nations,  as  in   their  wars  the 
possession  of  cities   often  passed   into 
different  hands.     Bozrah  lay  southeast 
of  Edrei,  one  of  the  capitals  of  Bashan, 
and  was   thus  not   properly  within  the 
limits  of  the  Edomites,  but  %vas  north 
of  the  Ammonites,  or  in  the  region  of 
Auranitis,  or  in  what  is  now  called  the 
Houran  *    It  is  evident,  therefore,  that 
in  the  time  of  Isaiah  the  Edomites  had 
extended  their  conquests  to  that  region. 
According  to  Burckhardt,  who  visited 
the  Houran,  and  who  went  to  Bozrah, 
it  is  at   this   day  one   of  the   most  im- 
portant cities  there.     "  It  is  situated," 
says  he,  "  in  the    open  plain,  and  is  at 
present  the  last  inhabited   place  in  the 
southeast  extremity  of  the  Houran  ;  it 
was  formerly  the  capital  of  the  Arabia 
Provincia,  and   is   now,   including  its 
ruins,  the  largest  town  in  the  Houran. 
It    is    of  an    oval    shape,   its  greatest 
length    being    from  east  to   west ;    i*s 
circumference  is   three   quarters   of  an 
hour.     It   was   anciently  encompassed 
with  a  thick   wall,  which   gave  it  the 
reputation   of  great   strength.     Many 
parts  of  this    wall,  especially   on   the 
west  side,  remain  ;  it  was  constructed 
of  stones  of  moderate  size,  strongly  ce- 
mented together.  The  south, and  south- 


*  Barckhardt  and  many  others  speU  Uiis  word 
Haouran.  The  Rev.  E.  Smith,  howcrei  rays 
that  it  should  be  tpelled  without  the  c    Uo--a» 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


S21 


7  And  the  *  unicorns  shall 
come  down  with  them,  and  the 
bullocks    with    the    bulls  :    and 


east  quarters  are  covered  with  ruins  of 
private  dwellings,  the  walls  of  many  of 
which  are  still  standing,  but  the  roofs 
are  fallen  in.  The  style  of  building 
seems  to  have  been  similar  to  that  ob- 
served in  all  the  other  ancient  towns 
of  the  Houran  On  the  west  side  are 
springs  of  fresh  water,  of  which  I 
counted  five  beyond  the  precincts  of 
the  town,  and  six  within  the  walls  ; 
their  waters  unite  with  a  rivulet  whose 
source  is  on  the  northwest  side,  within 
the  town,  and  which  loses  itself  in  the 
southern  plain  at  several  hours  distance; 
it  is  called  by  the  Arabs,  El  Djeheir. 
The  principal  ruins  of  Bozrah  are  the 
following  : — A  square  building  which 
within  is  circular,  and  has  many  arches 
and  niches  in  the  wall.  The  diameter 
of  the  rotunda  is  four  paces  ;  its  roof 
has  fallen  in,  but  the  walls  are  entire. 
It  appears  to  have  been  a  Greek  church. 
— An  oblong  square  building,  called  by 
the  natives  Deir  Boheiry,  or  the  Mo- 
nastery of  the  priest  Boheiry. — The 
gate  of  an  ancient  house  communicat- 
ing with  the  ruins  of  an  edifice,  the 
only  remains  of  which  is  a  large  semi- 
circular vault. — The  great  mosque  of 
Bozrah,  which  is  certainly  coeval  with 
the  first  era  of  Mohammedanism,  and 
is  commonly  ascribed  to  Omar  el  Khat- 
tab.  The  walls  of  the  mosque  are 
covered  with  a  fine  coat  of  plaster, 
upon  which  are  many  Cufic  inscriptions 
in  bas-relief  running  all  round  the  wall. 
The  remains  of  a  temple,  situated  on 
the  side  of  a  long  street  which  runs 
across  the  whole  town,  and  terminates 
at  the  western  gate,"  &c.  Of  these, 
and  other  magnificent  ruins  of  temples, 
theatres,  and  palaces,  all  attesting  its 
former  importance,  Burckhardt  has 
given  a  copious  description.  Travels 
in  Syria,  pp.  226-235,  ed.  Lond.  4to., 
1822. 

7.  And  the  unicorns.  Marg.  rhinoce- 
ros    n'OXT   from   WHH.      This   was 


their  land  shall  be  "soaked  with 
blood,  and  their  dust  made  fat 
with  fatness. 

4  or,  rhinoceros.  6  or,  drunken. 

evidently  an  animal  well  known  in 
Palestine,  since  it  is  frequently  men* 
tioned  in  the  Old  Testament.  Nura 
xxiii.  22.  Deut.  xxxiii.  17.  Job  xxxix. 
9,  10.  Ps.  xcii.  10,  xxii.  21,  xxix.  6,  in 
all  which  places  it  is  translated  unicorn, 
or  unicorns.  The  derivation  of  the 
word  is  uncertain,  and  it  has  been 
regarded  as  doubtful  what  animal  is  in- 
tended. The  corresponding  Arabic 
word  denotes  the  oryx,  a  large  and 
fierce  species  of  the  antelope.  Gese- 
nius,  Schultens,  De  Wette,  and  Rosen- 
mtiller  suppose  that  the  buffalo  is  in- 
tended by  the  word.  Bochart  regards 
it  as  denoting  the  gazelle,  or  a  species 
of  the  antelope.  It  can  hardly,  how- 
ever, be  regarded  as  so  small  an  animal 
as  the  gazelle.  The  gazelle  is  common 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mount  Sinai ; 
and  when  Laborde  passed  through  that 
region  his  companions  killed  four,  "  the 
father  and  mother  and  two  little  ani- 
mals a  fortnight  old."  He  says  of  them  : 
"  These  creatures,  which  are  very  lively 
in  their  movements,  endeavoured  to  bite 
when  they  were  caught  ;  their  hair  is  a 
brown  yellow,  which  becomes  pale  and 
long  as  the  animals  grow  old.  In  ap- 
pearance they  resemble  the  Guinea  pig. 
Their  legs  are  of  the  same  height,  but 
the  form  of  their  feet  is  peculiar  ;  in- 
stead of  nails  and  claws,  they  have 
three  toes  in  front  and  four  behind,  and 
they  walk,  like  rabbits,  on  the  whole 
length  of  the  foot.  The  Arabs  call  it 
El  Oueber,  and  know  no  other  name 
for  it.  It  lives  upon  the  scanty  herbage 
with  which  the  rain  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  springs  supplies  it.  It  does  not 
burrow  in  the  earth,  its  feet  not  being 
calculated  for  that  purpose  ;  but  it  con- 
ceals itself  in  the  natural  holes  or  clefta 
which  it  finds  in  th^  rocks."  Journey 
through  Arabia  Petraea,  pp.  106,  107. 
Lond.  8vo.  1836.  Taylor  (Heb.  Con.) 
supposes  it  means  the  rhinoceros  ;  a 
fierce  animal  that  has  a  single  horn  on 
the  nose,  which   is   very  strong,   and 


622 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


8  For  it  is  the  day'  of  the 
Lord's  vengeance,  and  the  year 
of  recompenses  for  the  contro- 
versy" of  Zion. 

9  And  wthe  streams  thereof 
shall  be  turned  into  pitch,  and 
the  dust  thereof  into   brimstone, 

wDeut.  29.  23. 


t  Jer.  46.  10. 


v  Micah  6.  1. 
o  Kev.  19.  2,  3. 


which  sometimes  grows  to  the  height 
of  thirty-seven  inches.  The  ancient 
versions  certainly  regarded  the  word 
as  denoting  an  animal  with  a  single 
horn.  It  denotes  here,  evidently,  some 
strong,  fierce,  and  wild  animal  that  was 
horned  (Ps.  xxii.  21),  but  perhaps  it  is 
not  possible  to  determine  precisely 
what  animal  is  meant.  For  a  more 
full  investigation  in  reference  to  the 
kind  of  animal  denoted  by  the  word 
reein,  see  Notes  on  Job  xxxix.  9.  Here 
it  represents  that  portion  of  the  people 
which  was  strong,  warlike,  and  hitherto 
unvanquished,  and  who  regarded  them- 
selves as  invincible.  H  Shall  come 
down.  Shall  be.  subdued,  humbled, 
destroyed.  IT  With  them.  With  the 
lambs  and  goats  mentioned  in  ver.  6. 
All  classes  of  the  people  shall  be  sub- 
dued and  subjected  to  the  slaughter. 
IT  And  the  bullocks  with  the  bulls. 
The  young  bulls  with  the  old.  All 
shall  come  down  together — the  fierce 
and  strong  animals  representing  the 
fierce  and  strong  people.  IT  And  their 
land  shall  be  soaked  with  blood.  Marg. 
drunken ;  the  same  word  which  is 
rendered  "  bathed  "  in  ver.  5.  H  Their 
dust  made  fat.  Their  land  manured 
and  made  rich  with  the  slain.  A  battle 
field  is  usually  distinguished  afterwards 
for  its  fertility.  The  field  of  Waterloo 
has  thus  been  celebrated,  since  the 
great  battle  there,  for  producing  rank 
and  luxuriant  harvests. 

8.  For  it  is  the  day  of  the  Lord's 
vengeance.  A  time  when  Jehovah  will 
take  vengeance.  IT  The  year  of  recom- 
lienses  for  the  controversy  of  Zion. 
The  time  when  he  will  recompense, 
i.  e.  punish  those  who  have  had  a  con- 
troversy with  Zion. 

9.  And  the  streams   thereof.     The 


and  the  land  thereof  shall  becoma 
burning  pitch. 

10  It  shall  not  be  quenched 
night  nor  day ;  the  °smoke  there- 
of shall  go  up  for  ever :  from 
generation  to  generation  it  shall 
lie  waste  ;  none  shall  pass  through 
it  for  ever  and  ever  : 


idea  here  is,  that  there  would  be  aa 
great  and  awful  a  destruction  as  if  the 
streams  every  where  should  become 
pitch  or  resin,  which  would  be  set  on 
fire,  and  which  would  fill  the  land  with 
flame.  This  image  is  very  striking,  as 
we  may  see  by  supposing  the  rivers 
and  streams  in  any  land  to  flow  not 
with  water,  but  with  heated  pitch, 
turpentine,  or  tar,  and  that  this  was  all 
suddenly  kindled  into  a  flame.  It  can- 
not be  supposed  that  this  is  to  be  taken 
literally.  The  image  is  evidently  taken 
from  the  destruction  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah  (Gen.  xix.  25-28),  an  image 
which  is  more  fully  used  in  reference 
to  the  same  subject  in  Jer.  xlix.  17,  18. 
"  And  Edom  shall  be  a  desolation  ; — 
as  in  the  overthrow  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah,  and  the  neighbour  cities 
thereof,  saith  the  Lord,  no  man  shall 
abide  there,  neither  shall  a  son  of  man 
dwell  in  it."  IT  And  the  dust  thereof 
into  brimstone.  The  ruin  shall  be  as 
entire  as  if  all  the  soil  were  turned  into 
brimstone,  which  should  be  ignited  and 
left  burning. 

10.  It  shall  not  be  quenched  night 
nor  day.  That  is,  the  burning  brim- 
stone and  pitch  (ver.  9),  the  emblem  of 
perpetual  and  entire  desolation,  shall 
not  be  extinguished,  t  The  smoke 
thereof  shall  go  tip  for  ever  Every 
river  and  rivulet  is  supposed  to  be  heat- 
ed pitch,  and  every  particle  of  dust 
sulphur,  and  all  on  fire,  sending  up 
from  an  extended  region  dense  columns 
of  smoke  to  heaven.  No  idea  of  ruin 
could  be  more  sublime  ;  no  idea  of  the 
vengeance  of  God  more  terrible.  This 
image  has  been  copied  by  John  to  de- 
scribe the  future  woes  of  the  wicked 
(Rev.  xiv.  11),  and  of  mystical  Babylon 
(Rev.  xviii.  9,  18,  xix.  2,  3).     V  Froir 


B.C.llZ.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


523 


generation  to  generation  it  shall  lie 
waste.  Full  confirmation  of  this  may 
be  seen  in  the  travels  of  Seetzen,  of 
Burckhardt,  of  Volney,  and  Irby  and 
Mangles,  extracts  of  which  have  been 
collected  and  arranged  by  Keith  (Evi- 
dences of  Prophecy,  pp.  135-16S). 
Thus  Volney  says,  "  From  the  reports 
of  the  Arabs  of  Bakir,  and  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Gaza,  who  frequently  go  to 
Maan  and  Karak,  on  the  road  of  the 
piigrims,  there  are  to  the  southeast  of 
the  lake  Asphaltites  (Dead  Sea),  with- 
in three  day's  journey,  upwards  of 
thirty  ruined  towns  absolutely  deserted. 
Several  of  them  have  large  edifices, 
with  columns  that  may  have  belonged 
to  the  ancient  temples,  or  at  least  to 
Greek  churches.  The  Arabs  some- 
times make  use  of  them  to  fold  cattle 
in  ;  but  in  general  avoid  them  on  ac- 
count of  the  enormous  scorpions  with 
which  they  swarm."  Volney's  Travels, 
vol.  ii.  pp.  344—346.  It  is  remarkable 
that  an  infidel,  as  Volney  was,  should 
in  this,  as  in  numerous  other  instances, 
have  given  a  minute  confirmation  of 
the  ancient  prophecies.  Seetzen  says 
(Travels  p.  46,)  that  he  was  told,  that, 
"  at  the  distance  of  two  days  and  a 
half  from  Hebron  he  would  find  con- 
siderable ruins  of  the  ancient  city  of 
Abde,  and  that  for  all  the  rest  of  the 
journey  he  would  see  no  place  of  habi- 
tation ;  he  would  meet  only  with  a  few 
tribes  of  wandering  Arabs."  Burck- 
hardt has  given  the  following  descrip- 
tion of  the  eastern  boundary  of  Edom, 
and  of  the  adjoining  part  of  Arabia 
Petra3a.  "  It  might  with  truth  be  call- 
ed Fetraea,  not  only  on  account  of  its 
rocky  mountains,  but  also  of  the  elevat- 
ed plain  already  described"  (i  e.  Shera, 
Seir,  the  territory  of  the  Edomites, 
Travels,  pp.  410,  435),  "  which  is  so 
much  covered  with  stones,  especially 
lints,  that  it  may  with  great  propriety 
oe  cal'ed  a  stony  desert,  although  sus- 
ceptible of  culture  ;  in  many  places  it 
is  grown  over  with  wild  herbs,  and 
must  once  have  been  thickly  inhabited, 
for  the  traces  of  many  towns  and  villa- 
ges are  met  with  on  both  sides  of  the 
Hadj  road  between  Maan  and  Akaba, 
as  well  as  between  Maan  and  the  plains 


of  Houran,  in  which  directioi  also  are 
many  springs.  At  present  all  this 
country  is  a  desert,  and  Maan  is  the 
only  inhabited  place  in  it."  Burcfc- 
hardt's  Travels,  p.  436.  Of  the  re- 
mains of  ancient  cities  still  exposed  t" 
view  in  different  places  throughout 
Idumea,  Burckhardt  describes  the  ruins 
of  a  large  town  of  which  nothing  re- 
mains but  broken  walls  and  heaps  of 
stones  ;  the  ruins  of  several  villages  in 
its  vicinity  (p.  418)  ;  the  ruins  of  an 
ancient  city,  consisting  of  large  heaps 
of  hewn  blocks  of  siliceous  stone  ;  and 
the  extensive  ruins  of  Arindela,  an  an- 
cient town  of  Palestina  Tertia.  p.  141. 
"  The  following  ruined  places  are  sit- 
uated in  Djebal  Shera  (Mount  Seir), 
to  the  south  and  southwest  of  Wady 
Mousa, — Kalaat  Beni  Madha,  Djerba, 
Basta,  Eyl,  Ferdakh,  Anyk,  Bir  el 
Beytar,  Shemakh,  and  Syk."  p.  444. 
Burckhardt  also  gives  a  most  interest- 
ing description  of  the  ruins  of  the  an- 
cient Petra  which  he  discovered,  the 
ancient  capital  of  Edom,  but  which  is 
too  long  to  be  transcribed  here.  See 
his  Travels,  pp.  422-432.  Comp  Note 
on  ch.  xvi.  1.  If  None  shall  pass  through 
it  for  ever  and  ever.  That  is,  it  shall 
not  be  a  country  through  which  cara- 
vans shall  pass  ;  there  shall  be  no  roads, 
and  it  shall  not  be  deemed  safe  to 
travel  through  it.  It  will  be  recollect- 
ed that  the  original  source  of  all  their 
calamities,  and  the  cause  of  all  the 
judgments  that  came  upon  them,  was 
the  fact  that  they  would  not  let  the 
children  of  Israel  pass  peaceably  through 
their  land  on  their  way  to  Canaan. 
See  the  Introduction  to  the  chapter. 
As  a  punishment  for  this,  God  now 
says  that  their  land  shall  not  be  passed 
through  ;  it  shall  not  be  a  thoroughfare  ; 
there  shall  be  no  travellers  in  it. — God 
usually  directs  his  punishment  of  in- 
dividuals and  of  nations  in  the  line  of 
their  offences,  and  thus  his  judgments 
become  commoi  Jy  a  recompense  in 
kind.  Thus  in  2  Sam.  xxii.  26, 27,  it  is 
said  : 


With  the  merciful,  thou  wilt  show  thyself  merci- 
ful. 

And  with  the  upright  man  thou  wilt  show  thyself 
upright 


524 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. HZ 


11  But  the  7cormorant  dand 
the  bittern  shall  possess  it ;  the 
owl    also    and    the    raven    shall 

7  or.  pelican.       d  Zeph.  2.  14.    Rev.  18.  2. 

With  the  pure  thou  wilt  show  thyself  pure  ; 
And  with  the  Irowurd  thou  wilt  show  thy.-elf 
unsavory. 

In  accordance  with  this  prediction  that 
no  one  should  pass  through  Edom, 
Volney  says,  "  The  country  has  not 
been  visited  by  any  traveller,  but  it  well 
merits  such  an  attention."  Travels,  vol. 
ii.  344.  Thus  Burckhardt  says,  after 
he  had  entered,  on  the  northeast,  the 
territories  of  the  Edoinites,  that  he 
"  was  without  protection  in  the  midst 
of  a  desert  where  no  traveller  had  ever 
before  been  seen."  Travels  in  Syria, 
p.  421.  It  was  then,  he  adds,  "  that 
for  the  first  time  he  had  ever  felt 
fear  during  his  travels  in  the  desert, 
and  his  route  thither  was  the  most 
dangerous  he  had  ever  travelled."  p. 
400.  "  Seetzen  on  a  piece,  of  paper 
pasted  against  the  wall,  notified  his 
having  penetrated  the  country  in  a 
direct  line  between  the  Dead  Sea  and 
Mount  Sinai  (through  Idumea),  a  route 
never  before  accomplished."  Burck.  Syr. 
p.  553.  Burckhardt  had  determined 
to  attempt  to  pass  the  same  way  as 
being  the  shortest  way  to  Jerusalem  ; 
but  he  was  repeatedly  told  it  was  im- 
possible ;  and  the  difficulty  of  the  jour- 
ney is  illustrated  in  the  Travels  of 
Captains  Irby  and  Mangles.  They 
offered  five  hundred  piastres  to  an  Arab 
tribe  if  they  would  conduct  them  to 
Wady  Mousa,  but  nothing  would  in- 
duce them  to  consent.  "  They  said 
they  would  not  go  if  we  would  give 
them  five  thousand  piastres,  observing 
that  money  was  of  no  use  to  a  man  if 
he  lost  his  life."  p.  349.  So  strikingly 
has  this  prediction  been  fulfilled. 

11.  But  the  cormorant.  This  and 
the  following  verses  contain  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  desolations  of  Edom  in 
language  remarkably  similar  to  that 
employed  in  the  account  of  the  de- 
struction of  Babylon,  ch.  xiii.  20-22, 
xiv.  23.  The  word  here  translated 
cormorant,  (^i<|5)  oix-urs  in  this  place 
and  in  Z^ph.  ii.  14,  wnere  it  is  render- 


dwell  in  it:  and  he  shall  stretch 
out  upon  it  the  line*  of  confusion 
and  the  stones  of  emptiness. 

e  2  Kings  21.  13. 

ed  cormorant,  and  in  Lev.  xi.  18.  Deut. 
xiv.  17.  Ps.  cii.  6,  where  it  is  rendered 
pelican.  Bochart  supposes  it  is  the 
ardea  stcllaris,  or  bitourn,  which  fre- 
quents watery  places  in  deserts,  and 
makes  a  horrible  noise.  The  pelican 
is  a  sea-fowl,  and  cannot  be  intended 
here.  The  cormorant,  or  water-raven, 
is  a  large  fowl  of  the  pelican  kind, 
which  occupies  the  cliffs  by  the  sea, 
feeds  on  fish,  and  wh;ch  is  extremely 
voracious,  and  which  is  the  emblem  of 
a  glutton.  It  is  not  certain  what  fowl 
is  intended  here,  but  the  word  properly 
denotes  a  water-fowl,  and  evidently 
refers  to  some  bird  that  inhabits  deso- 
late places.  H  And  the  bittern  shall 
possess  it.  For  a  description  of  the 
bitlcrn,  see  Note  ch.  xiv  23  It  The 
owl  also  and  the  raven.  Well  known 
birds  that  occupy  deserts,  and  old  ruins 
of  houses  or  towns.  The  image  here 
is  that  of  desolation  and  ruin  ;  and  the 
sense  is,  that  the  land  would  be  re- 
duced to  a  waste  that  would  not  be 
inhabited  by  man,  but  would  be  given 
up  to  wild  animals.  How  well  this 
agrees  with  Edom,  may  be  seen  in  the 
Travels  of  Burckhardt,  Seetzen,  and 
others.  In  regard  to  the  fact  that  the 
cormorant  (f^I?  kaatk)  should  be 
found  there,  it  may  be  proper  to  intro- 
duce a  remark  of  Burckhardt,  who 
seems  to  have  had  no  reference  to  this 
prophecy.  "The  bird  katta,"  says  he, 
"  is  met  with  in  immense  numbers. 
They  fly  in  such  large  flocks  that  the 
boys  often  kill  two  or  three  of  them  at 
a  time  merely  by  throwing  a  stick 
among  them."  So  also  in  regard  to 
the  fact  that  the  owl  and  the  raven 
shall  dwell  there,  the  following  state- 
ments are  made  by  travellers.  Captain 
Mangles  relates  that  while  he  and  his 
fellow-travellers  were  examining  the 
ruins  and  contemplating  the  sublime 
scenery  ofPetra,  "  the  screaming  of  the 
eagles,  hawks,  and  owls,  which  were 
soaring  above  'heir  heads  in  consider- 


B.C. 71S] 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


523 


12  They  shall  call  the  nobles 
thereof  to  the  kingdom,  but  none 
shall  be  there,  and  all  her  princes 
shall  be  nothing. 

13  And  thorns  shall  come  up 


able  numbers,  seemingly  annoyed  at 
any  one  approaching  their  lonely  habi- 
tation, added  much  to  the  singularity 
of  the  scene."  So  says  Burckhardt : 
"  The  fields  of  Tafyle  (situated  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  Edom)  are  fre- 
quented by  an  immense  number  of 
crows.''  IT  And  he  shall  stretch  out 
upon  it.  This  is  an  allusion  to  the 
fact  that  an  architect  uses  a  line,  which 
is  employed  to  lay  out  his  work.  See 
Note  ch.  xxviii.  17.  H  The  line  of 
confusion.  A  similar  expression  occurs 
in  2  Kings  xxi.  13  :  "I  will  stretch 
over  Jerusalem  the  line  of  Samaria, 
and  the  plummet  of  the  house  of  Ahab  ;" 
i.  e.  I  will  apply  the  same  measure  and 
rule  of  destruction  to  Jerusalem  that 
has  been  applied  to  Samaria.  So  Edom 
would  be  marked  out  for  desolation. 
It  was  the  work  which  God  had  laid 
out,  and  which  he  intended  to  perform. 
IT  And  the  stones  of  emptiness.  Pro- 
bably the  plummet  which  the  architect 
commonly  employed  with  his  line.  See 
Note  ch.  xxviii.  17.  It  is  a  fact,  how- 
ever, that  Edom  is  at  present  an  ex- 
tended waste  of  stones  and  barren 
rocks.  "  We  had  before  us  an  im- 
mense expanse  of  dreary  country,  en- 
tirely covered  with  black  flints,  with 
here  and  there  some  hilly  chain  rising 
from  the  plain."  Burckhardt's  Travels 
in  Syria,  p.  445. 

12.  They  shall  call  the  nobles  thereof 
to  the  kingdom.  A  more  correct  ren- 
dering of  this  would  be,  *  As  to  the 
nobles,  they  shall  call  them,  but  there 
shall  be  there  no  kingdom.'  The  idea 
is,  that  the  kingdom  would  be  desolate  ; 
there  would  be  no  people  to  rule.  Or, 
there  will  be  no  nobles  there  who  shall 
survive  the  destruction,  and  wiio  can 
undertake  the  government  of  the  state. 
The  idea  is  taken  from  a  government 
or  constitution  where  the  monarch  is 
chosen  from  the  ranks  of  the  nobility. 


in  her  palaces,  nettks  and  Dram- 
bles  in  the  fortresses  thereof; 
and  it  shall  be  an  habitation  of 
dragons,  and  a  court  for  8ovvls. 

8  daughters  of  the  oiel,  or,  ostrichs.  ch.  13.  21,  22. 


Idumea  was  formerly  governed,  as  we 
have  seen  (see  the  Introduction  to  the 
chapter),  by  dukes,  or  princes  ;  and  it 
is  probable  that  when  it  became  a 
monarchy  it  was  a  part  of  the  consti- 
tution that  the  sovereign  should  be 
chosen  from  their  ranks.  '1  he  idea 
here  is,  that  none  would  be  left  who 
could  be  called  to  the  throne  ;  or  if  any 
were  left,  they  would  be  unwilling  to 
undertake  the  government  of  a  country 
where  all  was  disorder  and  confusion. 
IT  And  all  her  princes  shall  be  nothing. 
Long  since  Idumea  has  ceased  to  be  a 
kingdom,  and  there  are  neither  nobles 
nor  princes  there,  nor  are  there  any 
remains  of  an  organized  and  indepen- 
dent government. 

13.  And  thorns,  &c.  See  Note  ch. 
v.  6.  IT  It  shall  be  an  habitation  of 
dragons.  On  the  meaning  of  the  word 
dragons,  see  Note  ch.  xiii.  22.  1T  Court 
for  owls.  A  place  of  resort,  a  resi- 
dence of  owls.  The  word  rendered 
court  (VStH)  means  a  dwelling-place, 
a  habitation,  as  well  as  an  inclosure  or 
court.  The  margin  is,  daughters  of 
the  owl,  or  ostriches.  See  Note  ch.  xiii. 
21. — "  I  would,"  says  Stephens,  when 
standing  amidst  the  ruins  of  Petra  the 
capital  of  Idumea  (see  Note  ch.  xvi.  1), 
and  with  this  passage  of  Isaiah  in  his 
eye,  "  I  would  that  the  skeptic  couid 
stand  as  I  did,  among  the  ruins  of  this 
city  among  the  rocks,  and  there  open 
the  sacred  book  and  read  the  words  of 
the  inspired  penman,  written  when  this 
desolate  place  was  one  of  the  greatest 
cities  in  the  world.  I  see  the  scoff  ar- 
rested, his  cheek  pale,  his  lip  quivering, 
and  his  heart  quaking  with  fear,  as  the 
ancient  city  cries  out  to  him  in  a  voice 
loud  and  powerful  as  one  risen  from 
the  dead  ;  though  he  would  not  believe 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  he  believes  the 
hand-writing  of  God   himself,  in   the 


526 


ISAIAH. 


[5.C.713 


14  The  9\vild  beasts  of  the 
desert  shall  also  meet  with  9the 
wild  beasts  of  the  island,  and  the 
satyr  shall  cry  to  his  fellow  ;  the 
•screech-owl  also  shall  rest  there, 
and  find  for  herself  a  place  of 
rest. 

15  There  shall  the  great  owl 
make  her  nest,  and  lay,  and 
hatch,   and    gather    under    her 

9  Zllm  2  ijim.        3  or,  night-monster. 

desolation  and  eternal  ruin  around 
him."  Incidents  of  Travel  in  Egypt, 
&c,  vol.  ii.  p.  76. 

14.  The  wild  beasts  of  the  desert. 
There  is  in  the  original  here  a  parono- 
masia, which  cannot  be  conveyed  in  a 
translation. — The  word  rendered"  wild 
beasts  of  the  desert,"  (D^St),  is  ren- 
dered by  the  LXX,  Satp6via,  demons. 
On  the  meaning  of  the  word,  see  Note 
ch.  xiii.  21.  IT  The  wild  beasts  of  the 
island.  Marg.  Ijim,  Heb.  O^X  .  See 
Note  ch.  xiii.  22.  Probably  the  term 
denotes  the  jackal.  Gesenius  supposes 
:'t  is  so  called  from  its  howl,  or  noctur- 
nal cry — from  an  Arabic  word  signify- 
ing to  howl.  IT  And  the  satyr.  See 
Note  ch.  xiii  21.  H"  Shall  cry  to  his 
felloio.  A  most  striking  description 
of  the  desolation,  when  all  that  is 
heard  among  the  ruins  shall  be  the 
doleful  cry  of  wild  beasts.  H  The 
screech-owl.        Marg.     night-monster. 

The  word  t^"1^  (<"rom  ^  night)  pro- 
perly denotes  a  night-spectre — a  crea- 
ture of  Jewish  superstition.  The  Rab- 
bins describe  it  in  the  form  of  a  female 
elegantly  dressed  that  lay  in  wait  for 
children  by  night — either  to  carry  them 
off,  or  to  murder  them.  The  Greeks 
had  a  similar  idea  respecting  the  female 
tfiirovaa,  and  this  idea  corresponds  to 
the  Roman  fables  respecting  the  Lamia, 
and  Striges,  and  to  the  Arabic  notions 
of  the  Ghiiles,  whom  they  described  as 
female  monsters  that  dwell  in  deserts, 
and  tear  men  to  pieces.  See  Gesenius 
,0mm.  in  loco  ;  and  Bochart  Hieroz. 
7.  ii.  p.  831.  The  margin  in  our  ver- 
sion expresses  the  correct  idea.     All 


shadow  ;  there  shall  the  vultures 
also  be  gathered,  every  one  with 
her  mate. 

16  Seek  -fye  out  of  the  book 
of  the  Lord,  and  read  :  no  one 
s"of  these  shall  fail,  none  shall 
want  her  mate  :  for  my  moulh  it 
hath  commanded,  and  his  spirit 
it  hath  gathered  them. 

/Is.  8.  20.  Jno.  5.  39.  2  Pet.  1.  19.    g  Matt.  5.  18. 
Lu.  21.  b3. 

this  is  decriptive  of  utter  and  perpetual 
desolation — of  a  land  that  should  be 
full  of  old  ruins,  and  inhabited  by  the 
animals  that  usually  make  such  ruins 
their  abode. 

15.  There  shall  the  great  owl  (tlBJ?). 
Gesenius  supposes  that  this  is  the  ar- 
row-snake, so  called  from  its  darting, 
or  springing,  in  the  manner  of  the  rat- 
tle-snake— from  an  obsolete  root  to 
dram  one's  self  together,  to  contract. 
Bochart  in  Hieroz.  P.  ii  lib.  iii.  c.  xi. 
pp.  41)8— 419,  has  examined  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  at  length,  and  comes 
to  the  conclusion  that  it  means  the 
serpent  which  the  Greeks  called  acov- 
tias,  and  the  Latins  jaculus  : — the  ar- 
row-snake. The  serpent  is  oviparous, 
and  nourishes  its  young.  The  ancient 
versions,  however,  understand  it  in  the 
same  sense  as  the  kippod  in  ver.  11 — 
the  hedgehog  or  porcupine.  V  Under 
her  shadow.  This  might  be  done  by 
the  serpent  that  should  coil  up  and 
cherish  her  young.  ^  The  xiultures, 
&c.  The  black  vulture,  according  to 
Bochart ;  according  to  Gesenius,  the 
kite,  or  falcon — so  called  from  its  swift 
flight.  Either  of  them  will  suit  the 
connection.  1T  Also  te  gathered,  every 
one  with  her  mate.  They  shall  make 
their  nests  there  ;  that  is,  this  shall  be 
their  secure,  undisturbed  retreat. 

16.  Seek  ye  out.  Look  carefully  at 
the  pred'ction,  and  its  fulfilment.  This 
seems  to  be  addressed  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  that  land,  or  to  any  who  might 
doubt,  or  be  disposed  to  examine.  They 
were  invited  to  compare  the  prediction 
with  the  fulfilment,  and  see  how  liter- 
ally all  would  he  fulfilled — an  exami- 


1?.C.713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


527 


17  And  he  hath  cast  the  lot  i  they  shall   possess   it   for  ever, 


for    them,    and     his    hand    hath 
divided    it    unto   them    by  line : 

nation  which  may  be  made  now,  and 
the  prediction  will  be  seen  to  have 
been  accomplished  with  most  surprising 
particularity  and  accuracy.  H"  The 
book  of  the  Lord.  The  book  of  Jeho- 
vah, which  he  has  caused  to  be  written, 
referring,  perhaps,  especially  to  what 
Isaiah  has  here  recorded  ;  including 
also  what  had  been  uttered  by  the 
other  prophets  in  regard  to  Edom.  The 
main  reference  is,  however,  doubtless, 
to  what  Isaiah  has  written  ;  and  the 
invitation  is  to  compare  his  predictions 
with  the  certain  and  remarkable  evi- 
dence of  the  fulfilment.  "  The  pro- 
phet evidently  contemplated  the  inser- 
tion of  his  prophecy  among  the  sacred 
books  of  the  Jews,  from  which  those 
that  followed  him  might  judge  of  the 
correctness  of  the  prophecy."  Noyes. 
That  a  collection  of  the  various  pro- 
phetic books  was  made,  constituting 
one  book  or  volume,  and  regarded  as 
the  work  of  inspiration,  is  well  known 
and  is  referred  to  during  the  captivity 
in  Babylon  by  Daniel,  ch.  ix.  2.  The 
direction  to  search  that  book  accords 
with  the  command  of  the  Saviour, 
John  v.  39,  and  the  direction  of  Nico- 
demus,  John  vii.  32,  to  search  the 
Scriptures.  IT  No  one  of  these  shall 
fail.  Not  one  of  these  predictions,  or 
these  things  which  have  been  spoken. 
II  None  shall  want  her  mate.  That  is, 
none  of  the  things  which  I  have  spoken 
shall  want  a  fulfilment  as  its  companion. 
The  language  is  here  evidently  taken 
from  the  pairing  of  animals,  and  de- 
notes that  all  that  is  spoken  shall  be 
entirely  fulfilled.  Some  have  under- 
stood this  as  referring  to  the  wild  ani- 
mals of  which  he  had  spoken,  and  as 
meaning  that  in  desolate  Idumea  they 
should  be  appropriately  paired,  and 
should  breed  and  increase  in  abundance. 
But  the  more  natural  interpretation  is 


from    generation    to    generation 
shall  they  dwell  therein. 

to  refer  it  to  the  predictions  of  the  pro- 
phet, as  meaning  that  no  one  thing 
which  he  had  uttered  should  waftt  a 
complete  fulfilment.  If  For  my  mouth. 
The  word  "  my  "  is  not  in  the  Hebrew. 
The  Hebrew  phrase  is  MM  **ET'I2 ,  •  For 
the  mouth,  he  hath  commanded.'  The 
word  WH  stands  for  He,  that  is,  Jeho- 
vah, and  the  phrase  means  the  same  aa 
his  mouth,  that  is,  the  mouth  of  God. 
The  LXX  render  it,  "  for  the  Lord  hath 
commanded  them."  Lowth  renders  it, 
"  for  the  mouth  of  Jehovah,"  changing 
frWn  into  •"^""H  in  accordance  with  five 
MSS.  and  the  translation  of  the  LXX. 
IT  And  his  Spirit.  The  Spirit  of  God  ; 
thai  is,  Jehovah  himself.  IT  Hath  ga- 
thered them.  Will  collect,  or  assem- 
ble ;  i.  e.  the  wild  beasts  spoken  of  in 
the  previous  verses  that  shall  occupy 
desolate  Idumea.  It  shall  be  the 
agency  of  God  that  shall  bring  them 
up  upon  the  land  to  occupy  it  for  ever. 
17.  And  he  hath  cast  the  lot  for  them. 
He  hath  assigned  to  them  the  land  of 
Edom  to  be  occupied  by  them  as  their 
portion.  This  language  is  taken  from 
the  fact  that  countries  were  commonly 
apportioned,  particularly  among  con- 
querors, by  the  lot.  In  this  way  Judea 
was  divided  among  the  tribes  of  Israel. 
Num.  xxvi.  55,  56.  H  His  hand  hath 
divided  it  unto  them  by  line.  He  has 
marked  out,  as  a  surveyor  does,  the 
land  of  Edom  as  the  dwelling-place 
of  the  beasts  of  the  forest.  A  land 
was  usually  surveyed  and  divided  into 
proper  parts  or  portions  before  the  lot 
was  cast.  Josh,  xviii.  4, 5,  6.  T  They 
shall  possess  it.  The  wild  beasts  men- 
tioned in  the  previous  verses.  The 
testimony  of  all  travellers  demonstrates 
that  thus  far  this  prediction  has  been 
strikingly  fulfilled. 


629 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. 113. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    CHAPTER. 

This  chapter  is  a  continuation  of  the  prophecy  commenced  in  the  previous  chnpter.  Seethe 
Analysis  ol'ch.  xxxiv.  for  a  general  view  of  the  design  ot'tlie  prophecy.  The  object  of  the  whole  is, 
to  snow  that  all  the  enemies  of  the  people  of  God,  and  particularly  Edom,  which  had  su  peculiarly 
and  grievously  offended  them,  would  be  destroyed;  and  that  the  destruction  of  their  foe9  would  be 
followed  by  times  of  security,  prosperity,  and  joy. 

That  this  chapter  refers  to  ihe  Messiah  is  apparent  from  the  slightest  inspection  of  it.  It  so  clearly 
describes  the  times  of  the  gospel ;  so  distinctly  speaks  of  the  very  works  which  the  Redeemer  in  fact 
performed  ,  and  is  so  full,  and  rich,  and  beautiful,  that  it  cannot  be  regarded  as  referring  to  any  other 
period.  It  b;is  in  many  respects  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  predictions  in  chs.  xi.  and  xu.,  and  is 
incontestably  among  the  mo-.t  beautiful  of  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah. 
7  he  chapter  may  be  divided  into  the  following  portions  :- 

1.  The  consolations  which  would  follow  the  destruction  of  all  their  enemies—  as  great  a  change 
as  if  the  wilderness  were  to  blossom  like  the  rose,  and  the  glory  and  bcau'y  of  Lebanon  and 
<  armel  were  given  to  the  desert,  vs   1,  •■>. 
II.  The  exhortation  addressed  to  those  in  office  and  authority  to  comfort  the  feeble,  and  strength- 
en the  weak  with  the  assurance  that  those  blissful  times  would  come,  vs.  3. 4. 
III.  The  description  of  the  actual  condition  of  the  fuiure  period  of  happiness  which  is  foretold, 
(a)  The  eyes  of'the  blind  would  be  opened,  the  deaf  made  to  hear,  and  the  lame  man  be 

cured,  vs.  S,  6,  7. 
(4)  It  would  be  a  time  of  holiness.    The  way  of  access  to  these  blessings  would  be  open 

and  free  to  all  -even  to  all  nations,  but  it  would  be  a  way  for  the  pure  only,  ver.  8. 
(c)  It  would  be  a  time  of  safety.    There  would  be  no  enemy  that  could  overcome  and 

subline  them,  ver.  9. 
W)  It  would  he  a  time  of  elevated  jny— represented  by  the  return  to  Zion  from  a  long  and 
painful  captivity,  ver.  Id.     In  the  fulness  of  the  blessings  of  the  reign  of  the  Messiah 
all  their  sorrow  and  sighing  would  flee  away,  ver.  10. 


1  The  wilderness,  and  the 
solitary  place,  shall   be  glad  for 

1.  The  wilderness  and  the  solitary 
place.  This  is  evidently  figurative  lan- 
guage, such  as  is  often  employed  by 
the  prophets.  The  word  rendered 
"  solitary  place,"  S"l*12  ,  denotes  pro- 
perly a  dry  place,  a  place  without 
springs  and  streams  of  water  ;  and  as 
such  places  produce  no  verdure,  and 
nothing  to  sustain  life,  the  word  comes 
to  mean  a  desert.  Such  expressions 
are  often  used  in  the  Scriptures  to  ex- 
press moral  or  spiritual  desolation; 
and  in  this  sense  evidently  the  phrase 
is  used  here.  It  does  not  refer  to  the 
desolations  of  Judea,  but  to  all  places 
that  might  be  properly  called  a  moral 
wilderness,  or  a  spiritual  desert  ;  and 
thus  aptly  expresses  the  condition  of  the 
world  that  was  to  be  benefited  by  the 
blessings  foretold  in  this  chapter.  The 
parallel  expressions  in  chs.  xli.  17-19, 
xliv.  3,  4,  show  that  this  is  the  sense  in 
which  the  phrase  is  here  used  ;  and  that 
the  meaning  is,  that  every  situation 
which  might  be  appropriately  called  a 
moral  wilderness — that  is,  the  whole 
heathen    world— would   ultimately   be 


them  ;  and  dthe  desert  shall  re- 
joice,  and  blossom  as  the  rose. 

d  ch.  55.  12,  13. 

made  glad.  The  sense  is,  that  as 
great  and  happy  changes  would  take 
place  in  regard  to  those  desolations  as 
if  the  wilderness  should  become  a  vast 
field  producing  the  lily  and  the  rose  ; 
or  as  if  (ver.  2)  there  should  be  im- 
parted to  such  places  the  glory  of  Le- 
banon, and  the  beauty  of  Sharon  and 
Carmel.  1  Shall  be  glad  for  them. 
This  is  evidently  a  personfication,  a 
beautiful  poetic  figure  by  which  the 
wilderness  is  represented  as  expressing 
joy.  The  sense  is,  the  desolate  moral 
world  would  be  filled  with  joy  on  ac- 
count of  the  blessings  which  are  here 
predicted.  The  phrase  "  for  them," 
expressed  in  Heb.  by  the  affix  D , 
means,  doubtless,  on  account  of  the 
blessings  which  are  foretold  in  this 
prophecy.  Lowth  supposes,  however, 
that  the  letter  has  been  added  to  the 
word  "  shall  be  glad,"  TOb?  ,  by  mis- 
take, because  the  following  word  begins 
with  a  ^  .  The  reading  of  the  pre- 
sent Hebrew  text  is  followed  by  none 
of  the  ancient  versions  ;  but  it  is  never 


B.C.  713.J 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


529 


2  It  shall  blossom  abundantly, 
and  rejoice  even  with  joy  and 
singing :  the  glory  of  Lebanon 
•shall  be  given  unto  it,  the  ex- 
cellency of  Carmel  and  Sharon  ; 
they  shall  see  the  glory  of  the 

theless  probably  the  correct  reading, 
and  there  is  no  authority  for  changing 
it.  The  sense  is  expressed  above  by 
the  phrase  '  shall  rejoice  on  account 
of  the  things  contained  in  this  pro- 
phecy ;'  to  wit,  the  destruction  of  all  the 
foes  of  God,  and  the  universal  esta- 
blishment of  his  kingdom.  Those  who 
wish  to  see  a  more  critical  examina- 
tion of  the  words  here  used,  may  find 
it  in  Rosenmtlller  and  Gesenius.  1T  And 
blossom  as  the  rose.  The  word  ren- 
dered rose  (^5^?^!)  occurs  only  here 
and  in  Cant.  ii.  1,  where  it  is  also  ren- 
dered a  rose.  The  LXX  render  it  the 
lily  (Kpivov).  The  Vulgate  also  renders 
it  lilium — the  lily.  The  Syriac  ren- 
ders it  also  by  a  word  which  signifies 
the  lily,  or  narcissus  ;  or,  according  to 
the  Syriac  lexicographers,  the  meadow 
saffron,  an  autumnal  flower  springing 
from  poisonous  bulbous  roots,  and  of  a 
white  and  violet  colour.  The  sense  is 
not,  however,  affected  materially  what- 
ever be  the  meaning  of  the  word. 
Either  the  rose,  the  lily,  or  the  saffron, 
would  convey  the  idea  of  beauty  com- 
pared with  the  solitude  and  desolation 
of  the  desert.  The  word  rose  with  us 
— as  being  a  flower  better  known — 
conveys  a  more  striking  image  of 
beauty,  and  there  is  no  impropriety  in 
retaining  it. 

2.  It  shall  blossom  abundantly.  Heb. 
'  Blossoming  it  shall  blossom  ;'  a  com- 
mon  mode  of  expression  in  Hebrew 
denoting  certainty,  abundance,  fulness 
— similar  to  the  expression   (Gen.  ii. 
17),  '  Dying  thou  shalt  die,'  i.  e.  thou 
6halt  surely  die.     The  sense  here  is,  it 
shall  blossom  in  abundance.     IT  And 
rejoice  even  with  joy.     Strong  figura- 
tive language,  denoting  the  greatness 
i  of  the  blessings  ;  as  great  as  if  in  the 
I  waste  wilderness  there  should  be  heard 
,  the  voice  of  joy  and  rejoicing.     The 
23 


Lord,  and  the  excellency  of  our 
God. 

3  Strengthen  fye  the  weak 
hands,  and  confirm  the  feebJe 
knees. 


g  Hos.  14.  5.  6. 


i  Heb.  12.  12. 


LXX  render  this,  '  the  deserts  of  Jor- 
dan also  bloom  and  rejoice  ;'  and  Je- 
rome applies  this  to  the  preaching  of 
John  in  the  wilderness  adjacent  to 
Jordan.  The  LXX  evidently  read 
"PP.  instead  of  the  Hebrew  "jS^I . 
Lowth  has  followed  this,  and  rendered 
it,  "  the  well-watered  plain  of  Jordan 
shall  rejoice,"  but  without  any  autho- 
rity from  Heb.  MSS.  for  the  change. 
IT  The  glory  of  Lebanon.  The  glory 
or  ornament  of  Lebanon  was  its  cedars. 
See  Note  ch.  x.  34.  The  sense  here 
is,  that  the  change  would  be  as  great 
under  the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's 
reign  as  if  there  should  be  suddenly 
transferred  to  the  waste  wilderness  the 
majesty  and  glory  of  Mount  Lebanon. 
IT  The  excellency  of  Carmel.  Carmel 
was  emblematic  of  beauty,  as  Lebanon 
was  of  majesty,  and  as  Sharon  was  of 
fertility.  For  a  description  of  Carmel, 
see  Note  ch.  xxix.  17  ;  of  Sharon,  see 
Note  ch.  xxxiii.  9.  The  sense  is  clear. 
The  blessings  of  the  times  of  the  Mes- 
siah would  be  as  great,  compared  with 
what  had  existed  before,  as  if  the  de- 
sert were  made  as  lovely  as  Carmel, 
and  as  fertile  as  Sharon.  The  world, 
that  in  regard  to  comfort,  intelligence, 
and  piety,  might  be  compared  to  a 
pathless  desert,  would  be  like  the  beauty 
of  Carmel  and  the  fertility  of  Sharon. 
IT  They  shall  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 
As  manifested  under  the  Messiah. 

3.  Strengthen  ye.  That  is,  you  who 
are  the  religious  teachers  and  guides 
of  the  people.  This  is  an  address 
made  by  the  prophet  in  view  of  what 
he  had  said  and  was  about  to  say  of 
the  promised  blessings.  The  sense  is, 
strengthen  and  sustain  the  feeble  and 
the  desponding  by  the  promised  bless- 
ings ;  by  the  assurances  (ch.  xxxiv.) 
that  all  the  enemies  of  Gcd  and  his 
people  will  be  destroyed  ;  and  that  he 


530 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C. in 


4  Say  to  them  that  are  of  a 
•fearful  heart,  Be  strong,  fear 
*not;  behold,  your  God  will 
come  with  vengeance,  even  God 


Ihaity. 


k  ch.  44.  3. 


will  manifest  himself  as  their  protector, 
arid  send  upon  them  the  promised  bless- 
ings. Or  it  may  be  regarded  as  ad- 
dressed to  the  officers  and  ministers  of 
religion  when  these  blessings  should 
have  come  ;  and  as  being  an  exhorta- 
tion to  them  to  make  use  of  the  influ- 
ences, the  promises,  and  the  consola- 
tions which  would  attend  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah,  to  strengthen  the  fee- 
ble and  confirm  those  who  were  faint- 
hearted. V  The  weak  hands  and  con- 
firm the  feeble  knees.  Strength  resides 
mainly  in  the  arms,  and  in  the  lower 
limbs,  or  the  knees.  If  these  are  fee- 
ble the  whole  frame  is  feeble.  Fear 
relaxes  the  strength  of  the  arms,  and 
the  firmness  of  the  knees ;  and  the 
expressions  '  weak  hands,'  and  '  feeble 
knees,'  become  synonymous  with  say- 
ing, of  a  timid,  fearful,  and  despond- 
ing frame  of  mind.  Such  were  to  be 
strengthened  by  the  assurance  of  the 
favour  of  God,  and  by  the  consolations 
which  would  flow  from  the  reign  of  the 
Messiah.  The  Jews,  who  looked  abroad 
upon  the  desolations  of  their  country, 
were  to  be  comforted  by  the  hope  of 
future  blessings  ;  those  who  lived  in 
those  future  times  were  to  be  consoled 
by  the  assurances  of  the  favour  of  God 
through  the  Messiah.  Comp.  Notes 
ch.  xl.  1. 

4.  Say  to  them.  This  is  still  an  ad- 
dress to  the  ministers  of  religion,  to 
make  use  of  all  the  consolations  which 
these  truths  and  predictions  furnish  to 
confirm  and  strengthen  the  people  of 
God.  IT  Of  a  fearful  heart.  Of  a 
timid,  pusillanimous  heart ;  those  who 
Iremble  before  their  enemies.  The 
Hebrew  is,  as  in  the   margin,  •  of  a 

\iasty  heart ;'  that  is,  of  those  who  are 
-disposed  to  flee  before  their  enemies. 
'See  Note  ch.  xxx.  16.     T  Behold, your 

%od  will  come  with  vengeance.  That 
•  p,  in  the  manner  described  in  the  pre- 


with  a  recompense  j  he  will  come 
and  save  wyou. 

5  Then  "the  eyes  of  the  blind 
shall  be  opened,  and  the  ears  of 
the  deaf  shall  be  unstopped. 

m  ch.  35.  9.    Luke  21.  S3.  n  Matt.  11.  S. 

vious  chapter  ;  and,  generally,  he  will 
take  vengeance  on  all  the  enemies  of 
his  people,  and  they  shall  be  punished. 
The  language  in  this  chapter  is,  in  part, 
derived  from  the  captivity  at  Babylon 
(ver.  10),  and  the  general  idea  is,  that 
God  would  take  vengeance  on  all  their 
enemies,  and  would  bring  them  com- 
plete and  final  deliverance.  This  doc 
not  mean  that  when  the  Messiah  shor 
come  he  would  be  disposed  to  U 
vengeance ;  nor  do  the  words  "  y 
God  "  here  refer  to  the  Messiah  ;  bat 
it  is  meant  that  their  God — Jehovah — 
would  certainly  come  and  destroy  all 
their  enemies,  and  prepare  the  way 
thus  for  the  coming  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace.  The  general  promise  is,  that 
however  many  enemies  might  attack 
them,  or  however  much  they  might 
fear  them,  yet  that  Jehovah  would  be 
their  protector,  and  would  completely 
humble  and  prostrate  all  their  foes. — 
The  Hebrew  will  admit  of  a  somewhat 
different  translation,  which  I  have 
given  in  accordance  with  that  proposed 
by  Lowth.  The  senso  is  not  mate- 
rially varied. 

5.  Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall 
be  opened.  The  images  in  this  verse 
and  the  following  are  those  of  joy  and 
exultation.  They  describe  the  times 
of  happiness  when  God  would  come  to 
save  them  from  their  foes.  This  pas- 
sage is  so  accurate  a  description  of 
what  the  Messiah,  the  Lord  Jesus,  did, 
that  it  doubtless  refers  to  the  miracles 
which  he  would  perform.  In  not  a  few 
instances  did  he  in  fact  restore  tho 
blind  to  sight,  giving  thus  the  most 
unequivocal  proof  that  he  was  the  Mes- 
siah sent  from  God.  Matt.  ix.  27,  xx 
30.  Mark  viii.  23,  x.  46.  Luke  vii.  21. 
It  is  a  full  confirmation  of  the  opinion 
that  this  passage  refers  to  Christ,  that 
the  Saviour  himself  appeals  to  the  fact 
that  he  restored  the  blind  to  sight,  as 


B.C.  713.1 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


53> 


6  Then  shall  the  lame  man 
leap  as  an  hart,  and  the  tongue 
of  the  dumb  sing :  for  in  the 
wilderness  shall  waters  "break 
out,  and  streams  in  the  desert. 


och.  41.18. 
q  John  4. 14.  r.  33. 


43.  19. 

3  or,  a  court  for. 


demonstration  that  he  was  the  Messiah, 
implying  that  it  was  predicted  that  this 
would  be  a  part  of  his  appropriate 
work.  Matt.  xi.  5,comp.  Luke  iv.  18. 
7  And  the  ears  of  the  deaf  be  unstop- 
ped. Another  demonstration  of  divine 
power,  and  another  proof  that  would 
be  furnished  that  the  Messiah  was 
from  God.  The  Lord  Jesus  often  gave 
this  demonstration  that  he  was  invested 
with  divine  power.  Matt.  xi.  5.  Mark 
vii.  32,  37,  ix.  25. 

6.  Then  shall  the  lame  man  leap. 
This  was  literally  fulfilled  after  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah.  Acts  xiv.  10, 
iii.  8.  It  is  an  emblem  of  the  general  joy 
which  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  would 
impart,  and  is  an  instance  of  the  bless- 
ings which  it  would  convey.  IT  As  an 
hart.  The  word  here  used  denotes  the 
stag,  or  male  deer.  In  Arabic  it  de- 
notes the  wild,  or  mountain  goat.  The 
word  sometimes  refers  to  any  species 
of  deer  or  antelope,  and  this  is  referred 
to  here  from  its  quick  and  sprightly 
nature.  V  And  the  tongue  of  the 
dumb  sing.  Shall  be  able  to  sing,  and 
to  praise  God.  On  the  restoration  of 
the  dumb  to  the  benefits  of  language, 
see  Matt.  ix.  32,33.  Luke  xi.  14.  Matt, 
xii.  22,  xv.  30,31.  Markix.  17.  T  For 
in  the  wilderness  shall  waters  break 
out.  The  joy  shall  be  as  great,  and 
the  blessings  as  numerous  and  refresh- 
ing, as  if  running  fountains  should  sud- 
denly break  out  in  the  desert,  and  the 
thirsty  and  weary  traveller  should  be 
thus  unexpectedly  and  fully  supplied. 
The  world,  in  regard  to  its  real  com- 
forts without  the  gospel,  may  be  not  un- 
aptly compared  to  a  vast  waste  of  path- 
less sands  and  arid  plains.  Nothing 
will  more  strongly  express  the  bless- 
ings of  the  gospel  than  the  idea  of  cool, 
refreshing,  abundant  fountains  and 
streams  bursting  forth  in  such  pathless 


7  And  the  parched  ground 
shall  become  a  pool,  and  the 
thirsty  land  springs  «of  water: 
in  the  habitation  of  dragons  where 
each  lay,  shall  be  3grass,  with 
reeds  and  rushes. 

wastes.  This  is  an  image  which  would 
be  very  expressive  to  those  who  were 
accustomed  to  cross  such  deserts,  and 
it  is  one  which  is  frequently  employed 
by  the  sacred  writers,  and  especially  by 
Isaiah.  See  Isa.  xliii.  19,  20,  xlviir. 
21,  xlix.  10, 11,  lv.  1,  lviii.  11.  "  Lame- 
ness and  dumbness  are  the  uniform  ef- 
fects of  long  walking  in  a  desert ;  the 
sand  and  gravel  produce  the  former, 
fatigue  the  latter.  In  such  cases  some 
of  us  have  walked  hours  together  with- 
out uttering  a  sentence  ;  and  all  walked 
as  if  crippled,  from  the  sand  and  gravel 
getting  into  the  shoes;  but  the  sight 
of  water,  especially  if  unexpected,  un- 
loosed every  tongue,  and  gave  agility  to 
every  limb  ;  men,  oxen,  goats,  sheep, 
and  dogs,  ran  with  speed  and  expres- 
sions of  joy  to  the  refreshing  element." 
— Campbell,  Travels  in  Africa.  The 
Chaldee  Paraphrast  understands  this  as 
referring  entirely  to  the  return  from  the 
captivity  at  Babylon.  "  Then  shall 
they  see  the  exiles  of  Israel  assembled, 
ascend  to  their  own  land  as  the  swift 
stags,  so  that  they  shall  not  be  hin- 
dered." 

7.  And  the  parched  ground  shall  be- 
come a  pool.  The  idea  is  the  same 
here  as  in  the  previous  verse,  that  under 
the  Messiah  there  would  be  blessings 
as  great  as  if  "  the  parched  ground " 
should  become  a  lake  of  pure  and  re- 
freshing water.  The  words  "  parched 
ground,"  however,  probably  do  not 
convey  the  sense  which  Isaiah  intended. 
The  image  which  he  had  in  his  eye  is 
much  more  beautiful  than  that  which 
is  denoted  by  the  "  parched  ground." 
Lowth  translates  it,  "  the  glowing 
sand."  The  LXX,  the  dry  place, 
awSpos.  The  Hebrew  word,  ^"^ 
shdrab,  properly  denotes  the  heat  of 
the  sun,  Isa.  xlix.  10  ;  and  then  the 
phenomena  which  is  produced  by  th« 


532 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713 


refraction  of  the  rays  of  the  sun  on  the 
glowing  sands  of  a  desert,  and  which 
gives  the  appearance  of  a  sea  or  lake 
of  water.  This  phenomenon  is  wit- 
nessed in  the  deserts  of  Arabia  and 
Egypt,  and  has  been  also  seen  occa- 
sionally in  the  south  of  France  and  in 
Russia.  We  have  no  word  in  English 
to  express  it.  The  French  word  by 
which  it  is  commonly  designated  is 
mirage.  It  is  caused  by  the  refraction 
of  the  rays  of  the  sun,  an  explanation 
of  which  may  be  found  in  the  Edin- 
burgh Encyclopaedia,  vol.  xiv.  pp.  753, 
754,  755.  It  is  often  described  by  tra- 
vellers, and  is  referred  to  in  the  Koran, 
ch.  xxiv.  39  : 

The  works  of  unbelievers  are  like  the  serai  in  a 

plain, 
Which  the  thirsty  man  takes  to  be  water,  until  he 

comes  to  it,  and  finds  that  it  is  not. 

Mr.  Sale's  Note  on  this  place  in  the 
Koran  is,  "  The  Arabic  word  serab 
signifies  that  false  appearance  which 
in  the  eastern  countries  is  often  seen  in 
sandy  plains  about  noon,  resembling  a 
large  lake  of  water  in  motion,  and  is 
occasioned  by  the  reverberation  of  the 
sunbeams,  *  by  the  quivering  undulat- 
ing motion  of  that  quick  succession  of 
vapors  and  exhalations  which  are  ex- 
tracted by  the  powerful  influence  of  the 
3un.'  Shaw's  Travels,  p.  378.  It 
sometimes  tempts  thirsty  travellers  out 
of  their  way,  but  deceives  them  when 
they  come  near,  either  going  forward 
(for  it  always  appears  at  the  same  dis- 
tance), or  quite  vanishes."  Q.  Curtius 
also  has  mentioned  it,  in  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  march  of  Alexander  the 
Great  across  the  Oxus  to  Sogdiana. 
"  The  \apour  of  the  summer  sun  in- 
flamed the  sands,  which  when  they 
began  to  be  inflamed  all  things  seemed 
to  burn.  A  dense  cloud,  produced  by 
the  unusual  heat  of  the  earth,  covered 
the  light,  and  the  appearance  of  the 
plains  was  like  a  vast  and  deep  sea." 
Curt,  vii  5.  The  Arabians  often  refer 
to  this  in  their  writings,  and  draw 
images  from  it.  "  Like  the  serab  of 
the  plain,  which  the  thirsty  take  to  be 
water."  "  He  runs  for  the  spoil  of  the 
serab," — a  proverb.  "  Deceitful  as  the 
appearance  of  water," — a  proverb  also. 


"  Be  not  deceived  by  the  glimmer  of 
the  serab,"  another  proverb.  This  ap- 
pearance has  been  often  described  by 
modern  travellers.  See  Shaw's  Tra- 
vels, p.  375  ;  Clarke's  Travels,  vol.  ii. 
p.  295 ;  Belzoni's  Travels  and  Opera- 
tions in  Egypt  and  Nubia,  p.  196. 
The  same  appearance  has  been  ob- 
served in  India,  and  in  various  parts 
of  Africa.  "  During  the  French  expe- 
dition to  Egypt,  the  phenomena  of  un- 
usual refractions  were  often  seen.  The 
uniformity  of  the  extensive  sandy  plains 
of  Lower  Egypt  is  interrupted  only  by 
small  eminences,  on  which  the  villages 
are  situated  in  order  to  escape  the  in- 
undations of  the  Nile.  In  the  morning 
and  the  evening,  as  many  have  re- 
marked, objects  appear  in  their  natural 
position  ;  but  when  the  surface  of  the 
sandy  ground  is  heated  by  the  sun,  the 
land  seems  at  a  certain  distance  termi- 
nated by  a  general  inundation.  The 
villages  which  are  beyond  it  appear 
like  so  many  islands  situated  in  the 
middle  of  a  great  lake ;  and  under 
each  village  is  an  inverted  image  of  it. 
As  the  observer  approaches  the  limits 
of  the  apparent  inundation,  the  imagi- 
nary lake  which  seemed  to  encircle  the 
village  withdraws  itself,  and  the  same 
illusion  is  reproduced  by  another  vil- 
lage more  remote."  Edin.  Encyc.  vol. 
xiv.  p.  754.  "  In  the  desert,"  says 
Prof.  Robinson,  "  we  had  frequent  in- 
stances of  the  mirage  presenting  the 
appearance  of  lakes  of  water  and 
islands  ;  and  as  we  began  to  descend 
towards  Suez,  it  was  difficult  to  distin- 
guish between  these  appearances  and 
the  distant  real  waters  of  the  Red 
Sea."  Travels  in  Palestine  and  the 
adjacent  regions,  in  1838.  Bib.  Repos. 
April,  1839,  p.  402.  Major  Skinner, 
in  his  recently  published  '  Journey 
Overland  to  India,'  describes  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  serab  in  that  very  de- 
sert, between  Palestine  and  the  Eu- 
phrates, which  probably  supplied  the 
images  which  the  prophet  employs : 
"  About  noon  the  most  perfect  decep- 
tion that  can  be  conceived  exhilarated 
our  spirits,  and  promised  an  early 
resting-place.  We  had  observed  a 
slight  mirage  two  or  three  times  be- 


B.C.  713.]  CHAPTER  XXXV.  533 

8  And   an   highway  shall  be  j  there,  and  a  way,  and  it  shall  be 


fore,  but  this  day  it  surpassed  all  I  have 
ever  fancied.  Although  aware  that 
these  appearances  have  often  led  peo- 
ple astray,  I  could  not  bring  myself  to 
believe  that  this  was  unreal.  The 
Arabs  were  doubtful,  and  said  that,  as 
we  had  found  water  yesterday,  it  was 
not  improbable  that  we  should  find 
some  to-day.  The  seeming  lake  was 
broken  in  several  parts  by  little  islands 
of  sand  that  gave  strength  to  the  delu- 
sion. The  dromedaries  of  the  Sheikhs 
at  length  reached  its  borders,  and  ap- 
peared to  us  to  have  commenced  to 
ford  as  they  advanced,  and  became 
more  surrounded  by  the  vapour.  I 
thought  they  had  got  into  deep  water, 
and  moved  with  greater  caution.  In 
passing  over  the  sand  banks  their 
figures  were  reflected  in  the  water.  So 
convinced  was  Mr.  Calmun  of  its  re- 
ality, that  he  dismounted  and  walked 
towards  the  deepest  part  of  it,  which 
was  on  the  right  hand.  He  followed 
the  deceitful  lake  for  a  long  time, 
and  to  our  sight  was  strolling  on  the 
bank,  his  shadow  stretching  to  a  great 
length  beyond.  There  was  not  a 
breath  of  wind  ;  it  was  a  sultry  day, 
and  such  an  one  as  would  have  added 
dreadfully  to  our  disappointment  if  we 
had  been  at  any  time  without  water." 
Southey  has  beautifully  described 
this  appearance  and  its  effect  on  the 
traveller : 

Still  the  same  burning  sun  l  no  cloud  in  heaven  I 
The  hot  air  quivers;,  and  the  sultry  mist 

Floats  o'er  the  desert,  with  a  show 
Of  distant  waters  mocking  their  distress. 

The  idea  of  the  prophet,  if  he  refers 
to  this  phenomenon,  is  exceedingly 
beautiful.  It  is  that  the  mirage,  which 
has  the  appearance  only  of  a  sheet  of 
water,  and  which  often  deceives  the 
traveller,  shall  become  a  real  lake  ;  that 
there  shall  be  hereafter  no  deception, 
no  illusion ;  that  man,  like  a  traveller 
on  pathless  sands,  weary  and  thirsty, 
shall  no  more  be  deceived  by  false  ap- 
pearances and  unreal  hopes.  The 
hopes  and  promises  which  this  world 
can  furnish  are  as  delusive  as  is  the 
mirage  to  the  exhausted   and    thirsty 


traveller.     Man  approaches  them,  and 
like  that  delusive  appearance  they  re- 
cede or  vanish.     If  they  are  still  seen, 
they  are  always  at  a  distance,  and  he 
follows  the  false  and  deceptive  vision 
till  he  comes  to  the  end  of  life.     But 
the  promises  of  God  through  the  Mes- 
siah,   are    like    real    lakes   of   water 
and  running  streams  to  the  thirsty  tra- 
veller.    They  never  deceive,  never  re- 
cede, never  vanish,  never  are  unsatis- 
factory.     Man   may   approach   them, 
knowing  that  there  is  no  illusion  ;  he 
may  satisfy  his  wants,  and  still    the 
supply  is  unexhausted  and  inexhausti- 
ble.    Others   also  may    approach  the 
same   fountain    of  pure  joy,   with  as 
much  freedom  as  travellers  may  ap- 
proach the  running  stream  in  the  de- 
sert,    tf  In  the  habitation  of  dragons. 
See  Note  ch.  xiii.  22.     The  sense  of 
this   is,  that  the  blessings  which  are 
promised  shall  be  as  great  as  if  in  such 
dry  and  desolate  places  there  should 
be  verdure  and  beauty.     11  Where  each 
lay.     In  every  place  which  the  wild 
beast  had  occupied.     IT  Shall  be  grass. 
Margin,   a   court  for.     The    Hebrew 
word  ^SH  may  mean  either  grass,  01 
a  court,  or  habitation.     The  latter  is 
undoubtedly  the  meaning  of  the  word 
here,  and  thus  it  responds  in  the  paral 
lelism  to  the  "  habitation  of  dragons.' 

In  the  habitation  where  each  lay, 
Shall  be  a  court  for  reeds  and  rushes. 

IT  Eeeds  and  rushes.  These  usuall/ 
grew  by  ponds  and  marshes.  Tht 
image  which  the  prophet  had  been  em- 
ploying was  that  of  a  desert  of  sand? 
and  arid  plains.  He  here  says,  that  there 
would  be  verdure.  In  those  pathless 
wastes  there  would  spring  up  that 
which  was  nourished  by  water.  The 
sense  is,  that  those  portions  of  the  earth 
which  are  covered  with  moral  desola 
tion,  like  the  pathless  wastes  of  the  de- 
sert, shall  put  on  the  appearance  of 
moral  cultivation  and  verdure. 

8.  And  an  highway  shall  be  there. 
See  Note  xi.  16.  This  is  language 
which  is  derived  from  the  return  of  the 
Jews  from  captivity.     The  idea  is,  that 


534 


ISAIAH. 


\  B.C. IIS. 


called,  The  way  of  holiness  ;  the 
unclean*  shall  not  pass  over  it; 
•but  it  shall  be  for  those  :  the 
way-faring  men,  though  fools, 
shall  not  err  therein. 

»ch.  52.  1.    Joel  3.  17.     Rev.  21.  27. 
6  or,  fbr  he  shall  be  icilh  them. 

there  would  be  easy  and  uninterrupted 
access  to  their  own  land.  The  more 
remote,  though  main  idea  in  the  mind 
of  the  prophet  seems  to  have  been,  that 
the  way  of  access  to  the  blessings  of 
the  Messiah's  reign  would  be  open  and 
free  to  all.  Comp.  ch.  xl.  3, 4.  IT  And 
a  way.  It  is  not  easy  to  mark  the  dif- 
ference between  the  word  way,  '•p.'l  , 
and  a  high-way,  b^POE  .  Probably  the 
latter  refers  more  particularly  to  a 
raised  way  (from  P?0  to  cast  up),  and 
would  be  expressed  by  our  word  cause- 
way or  turnpike.  It  was  such  a  way 
as  was  usually  made  for  the  march  of 
armies  by  removing  obstructions,  filling 

valleys,  &c.  The  word  way, T\T\  ,  is  a 
more  general  term,  and  denotes  a  path, 
or  road  of  any  kind.  7  And  it  shall 
be  called  the  way  of  holiness.  The 
reason  why  it  should  be  so  called  is 
stated.  No  impure  person  should  travel 
it.  The  idea  is,  that  all  who  should 
have  access  to  the  favour  of  God,  or 
who  should  come  into  his  kingdom, 
should  be  holy.  IT  The  unclean  shall 
not  pass  over  it.  There  shall  be  no 
idolater  there  ;  no  one  shall  be  admit- 
ted who  is  not  a  pure  worshipper  of 
Jehovah.  Such  is  the  design  of  the 
kingdom  which  is  set  up  by  the  Mes- 
siah, and  such  the  church  of  Christ 
should  be.  See  ch.  xl.,3,  4,  xlix.  11, 
Ixii.  10.  H  But  it  shall  be  for  those. 
For  those  who  are  specified  imme- 
diately ;  for  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord. 
The  margin  is,  "  For  he  shall  be  with 
them."     Lowth  reads  it, 

"  But  he  himself  Bhall  be  with  them,  walking  in 
the  way." 

And  this,  it  seems  to  me,  is  the  more 
probable  sense  of  the  passage,  indicat- 
ing that  they  should  not  go  alone  or 
unprotected.  It  would  be  a  holy  way, 
because  then  God  would  be  with  them  ; 


9  No  Mlion  shall  be  there,  noi 
any  ravenous  beast  shall  go  up 
thereon,  it  shall  not  be  found 
there :  but  the  redeemed  shall 
walk  there  : 


u  Ezek.  3f.  26. 


it  would  be  safe,  because  he  would  at- 
tend and  defend  them.  IT  The  way- 
faring men.  Heb.  '  He  walking  in 
the  way.'  According  to  the  transla- 
tion proposed  above,  this  refers  to  God, 
the  Redeemer,  who  will  be  with  his 
people,  walking  in  the  way  with  them. 
H  Though  fools.  Heb.  '  And  fools.' 
That  is,  the  simple,  the  unlearned,  or 
those  who  are  regarded  as  fools.  It 
shall  be  a  highway  thrown  up,  so  direct, 
and  so  unlike  other  paths,  that  there 
shall  be  no  danger  of  mistaking  it. — 
The  friends  of  God  are  often  regarded 
as  fools  by  the  world.  Many  of  them 
are  of  the  humbler  class  of  life,  and 
are  destitute  of  human  learning,  and 
of  worldly  wisdom.  The  sense  here 
is,  that  the  way  of  salvation  shall  be 
so  plain,  that  no  one, however  ignorant 
and  unlearned,  need  err  in  regard  to 
it.  In  accordance  with  this,  the  Saviour 
said  that  the  gospel  was  preached  to 
the  poor ;  and  he  himself  always  re- 
presented the  way  to  life  as  such  that 
the  most  simple  and  unlettered  might 
find  it. 

9.  No  lion  shall  be  there.  Lions 
abounded  in  all  the  countries  adjacent 
to  Palestine.  They  are,  therefore,  often 
referred  to  by  the  sacred  writers,  as 
objects  of  dread  and  alarm.  The  lead- 
ing idea  in  the  language  of  Isaiah  in 
this  whole  passage  is  that  of  a  way 
constructed  from  Babylon  to  Judea,  so 
straight  and  plain  that  the  most  simple 
of  the  people  might  find  it  and  walk  in 
it.  But  such  a  path  would  lie  through 
desert  sands.  It  would  be  in  the  region 
infested  with  lions  and  other  wild  beasts. 
The  prophet,  therefore,  suggests  that 
there  should  be  no  cause  for  such  dread 
and  alarm.  The  sense  is,  that  in  that 
kingdom  to  which  he  had  main  refer- 
ence all  would  be  safe.  They  who 
entered  it  should  find  security  and  de 


B.C.  713.] 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


53b 


10  And  tlie  ransomed  *of  the 
Lord  shall  return,  and  come  to 
Zion  with  songs,*'  and  everlasting 

*  ch.  61.  II.  V  Rev.  5  9. 

fence  as  they  travelled  that  road.  And 
it  is  true.  They  who  enter  the  path 
that  leads  to  life,  find  there  no  cause 
of  alarm.  Their  fears  subside  ;  .heir 
apprehensions  of  punishment  on  ac- 
count of  their  sins  die  away  ;  and  they 
walk  that  path  with  security  and  confi- 
dence. There  is  nothing  in  that  way 
to  alarm  them  ;  and  though  there  may 
be  many  foes — fitly  represented  by  lions 
and  wild  beasts — lying  about  the  way, 
yet  no  one  is  permitted  to  "  go  up 
thereon."  This  is  a  most  beautiful 
image  of  the  safety  of  the  people  of 
God,  and  of  their  freedom  from  all  ene- 
mies that  could  annoy  them.  IT  But 
the  redeemed  shall  walk  there.  The 
language  here  referred  at  first  doubtless 
to  those  who  would  be  rescued  from  the 
captivity  at  Babylon  ;  but  the  main 
reference  is  to  those  who  would  be  re- 
deemed by  the  blood  of  the  atonement, 
or  who  are  properly  called  "  the  re- 
deemed of  the  Lord."  That  Isaiah 
was  acquainted  with  the  doctrine  of 
redemption  is  apparent  from  his  fifty- 
third  chapter.  There  is  not  here,  in- 
deed, any  express  mention  made  of  the 
means  by  which  they  would  be  redeem- 
ed, but  the  language  is  so  general  that 
it  may  refer  either  to  the  deliverance 
from  the  captivity  at  Babylon,  or  the 
future  more  important  deliverance  of 
his  people  from  the  bondage  of  sin  by 
the  atoning  sacrifice  of  the  Messiah. 
On  the  word  rendered  redeem,  see 
Note  ch.  xliii.  1.  The  idea  is,  that  the 
path  here  referred  to  is  appropriately 
designed  only  for  the  redeemed  of  the 
Lord.  It  is  not  for  the  profane,  the 
polluted,  the  hypocrite.  It  is  not  for 
those  who  live  for  this  world,  or  for 
those  who  love  pleasure  more  than  they 
love  God.  The  church  should  not  be 
entered  except  by  those  who  hare  evi- 
dence that  they  are  redeemed.  None 
should  make  a  profession  of  religion 
who  have  no  evidence  that  they  belong 
to  "  the  redeemed,"  and  who  are  not 


joyz  Upon  their  heads  :  they  shall 
obtain  joy  and  gladness,  and  sor- 
row6 and  sighing  shall  flee  away 

x  Jude  24. 


5  Rev.  7.  17.    21.  4. 


disposed  to  walk  in  the  way  of  holiness 
But,  for  all  such  it  is  ja._  highway  on 
which  they  are  to  trivel.  It  is  made 
by  levelling  hills  and  elevating  valleys  ; 
it  is  made  across  the  sandy  desert  and 
through  the  wilderness  of  this  world  ; 
it  is  made  through  a.  world  infested 
with  the  enemies  of  God  and  his  people. 
It  is  made  straight  and  plain  so  that 
none  need  err;  it  is. defended  from 
enemies  so  that  all  may  be  safe  ;  it  is 
rendered  secure,  because  '•'  He,"  their 
Leader  and  Redeemer,  shall  go  with 
them  and  guard  that  way. 

10.  And  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord. 
The  word  here  rendered  ransomed,  is 
different  from  the  word  rendered  re- 
deemed in  ver.  9.  This  word  is  "^'"S 
from  iTlQ ;  though  it  is  not  easy,  per- 
haps not  possible,  to  designate  the 
difference  in  the  sense.  Doubtless 
there  was  a  shade  of  difference  among 
the  Hebrews,  but  what  it  was  is  not 
now  known.  See  this  word  explained 
in  the  Note  onch.  i.  27.  The  langvsge 
here  is  all  derived  from  the  deliverance 
from  Babylon,  and  the  images  employ- 
ed by  the  prophet  rebate  to  that  event. 
Still,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  he 
meant  to  describe  the  deliverance  under 
the  Messiah.  T  Shall  return,  and  come 
to  Zion.  This  language  also  is  that 
which  expresses  the  return  from  Baby- 
lon. In  a  more  general  sense,  and  in 
the  sense  intended  particularly  by  the 
prophet,  it  means,  doubtless,  that  all 
who  are  the  redeemed  of  God  shall  be 
gathered  under  his  protection,  and  shall 
be  saved.  If  With  songs.  With  rejoic- 
ing— as  the  ransomed  captives  would 
return  from  Babylon,  and  as  all  who 
are  redeemed  enter  the  church  on  earth, 
and  will  enter  into  heaven  above. 
IT  And  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads. 
This  maybe  an  expression  denoting  the 
fact  that  joy  is  manifest  in  the  face  and 
aspect.  Gesenius.  Thus  we  say  that 
joy  lights  up  the  countenance,  and  it  ia 


r>36 


ISAIAH. 


[B.C.  713. 


possible  that  the  Hebrews  expressed 
this  idea  by  applying  it  to  the  head. 
Thus  the  Hebrews  say  (Ps.  cxxvi.  2)  : 

Then  was  our  mouth  filled  with  laughter. 
And  our  tongue  with  singing. 

Or  it  may  refer  to  the  practice  of  anoint- 
ing the  head  with  oil  and  perfume  in 
times  of  festivity  and  joy — in  contrast 
with  the  custom  of  throwing  ashes  on 
the  head  in  times  of  grief  and  calamity. 
Roscnmllller.  Or  it  may  refer  to  a 
custom  of  wearing  a  wreath  or  chaplet 
of  flowers  in  times  of  festivity,  as  is 
often  done  now,  and  as  Was  commonly 
done  among  the  ancients  in  triumphal 
processions.  Vitringa.  Whichever  ex- 
position be  adopted,  the  idea  is  the 
same,  that  there  would  be  great  joy, 
and  that  that  joy  would  be  perpetual 
and  unfading.  This  is  1rue  of  all  who 
return  to  Zion  under  the  Messiah.  Joy 
is  one  of  the  first  emotions  ;  joy  at  re- 
demption, and  at  the  pardon  of  sin  ;  joy 
in  view  of  the  hopes  of  eternal  life,  and 
of  the  everlasting  favour  of  God.  But 
this  joy  is  not  short-lived  and  fading, 
like  the  garland  of  flowers  on  the  head  ; 
it  is  constant,  increasing,  everlasting. 
H  And  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee 
away.     See  Note  on  ch.  xxv.  8. 

This  is  a  most  beautiful  close  of  the 
series  or  succession  of  prophecies  which 
we  have  been  thus  far  contemplating. 
The  result  of  all  is,  that  the  redeemed 
of  the  Lord  shall  have  joy  and  rejoic- 
ing ;  that  all  their  enemies  shall  be 
subdued,  and  that  they  shall  be  rescued 
from  all  their  foes.  In  the  analysis  of 
the  prophecy  contained  in  the  thirty- 
fourth  and  thirty-fifth  chapters,  it  was 
stated  that  this  prophecy  seemed  to  be 
a  summary  of  all  that  Isaiah  had  before 
uttered,  and  was  designed  to  show  that 


all  the  enemies  of  the  people  of  God 
would  be  destroyed,  and  that  they 
would  be  triumphantly  delivered  and 
saved.  All  these  minor  deliverances 
were  preparatory  to  and  emblematic 
of  the  greater  deliverance  under  the 
Messiah;  and  accordingly  all  his  pre- 
dictions look  forward  to,  and  terminate 
in  that.  In  the  portions  of  prophecy 
which  we  have  been  over,  we  have  seen 
the  people  of  God  represented  as  in 
danger  from  the  Syrians,  the  Assyrians, 
the  Egyptians,  the  Moabites,  the  Edom- 
ites,  the  Babylonians  ;  and  in  reference 
to  them  all  the  same  result  has  been 
predicted,  that  they  would  be  delivered 
from  them,  and  that  their  enemies  would 
be  destroyed.  This  has  been,  in  the 
chapters  which  we  have  passed  over, 
successively  foretold  of  Damascus,  of 
Egypt,  of  Moab,  of  Ethiopia,  of  Baby- 
lon, of  Edom,  and  of  Sennacherib  ;  and 
the  prophet  has  reached  the  conclusion 
that  all  the  enemies  of  God's  people 
would  ultimately  be  destroyed,  and  that 
they  would  be  safe  under  the  reign  of 
the  Messiah,  to  which  all  their  deliver- 
ances were  preparatory,  and  in  which 
they  all  would  terminate.  Having 
pursued  this  course  of  the  prophecy  ; 
having  looked  at  all  these  foes  ;  having 
seen  them  in  vision  all  destroyed  ;  hav- 
ing seen  the  Prince  of  Peace  come  ; 
having  seen  the  wonders  that  he  would 
perform  ;  having  seen  all  danger  sub- 
side, and  the  preparation  made  for  the 
eternal  security  and  joy  of  all  his  peo- 
ple, the  prophet  closes  this  series  of 
predictions  with  the  beautiful  statement 
now  before  us,  «  the  redeemed  of  Jb- 
hovah  shall  return,  and  come  to  Zion 
with  songs,  and  everlasting  joy  ;  and 
sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  awav.' 


BND   OF   VOLDME   I 


DATE  DUE 

DEMCO  38-297 

fMB  B(         S  THE     rOPERTY  OF 

g&ARENCE  L.  LECRONH 


BS1515.B261V.1 

Notes,  critical,  explanatory,  and 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00036  8086 


